A comprehensive and practical guide to painting watercolour buildings with atmosphere, character and accuracy, from renowned artist Nicholas Poullis.
‘Nicholas’s paintings exude a wonderfully fresh and vibrant feel, with some innovative and daring compositions [] He is an artist at the peak of his creative powers.’ David Curtis ROI RSMA
Painting buildings is about more than faithfully describing the architecture successful watercolour paintings must also contain character, ambience and a sense of place. In this clearly explained and highly visual guide, master artist Nicholas Poullis shows you how to harness classic watercolour techniques to achieve paintings that are both accurate and inspiring. It is a masterclass of insight, technique and inspiration, for confident beginner and intermediate-level artists looking to discover key watercolour techniques as well as more experienced painters looking to hone their skills.
- Tackle essential technical aspects including light, composition, perspective and drawing.
- Overcome the challenges of balance, simplification and crucially how to avoid overworking.
- Discover dozens of Nicholas’s inspirational artworks.
- Follow 6 inspiring and varied stage-by-stage projects.
- Develop your knowledge with skill-building tips and ideas scattered throughout.
- Gain the confidence and conviction to apply the techniques you learn to painting your own favourite buildings.
Endorsements from other leading artists and experts:
“Nicholas’s paintings exude a wonderfully fresh and vibrant feel, with some innovative and daring compositions. There is a crispness in the execution of those controlled washes with a splendid sense of clarity and colour harmony. Pure watercolour practised in the most capable hands can appear deceptively simple to the observer’s eye, but in fact is the culmination of a life time’s careful observation and much experimentation with the media. Nicholas’s formidable works demonstrate an artist at the peak of his creative powers.” David Curtis ROI RSMA
“Nicholas’s thoughtful engagement with the processes of watercolour goes beyond the mastering of the inherently challenging techniques of this medium. He has a refreshingly broad view of the possibilities of watercolour, and whilst he doesn’t claim that the medium is easy, he produces light-filled compositions that are fresh and expressive, and easily capture the atmosphere of the scene or place.” Dr Sally Bulgin, The Artist
“Watercolour painting is like playing a single beautiful instrument. Nicholas has tuned his instrument to express the beauty of nature to a rare degree. ‘Leave out but never add’ was the cry of John Sell Cotman, one of Britain's finest watercolourists, and this is exemplified in Nicholas’s work.” Professor Ken Howard OBE Royal Academician
Table of Contents
Foreword by Dr Sally Bulgin 6
Introduction 8
Materials and equipment 10
The painting session 16
Pure watercolour techniques 24
Choosing a subject 38
Simplification 48
Cathar Bridge - step-by-step 56
Drawing and perspective 64
Watermill - step-by-step 70
Shady Corner - step-by-step 84
Painting light 88
Market Hall, Early Morning - step-by-step 96
The order of painting 104
Market Hall interior - step-by-step 114
How to develop your painting 122
Ancient bridge - step-by-step 134
Afterword 142
Index 144
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About Nicholas Poullis
Nicholas Poullis is an award-winning watercolourist and has been a contributing author to the leading practical art magazine, The Artist, for many years, writing on various aspects of watercolour. He has a particular interest in architectural subject matter.
Since graduating from Anglia Polytechnic University in 1996, Nicholas has been a full time professional artist and has exhibited extensively in France and also England with the RBSA, RI, RBA and RWS and in various group and solo shows, including at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall. Nicholas is well established in the Languedoc region of South West France, where he has previously been an Official Painter to the Office de Tourism Pézenas, Val d’Hérault. He currently runs painting holidays in the South of France.
www.nicholas-poullis.com
