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10-Minute Watercolours: Techniques & Tips for Quick Watercolours
Designed for beginner and expert painters alike, this helpful handbook provides information on using color and maintaining spontaneity while painting with watercolors. All the techniques essential for successful paintings are covered, and advice on brush strokes, color selection, and tips on perspective are provided. Helpful chapters on painting a wide range of subjects—including people, landscapes, seascapes, buildings, gardens, flowers, and still life subjects—are also included.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 10, 2021
Fun painting projects
This book was a lot of fun and I made some fun paintings to make. I was surprised at how good they came out as quickly as I painted them. Liked it a lot
This book was a lot of fun and I made some fun paintings to make. I was surprised at how good they came out as quickly as I painted them. Liked it a lot
October 30, 2011
Watercolour techniques must arguably be the most wide ranging of all painting mediums, from the delicate to the strong, from sketchy to photorealistic brilliance, some immediately recognisable as watercolours while others require a double look.
Bewildering for an amateur, the best approach is to choose one style to go for. For me that one style is found in this little how-to book. Wonderful sketches and paintings achieved with a minimal amount of marks; how she renders the precise form of a heron in just three strokes is truly awesome. The idea, as the title suggests, is to capture the subject quickly, freely and avoiding over labouring - my kind of work - though, as Soan implies, ten minutes is just the title of the book, not a test.
Another beauty of this gem - it really is - is its tiny size. Perfect for the pocket or slipping it in beside your box of paints. All that remains now is to emulate the techniques. Easier said than done, so I console myself by enjoying the many wonderful examples included by the author.
Bewildering for an amateur, the best approach is to choose one style to go for. For me that one style is found in this little how-to book. Wonderful sketches and paintings achieved with a minimal amount of marks; how she renders the precise form of a heron in just three strokes is truly awesome. The idea, as the title suggests, is to capture the subject quickly, freely and avoiding over labouring - my kind of work - though, as Soan implies, ten minutes is just the title of the book, not a test.
Another beauty of this gem - it really is - is its tiny size. Perfect for the pocket or slipping it in beside your box of paints. All that remains now is to emulate the techniques. Easier said than done, so I console myself by enjoying the many wonderful examples included by the author.
December 25, 2023
Fantastic introduction to watercolor basics, including materials, artist’s terminology, and a practice primer. Takeaways include:
140lb (300gsm) cold press sketchblockor paper (no more than 10x12in)
Size 6 or 8 round sable brush
12mm flat sable brush
Mop brush (squirrel)
Rigger brush
Useful 3-color combinations-
1) Cadmium Red, Prussian Blue, Aureolin/Raw Umber.
2) Alizarin Crimson, Indian Yellow/Aureolin, Prussian Blue.
3) Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue/Prussian Blue, Alizarin Crimson.
4) Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre.
Accuracy vs Ambiguity
‘Less is more’ and ‘most said with minimum means’ are the mottos of the watercolourist.
How do you decide what to leave in and what to leave out in a painting? First remind yourself that you are using the subject to create the watercolour, not the watercolour to re-create the subject. Ask yourself why you want to paint this particular view or thing.
In painting, the tones are more important than the colours themselves. The lights and darks and mid tones of the colours matter more than the actual hue. Tone is relative, so light tones against darker tones, and vice versa, help each other stand out. This tonal counterchange helps you to decide what to include in your painting: look first for the main tones. Mix your colours to match the tone rather than the hue.
More watercolours are lost by overworking than by underworking them.
Keep it simple in concept and composition.
Be prepared to waste paper and make mistakes. Do not be over-ambitious; paint only that which interests you most.
People
Places
Animals
Still Life
140lb (300gsm) cold press sketchblockor paper (no more than 10x12in)
Size 6 or 8 round sable brush
12mm flat sable brush
Mop brush (squirrel)
Rigger brush
Useful 3-color combinations-
1) Cadmium Red, Prussian Blue, Aureolin/Raw Umber.
2) Alizarin Crimson, Indian Yellow/Aureolin, Prussian Blue.
3) Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue/Prussian Blue, Alizarin Crimson.
4) Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre.
Accuracy vs Ambiguity
‘Less is more’ and ‘most said with minimum means’ are the mottos of the watercolourist.
How do you decide what to leave in and what to leave out in a painting? First remind yourself that you are using the subject to create the watercolour, not the watercolour to re-create the subject. Ask yourself why you want to paint this particular view or thing.
In painting, the tones are more important than the colours themselves. The lights and darks and mid tones of the colours matter more than the actual hue. Tone is relative, so light tones against darker tones, and vice versa, help each other stand out. This tonal counterchange helps you to decide what to include in your painting: look first for the main tones. Mix your colours to match the tone rather than the hue.
More watercolours are lost by overworking than by underworking them.
Keep it simple in concept and composition.
Be prepared to waste paper and make mistakes. Do not be over-ambitious; paint only that which interests you most.
People
Places
Animals
Still Life
October 19, 2017
I was interested in this book because I have seen instructional videos on watercolor by Hazel Soan. Her enthusiasm is infectious. So I searched for books written by her. I thought this book was well organized and had great examples. My biggest complaints:
1) Hazel is from the UK and some of the terminology used in the UK differs from the US. For example, she referred to using paint "neat" which I infer from context to mean the pigment from the tube rather than diluted with a lot of water. He also referred to "not" paper, which I had to look up. Turns out its another term for cold press paper (in other words NOT hot press).
2) I bought the book in ebook format for the convenience. Unfortunately since these are 10 minute watercolors, the examples paintings are often small, and didn't show up very well in an ebook.
1) Hazel is from the UK and some of the terminology used in the UK differs from the US. For example, she referred to using paint "neat" which I infer from context to mean the pigment from the tube rather than diluted with a lot of water. He also referred to "not" paper, which I had to look up. Turns out its another term for cold press paper (in other words NOT hot press).
2) I bought the book in ebook format for the convenience. Unfortunately since these are 10 minute watercolors, the examples paintings are often small, and didn't show up very well in an ebook.
April 27, 2019
Great content
This is probably the best book I've purchased on watercolor technique! Packed with substance, both examples and instruction. Many books include larger paintings with some description. This book offers tidbits that can be introductory lessons for the beginner, or can be combined to produce full paintings. I know I'll be referring to it often as I continue my journey with watercolors.
This is probably the best book I've purchased on watercolor technique! Packed with substance, both examples and instruction. Many books include larger paintings with some description. This book offers tidbits that can be introductory lessons for the beginner, or can be combined to produce full paintings. I know I'll be referring to it often as I continue my journey with watercolors.
March 20, 2018
The author has some really good advice, but you really have to be able to draw well to do much of what she recommends. For someone as art-challenged as I am, most of this won't work. However, she had some good advice about brushwork, color, and so on, so it was worth the read.
May 19, 2019
Inspiring!
Although I don’t believe I can get any painting done in 10 minutes, this book sure makes me want to try! Lots of clear color combination suggestions along with basic techniques described simply & demonstrated by lovely illustrations. I like this book!
Although I don’t believe I can get any painting done in 10 minutes, this book sure makes me want to try! Lots of clear color combination suggestions along with basic techniques described simply & demonstrated by lovely illustrations. I like this book!
September 8, 2019
A very useful book of hints and instruction
As a “new” watercolour painter I found this book has and will help me achieve my goal of producing good watercolour pics remembering my travels .....
As a “new” watercolour painter I found this book has and will help me achieve my goal of producing good watercolour pics remembering my travels .....
January 4, 2018
Nice Overview
A quick read, covering a lot of the basics with helpful tips and lovely examples. I'm inspired to get started on a new painting now.
A quick read, covering a lot of the basics with helpful tips and lovely examples. I'm inspired to get started on a new painting now.
February 15, 2018
A quick reference book and good
January 25, 2019
An excellent guide to painting and drawing in my graphics programs. It was very helpful with subtle changes of colors and placement.
February 17, 2020
Solid information. Recommended if the subject intrigues you.
June 9, 2020
Excellent for warm up exercises and to get you in the mood to paint
June 15, 2020
All round excellent.
July 5, 2020
Good. I’d give it a B.
September 1, 2021
My watercolor professor once told me, in order to get better you need "brush miles". This is a great book for the one a day painting exercises
October 4, 2016
One of the most valuable books
Lots of great tips and ideas to try. This book is really going to help me paint faster and looser.
Lots of great tips and ideas to try. This book is really going to help me paint faster and looser.
June 22, 2009
Great reference book and it's small size makes it perfect for taking on the road. The organization is great as it gives tips on painting each individual type of subject as well as thourought introductory section to painting watercolours in general. Still as a beginner I found that I did not understand many concepts and ideas presented and the instructions were more often then not ambigous and I could not follow them. I will come back to it after going through a few intro watercolours books to see if I can gain more than I did the first time. However the illustrations themselves are very pretty and artistic and inspiring, much more so than in other instruction books I own.
March 15, 2016
I loved it, useful info for beginners
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November 29, 2010Love this tiny little watercolor reference book
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews