An artist whose earlier books topped best seller lists, has produced a brand new one on how to do ink and watercolour pictures.
Liz Chaderton’s new book, Line and Wash Painting, is full of her trademark enthusiasm and clear guidance.
“Using ink and watercolours is wonderful because it’s perfect for anything from the simplest doodle to a fully finished piece of art,” said Liz, of Hurst.
“The ink is like scaffolding on which you hang the beautiful and transparent watercolour. It’s almost like draping silk. The technique is both hard and soft, that’s why I like it.”
Combining ink and colour goes back hundreds of years. The Lindisfarne Gospels, fabulously written and illustrated by monks in around 700 AD, is an outstanding example.
Line and Wash’s 170 illustrations include Liz’s pictures of local places like Twyford Post Office, Reading Abbey ruins with clever use of the town’s map within the walls, The Castle Inn and St Nicholas Church at Hurst and also Mapledurham watermill.
She’s just sold the original of her picture of Reading Town Hall and its clock tower transformed to have the feel of a fairy tale castle.
“The lady who bought it has just moved from Reading and was very fond of the town. The town hall is a fantastic building and I love the museum there,” added Liz.
The new book describes a wide variety of styles and other subjects including insects, people, animals, a statuesque cedar tree and a small blue sports car with smoke pouring from its bonnet – seemingly on a trip to France, indicated by background maps.
The book advises on materials to use, exercises to hone drawing and painting skills and use of mixed media. There are ways to take line and wash to another level and step by step demonstrations of ideas and projects. The publishers, The Crowood Press, say it is “a visual treat and an essential guide.”
Crowood produced Liz’s earlier books: Painting Watercolours on Canvas and Painting Animals in Watercolour. The second reprint of the latter was caught in last March’s Suez Canal container ship traffic jam, but did make it to the UK. Both books have been top of Amazon’s best seller lists for their category.
The new book, costing £12.99, is due out on Monday, January 24. Details are by visiting https://www.crowood.com/products/line-and-wash-painting-by-liz-chaderton
