* First of a new series
* High profile author
* Acrylics are versatile, easy to use and water-soluble
Arnold Lowrey has been painting in a variety of media for over twenty-five years. His motivation has been the use of light in painting, but he now experiments more with colour and texture. His seascapes are especially vibrant and full of movement. Arnold also likes painting landscapes, still life, portraits and abstracts. He exhibits his paintings in Wales and London. Arnold holds regular weekend workshops and weekly painting courses, residential watercolour courses and demonstrations for Art Societies. He is also a painting demonstrator for several art material suppliers. In his spare time, Arnold is Chairman of the South Wales Art Society and enjoys computing and jazz music. Arnold lives in Cardiff
Jun 06 When they first appeared, acrylics were going to be the
answer to everything and no one was ever going to paint with
anything else. For the professional artist, they offer the great
attraction of fairly brilliant colours which immediately attract
the eye, a variety of methods of application and quick drying times
which means a “paint it today, sell it tomorrow” approach is
possible. After the initial rush of enthusiasm, the problems that
these same qualities can cause for the amateur became apparent.
That quick drying time became a millstone as paint literally dried
in the brush and proved impossible to wash off. A lot of people
lost a lot of brushes and acrylics became a dirty word.
Fortunately, the manufacturers didn’t give up and modern
slow-drying formulations and retarder mediums allow working
practices which are similar to those familiar for oils and
watercolour. For the general painter, the main attraction of
acrylics is their versatility. As happy in a thin wash as a thick
impasto, they can be used on paper or canvas and, with wider colour
ranges, can virtually supplant oils and gouache. In his
introduction to this handy guide, Arnold Lowrey says that, having
discovered the medium, he used nothing else for ten years. With
people coming back to acrylics, a number of painting guides have
appeared in recent years and this is one of the best and most
comprehensive. Its strength is that it’s not a guide to using
acrylics, but to painting in acrylics - the medium itself is
secondary to the creative process. The book begins with the by-now
familiar formula of a guide to materials and mixing and using
colour. Just about every book does it and every author has, or
believes they have, their own approach. A lot of people have said
they really don’t need all this all over again and, if you leave it
out, a lot more will complain that they can’t follow what the
author is saying because they don’t know what brushes he uses. So,
let’s just say that it’s done concisely here and that you can skip
it if you want to. On the other hand, there might be something you
hadn’t thought of before, so give it a glance, eh? After a chapter
on Getting Started, which deals with the business of acrylics, what
they are and what you need to know that applies specifically to
this medium, the book is made up of 6 demonstration paintings, each
of which is fully explained and copiously illustrated with
step-by-step photographs. Each one covers a different aspect of
painting, from the watercolour techniques (thin washes) to impasto
(the “oils” method) through to mixed techniques, glazing and the
use of pastes and gels. It’s in this approach that the book lives
up to its title: it’s Painting with Acrylics, not Slapping Some
Acrylics On a Bit Of Paper and Being Done With It. Good stuff.
*Artbookreview.net*
Jun 06 Acrylics are a newer medium for artwork than oils or
watercolors, but don't let that put any artist off them. Leonardo
might not have owned any but that was only because they hadn't been
invented yet! This books shows some of the wonderful versatility of
this medium. You can use acrylics like watercolors or oils, and of
course you don't even have to use them for conventional artwork. As
a craftsperson that enjoys fabric painting they are just the job,
but I have yet to see a book on acrylics that mentions this, a
great shame, in my opinion. This is a book aimed at the more
conventional artist who wants to paint pictures, and learn how to
use this medium to do so. In true Search Press style, the reader is
advised what to buy, and it is quite a list. Fortunately, the
author does show you the four brushes he uses most (very helpful)
and a list of the paints to get you started. Then it is on with
color wheels, mixing, brush strokes, composition, how to use the
paint in a watercolour and oil fashion, and using photographs as a
source of inspiration. The third section comprises the projects,
which showcase the versatility of acrylics. These are landscapes
and seascapes (most of the landscapes also involve water) so if
still life or portraiture is your bag then you might be advised to
look elsewhere. These staged projects are really easy to follow
though, and show the tricks of the trade, particularly when it
comes to painting water and skies. Even if you are a textile
painter like me you can learn how to make your work look more
convincing - a useful primer.
*Myshelf.com*
July 2006 "Picking up this book for the first time I was simply
enthralled by the works of art in this book. The paintings are
breathtaking and something that any artist would be eager to
attain. Arnold Lowrey manages to explain how he has achieved the
results of every picture in this book – which is what makes this
book so unique. Too many times in books you will find paintings but
with no advice on how to produce a painting like that. Arnold
Lowrey is fantastic in the way he brings his paintings to life and
in this book the step-by photographs of producing each painting
guides you through attaining the same results. If you love painting
water and seaside scenes then this book will really tempt you.
Lastly, I found the section on painting from photos really useful
and it’s sure to become a section of the book which I will keep
close to hand."
*minigallery.co.uk*
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