Watercolor Lessons from Eliot O'Hara

Rating:
Summary: Out of print classic has excellent pointers for watercolor
Review: Oh, boy, where was this book hiding?! Thanks to a recommendation from another watercolorist, I got a copy of this out-of-print classic. Eliot O'Hara was a fine watercolorist and author Schmalz outlines O'Hara's technique and lessons in clear, concise words and pictures.

The book has color plates in the center, so most of the pictures are in black and white; while you can view the values of the colors (how dark, how light) you cannot get the full effect; however, that does not diminish the usefulness of the illustrations. For example, the explanation of how light reflects on wavelets is detailed but exquisitely clear. If you want to paint boat scenes or landscapes, this is probably one of the best sections on water and reflections I've read. There are a lot of pages devoted to establishing depth (with fog, color) and most of the pictures are of landscapes. The style is very much "Sixties"--in a way, the book looks very dated. But it doesn't matter because you'll be painting in your own style anyway, and the lessons are universally applicable to any landscape work. It's a shame this book is out of print, but secondhand copies are available. I recommend this for anyone serious about learning watercolor.