I picked up "Watercolor for the First Time: A Beginner's Guide" by Elizabeth Horowitz at the library last weekend. I am trying to get back into painting after a few years away and thought the refresher would do me good. I am also preparing for a "Watercolor and Spirituality" workshop that I am giving this fall and was looking for some good ideas. What a good book! Unlike most painting books which encourage slavish imitation, Horowitz encourages watercolorists to use their own decision-making skills and to experiment. She offers techniques and examples of the tehniques being used in her own and her students' paintings, but they are all just a starting point.
The paintings that are used as illustrations are beautiful. Horowitz is a talented artist as are her students. One unique aspect of Horowitz' work is her versatility. She is equally talented at creating landscapes as still-lifes. Her writing style and instructions are easy to understand. While this book is aimed at beginners, I found it very helpful even as an experienced painter and learned a few new techniques in the process. In addition, the book is in a spiral-bound format which makes it easy to lay it out on your painting table and use it while you work.
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