Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings - by Mark Daniel Nelson (Paperback)

About the Book

In Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings--perfect for the artist new to acrylic--Mark Daniel Nelson demonstrates 50 techniques with 5-inch mini paintings!

Book Synopsis

Learn all you need to know about acrylic painting as you create 50 stunning mini paintings. Following an overview of painting fundamentals, illustrated step-by-step instructions accompanied by lessons on specific techniques lead your way.

This unique book is a complete course in acrylic painting, built up from key techniques. As you progress through the sections of the book, the author demonstrates each technique with the creation of a mini painting, measuring 5-inches squared. So by the time you have worked right through to the end, you will have an amazing collection of 50 mini paintings--on board, paper, or canvas--that will be a testament to your skill and creativity.

The subject matter for these squares varies from abstracts and simple color-mixing exercises, through to figurative subjects: a flower, a sunset, a busy street scene--and many more. These can be mounted, exhibited, or simply collected in a portfolio, or given away as gifts for friends to cherish.

If you are coming to acrylics for the first time, or keen to improve your skills and sometimes daunted by the thought of filling a large empty canvas or blank piece of board, this is your ideal guide. Instead, it will free you from creative hang-ups and replace them with an addictive desire to create that next 5-inch square!

Review Quotes

"Anyone who has ever found themselves intimidated by a full-sized canvas or at loss as to what to fill a large painting surface with will be relieved to encounter this guide by artist Nelson. Fifty short exercises walk the reader through creating tiny five-inch square paintings of lots of different subject matter using a wide range of techniques. The small format can foster experimentation and learning, while the medium of acrylics is more immediate and easy to use than oils or watercolors. Most of the projects will take an hour or less to execute, and by the end of the book, a handsome body of work will have been produced. After an introductory chapter on tools, materials, and basic techniques, subsequent chapters present exercises to familiarize the reader with acrylics, show how to represent space realistically, how to construct abstract compositions, and how to render form and surfaces. Each two-page project features a handy sidebar, which details the specific materials used, the exact shades included in the color palette, and notes other similar projects in the book. VERDICT There is something here for beginning and experienced artists alike." - Library Journal

About the Author

Mark Daniel Nelson studied classical sculpture and drawing at the prestigious La Scuola Classical Sculpture School and holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Colorado Institute of Art. He has taught courses in Human Anatomy, Art History, and Oil Painting at the Art Students League of Denver and at the Curtis Arts and Humanities Center. His work can be found in numerous public and private collections around the United States. He lives in Parker, Colorado.