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A revealing gesture, a brilliant quality of light, a particularly perfect bloom... This volume of Splash is dedicated to those glorious sparks of inspiration, and the stories of how 129 artists fanned them into some of today's greatest watercolor paintings. The emotional connection between subject and artist resonates in these pages, delivering the caliber of art and insight that has made Splash a perennial favorite. • 135 paintings, reproduced in large, juicy color • A diverse range of styles and subjects, including still lifes, portraits, city scenes, animals and landscapes • Commentary reveals the artists'passion, approaches and techniques The artists spotlighted inside found inspiration in even unlikely places. They spotted it in peeling paint, the faces of strangers, and the view from the kitchen window. They found beauty in places as poetic as Paris, and as seemingly pedestrian as a dilapidated shed. From a hawk proudly posed against a cloudless, cerulean sky to an everyday table setting transformed by light into a kaleidoscope of color, these are the moments that stopped artists in their tracks, to create the kind of paintings that do the same.'Whatever made you hold your breath or turn your head the first time you saw it, that is what you should paint!'--Kathleen Lanzoni

Inspiration fresh from the studios of 131 master artists! A celebration of creative drawing, the Strokes of Genius series showcases standout work from today's top artists. This 8th volume focuses on how artists use texture to bring life and depth to subjects ranging from soulful portraits and expressive still lifes, to beautiful landscapes and pulsing city scenes. Texture plays an essential role in each of these drawings--capturing character, building mood, and paying homage to everyday moments that often go unnoticed. These pages serve up a tantalizing buffet of tactile impressions, from rough tree bark and silky fur to peeling paint and timeworn fabrics. Complete with fascinating, firsthand insights on the drawing techniques behind the textures, Strokes of Genius 8 offers hours of browsing and inspiration for artists and art-lovers alike. Inside you'll find: • 139 magnificent works in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, scratchboard and pen+ink • An exciting range of styles and approaches, presented in subject-themed chapters • A behind-the-scenes look at the tools and methods used to evoke a wide range of natural and manmade textures

There is something almost magical about looking at a two-dimensional surface and experiencing a visceral sense of depth and dimension. In this 7th edition of the celebrated Strokes of Genius series, 120 of today's best artists share successful approaches to creating that wondrous illusion of space--from a tight, shallow place that reflects the emotional state of the model, to wide open vistas that seem to go on forever.Inside you'll find: • 135 inspirational drawings in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, pen and ink, scratchboard and more • An exciting diversity of styles and techniques, presented in subject-themed chapters: portraits, landscapes, animals, still lifes and figures • Practical artist-to-artist advice, insights and anecdotes you won't find anywhere elseBooks on art theory put forth concepts like contrast, edges and perspective. Strokes of Genius brings those theories to life, showing how today's artists put them to work. Each drawing is a unique, real-world lesson on how to manipulate value, light, shadows, details and more to evoke a feeling of depth and invite the viewer in.

100 top artists share the tricks behind their textures!Have you ever stood fascinated before a painting, wondering,'How did they do that?'In this 16th book in the ever-popular Splash series, 100 of today's top watercolor artists share the techniques behind the remarkable textures that bring their subjects to life. You'll learn how to create the look of rippling water, backlit glass, fur, fruit, stone, textiles, rust and a world of other illusions that make viewers forget--if only for an instant--that they are looking at mere pigment on paper. • 130+ brilliant paintings and the stories behind them • The how's behind a multitude of textures, from the delicate softness of rose petals and the flush on the cheek of a sleeping child, to peeling paint, and reflections on polished metal • Six subject-themed chapters explore landscapes, close-ups, animals, urban scenes, still lifes, machines and people These pages are filled with experiments, happy accidents and techniques perfected over a lifetime. Discover the many ways color is drybrushed, layered and manipulated...applied with plastic wrap, chopped brushes, sponges and fingers...sprayed, splattered, scrubbed and sanded...whatever it takes to achieve that sense of believability. A palpable display of artistic invention, Splash 16 celebrates the magnificent versatility of the medium. Can you feel it?'When it comes to texture, just go for it--wash, scrub, glaze, scratch and lift!'--Yael Maimon, p39'Music is what feelings sound like and paintings are what feelings look like.'--Judi Betts, p107

This sixth volume in the celebrated Strokes of Genius series explores the power of value. From the darkest darks to the lightest lights and all the notes in between, value can build works of incredible complexity, or pure and simple poetry. More than any other single element of art, value has the power to force a flat surface into a realistic sense of dimension, convey textures, establish mood, and evoke terrific plays of light and shadow. In the hands of the skillful artists in this book, value draws us in, tells stories, and transports us to sights and scenes from the artist's unique perspective • 140 drawings from 100+ artists in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, and pen and ink • A diversity of styles and approaches, presented in subject-themed chapters: portraits, still lifes, figures, landscapes and animals • Comments from the artists offering fresh-from-the-studio insight and ideas not found anywhere else. From breathtaking realism to on-location sketches, Strokes of Genius 6 promises hours of enjoyment and inspiration for artists in any medium.

Truth. Beauty. Experience. Emotion.The artists included in Art Journey: Portraits and Figures say they have discovered all of these things and more through their work. Sometimes it's in the eyes. Or perhaps it's the hint of an expression that seems to beckon one closer, begging to share a secret. Maybe it's the tilt of a chin. Or the posture or stance of one's subject. But in a well executed portrait or figure? Something special, something unique that is invariably revealed--oftentimes about both the subject and the artist.Covering a tantalizing range of styles, the works within illustrate the many ways today's best artists choreograph shape, value, line texture and color into compositions that create drama, tell a story and pull the viewer in. Featuring unusual perspectives, enticing contrasts and other dynamic design elements, Art Journey: Portraits and Figures delivers fresh inspiration for artists of every skill level and medium. • Art and inspiration from 109 contemporary artists working in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, scratchboard, pen and ink, and more • 107 masterful works--the best in portraiture and figure work--demonstrating a wonderful diversity of styles • Expert tips and advice and insights into the stories behind art

The best of the best--20 years of watercolor brilliance!Over the past 20+ years, Splash has built a reputation as the premier showcase of contemporary watercolor...a gathering place for the best work and freshest ideas from today's top artists. Page by page, the series'14 editions have painted a masterful portrait of the current state of the medium. Now, Splash Retrospective celebrates the best of the best in one big, breathtaking compilation!Inside you'll find everything you've come to expect from this series: big art (in concept, execution and reproduction value), innovative techniques, and firsthand insight on what fueled the artist. Plus, for the first time, series editor Rachel Rubin Wolf shares her expert perspective on what it is about these paintings that made her stop and take notice. What made them'come alive'and stand out from the thousands that crossed her desk? More than mere technical mastery, she cites such elements as originality, unusual subjects and poses, moments of whimsy...and always, the artist's love and respect for their subject, be it sunflower divas, and exotic locale, a beloved family member, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.It's an exceptional collection for artists striving to create memorable work, and a simply stunning book to grace the coffee table of any lover of the medium. • 230+ brilliantly reproduced watercolor paintings. • More than 200 artists represented. • A diversity of styles, presented in subject-themed chapters--still lifes, portraits, landscapes, animals and more. • Revealing commentary from the artists and editor.

'Sometimes the beauty of light can last only an instant...be ready.'- Laurie Goldstein-Warren, P119It starts with a sparkle of light, the expressive way a shadow maps out a face, the almost other-worldly luminosity of roses on an overcast day. These are the moments, often brief and unexpected, that turn ordinary subjects into powerful inspiration, and--when handled with skill and originality--a painting into a masterpiece.The magical moments featured in Splash 14 evoke the very essence of watercolor--light and color. More than 120 brilliant paintings are accompanied by generous insights from the artists. Find out how they captured lyrical light effects, quiet moods, lively shadows, and incredibly subtleties or shouts of color.In keeping with the Splash tradition, this volume celebrates the heart, spirit and innovation of contemporary watercolor. It promises hours of enjoyment and intrigue for artists and art-enthusiasts alike.'A great painting is more often the result of an enjoyable journey than a planned process.'- Janet Nunn, P110

'Do not only draw what you see,'encourages artist Gary Rudisill (p55),'create what you feel.'In Strokes of Genius 5, that feeling is delivered through strong and inventive design. Covering a tantalizing range of styles, the work within illustrates the many ways today's best artists choreograph shape, value, line, texture and color into compositions that create drama, tell a story, and pull viewers in. Featuring unusual perspectives, tantalizing contrasts and other dynamic design elements, Strokes of Genius 5 delivers fresh inspiration for artists of every skill level and medium. • Art and inspiration from 91 contemporary masters in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, scratch board, pen and ink, and more. • 120 masterful works--landscapes, figures, portraits, urban scenes, animals and still lifes--in a wonderful diversity of styles. • Expert tips, techniques and stories behind the designs.

A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but the less expected routes are what more often lead artists from inspiration to great paintings. Splash 13 explores the paths less traveled...real solutions and alternative approaches from 100 of today's masters of the medium.Pulsing with the spirit of play and experimentation, over 100 paintings are accompanied by insight from the artists revealing how they pushed the limits of color, blurred the boundary between realism and abstraction, embraced accidents, and did away with expectations, traditional thinking...and sometimes even brushes!Filled with stunning paintings, fresh inspiration and ground-breaking innovation, Splash 13: Alternative Approaches is a must-have showcase for artists and art-lovers alike.

Art, inspiration and insights from 100+ modern-day masters!Line is arguably the most fundamental and direct element in art, and also the most expressive--as personal as handwriting. Strokes of Genius 4 explores the artistic linework of more than 100 contemporary masters. These artists tell the stories of their varied subjects through strong verticals and sweeping diagonals, quick staccatos and loose, sensuous strokes. Captions share insights on how they use line to lead the eye, create movement, reveal character, and add depth, drama and texture.Inside you'll find: • Art and inspiration from more than 100 of today's best artists • 140 masterful pieces in charcoal, pencil, pastel, pen and more • Diverse subject matter: portraits, landscapes, still life, figures and animals • Styles ranging from minimalism to photorealismFrom quick sketches to full rendered artwork, Strokes of Genius 4 offers fresh ideas and unique perspectives to fuel artists in any medium.

'Drawing is the connection between eye, heart and hand.'--Linda WesnerDrawing is a fundamental skill for artists in any medium, a wonderfully direct means of expression and the driving inspiration behind this provoking collection. Strokes of Genius 3 celebrates drawing as an art form in its own right, featuring work from 95 of today's brightest artists.In this brilliant collection of drawings, 95 contemporary artists explore the subjects that touch their hearts and discuss how they capture them in their medium of choice. In addition to traditional pencil, charcoal and ink, you'll find a number of scratchboard, colored pencil and mixed-media works. Subject matter ranges from timeworn city architecture to portraits of beloved dogs, including such perennial favorites as landscapes, harbor scenes, flowers, still life, the human figure and more. • 140 world-class drawings, from simple, direct sketches to meticulously layered works of art selected from thousands of submissions • Exciting mix of styles, mediums and techniques, presented in subject-specific chapters: Town & County, Portraits, Pets, Still Life, The Human Figure and Wildlife • Artists'commentary on the concepts and techniques behind each piece To further explore the'Fresh Perspectives'theme, each featured artist was asked to finish the phrase,'Drawing is....'Their responses, scattered throughout, add yet another dimension to this book:'Drawing is a moment of poetry.''Drawing is to art what physics is to science.''Drawing is art stripped to its bare bones.'Above all, it is the art itself that will cause you to keep this volume handy on the coffee table or bookshelf for when you want to curl up, look at the world through these artists'eyes, and come away with a more vivid sense of what drawing is--or can be--to you. Whether you are an artist in search of fresh inspiration or a connoisseur fascinated by great artwork and the processes behind it, Strokes of Genius 3 promises many pleasurable hours of browsing, appreciation and discovery.

The Splash series has earned a reputation as a premier showcase of contemporary watercolor. Year after year, artists and art enthusiasts look forward to its big, beautiful images, innovative approaches and insightful commentary. Continuing the tradition, this 12th edition celebrates artistic vision—delivering a stunning diversity of ideas, inspiration, and breathtaking art—in short, everything fans of this series have come to expect, including the wonderfully unexpected. Explore how artists seize upon moments of beauty and wonder, inject emotional content and personal interpretation, and translate it all into brilliant standout paintings.Impossibly red tomatoes picked fresh from the garden...A chance pose by an impatient child model...The simple view through a weathered door...These are just a few of the'sparks'behind the more than 120 striking paintings on these pages. Captions offer insight from the artists themselves who share the approaches they use to bring their visions into focus.The late Henry Fukuhara painted the scene on page 90 when he was 96 years old, completely blind and bedridden, a profound testament to the power of an artist's vision. His advice:'Don't be a reporter; be an entertainer.'Page after page, Splash 12 offers up this kind of hard-earned wisdom, personal epiphanies and artist-to-artist advice for making others stop, look, and enjoy the view. Dive in, and see where 100 of today's brightest watercolor visionaries have taken this celebrated medium.

When life, or the spirit of experimentation, or the whim of watercolor itself leads artists outside their comfort zone, conditions are favorable for something new and wonderful to happen. Splash 11: New Directions features 126 such somethings, representing the best watercolor work being created today.As intriguing as the paintings themselves, the artists talk about what inspired these new directions - anything from a trip around the world to a bowl of apples passed by a hundred times before. Find out how a workshop, a new brush, or a new perspective (like painting into the sun) injected these works with fresh energy, emotion and inner reflection.In true Splash tradition, the sheer diversity of work within is stunning - from thick, dark and dramatic to light, loose and washy... in some cases all in the same piece. You'll find work from favorite Splash watercolorists, along with quite a few new artists never before seen in print.Anyone who has a passion for art will appreciate the thrill of discovery and freshness of technique that fills these pages. For painters who aspire to keep their own art lives fresh and exciting, this work - and the stories behind it - offer powerful inspiration to change it up, stand in a new place, and paint that painting you think you can't.

Celebrate the beauty, diversity and expression of drawing with this second collection in the Strokes of Genius series - 140 examples of the finest drawing being done today. Fresh from the studios and sketchpads of 100 artists, these striking creations run the gamut from highly detailed, remarkably realistic images that were months in the making, to contour drawings, journal sketches and gestures captured in mere minutes. Selections feature original approaches to landscapes, portraits and other classic subjects, along with offbeat inspirations like vintage photos and washed-off watercolor paintings.In these pages you'll find: • A vast range of mediums and combinations, including charcoal, pencil, pastel, ink and more • An exciting mix of styles and techniques presented in subject-specific chapters: Portraits, Cityscapes, Animals, the Human Figure, Landscapes and Still Life • Firsthand perspective on the processes behind the work, offering expert insights on capturing atmosphere, telling a story, finding the right pose, achieving vitality of line, and much moreWith a special focus on the power of light and shadow, this work has an immediacy that is honest and engaging. Filled with strokes of poetry, precision and passion, this is a memorable collection of art as well as an inspiring survey of techniques that artists use to translate impressions to paper.

Featured artist Jerry Stitt contemplates that''A painting is good not because it looks like something, but because it feels like something.''The difference is passion''the kind of energy, excitement and pure joy that pulses through every page of this book.A brilliant collection of the best watercolors being created today, Splash 10 explores'passion'through the work and words of 100 top contemporary painters. With each modern-day masterpiece, insightful firsthand commentary taps into the psyche of the artists to explore where their passion comes from, and where it leads them.These artists find the passion to paint in any number of places - a handful of peppermints, a rescued dog named Tugboat, visits to places where'even the walls have personality,'and spectacular moments created by the warm late-afternoon sun partnering with rich, cool cast shadows. Some of them find passion in their materials (like rice paper) or in the very act of putting paint to paper, whether it be broad, wet strokes of pure color applied with big brushes and arm-swinging applications, or meditative, economical strokes.This edition of Splash is dedicated to discovering not only how today's artists create great watercolors, but what motivates them to be creative, work in this amazing medium, and portray the subjects they love.

Awe-inspiring works by contemporary masters, along with the secrets behind its creation.Drawing is the most intimate and immediate form of self-expression, fundamental to every artist's ability to communicate with a viewer. The sense of energy and expression that can be captured in mere strokes of charcoal, ink, pastel, marker or any of the other modest mediums proudly represented in this book is astounding.A glowing celebration of the art of drawing, Strokes of Genius features styles ranging from meticulous realism to imaginative flights of fancy, from lyrical sketches created in minutes to intricately layered renderings that took months to complete.Includes: • 169 stand-out examples of the finest drawing being done today, selected from hundreds of submissions from around the world. • An impressive range of styles, materials and techniques covering a wide array of subjects, including still life, the figure, animals, landscapes, portraits and more. • Comments from the artists offer firsthand insight on the creation of each artwork, diverse perspectives on drawing, and fresh ideas and techniques.An incomparable source of inspiration and delight for artists and art lovers, Strokes of Genius contains hundreds of combined years of expertise, artistic breakthroughs and, above all, remarkable drawings that leave a lasting impression.

The Potential of Watercolor RevealedLuminous, dynamic and expressive, watercolor is an intriguing medium for artist and viewer alike. Splash 9: Watercolor Secrets invites you to push your own creative potential to new heights as you explore the work of more than 100 of today's best watercolor artists.Page after page showcases a diverse array of styles and subjects, from quiet still lifes to animated streetscapes to mood-filled portraits. Each featured artist punctuates this collection with his or her own distinctive mastery of the medium. In every work, you'll see how color, composition and personal inspiration blend with years of practice, commitment and experimentation to create resonant works of stunning beauty.Created specifically for artists and art lovers, Splash 9 invites you to discover watercolor on a deeper level, providing detailed commentary from the artists themselves on every piece. You'll learn about their influences, their challenges and, most importantly, their specialized painting techniques.Delight in the secrets of this inspiring collection!