Breaking the Rules of Watercolour Hardcover – August 7, 2012

I now have all three books by Shirley Trevena and have found each of them very useful, informative, and inspirational. Since there are some negative reviews posted here on this title, I had to jump in with my 2¢...First, what I love about this book is that the author doesn't waste valuable pages going over color theory and the color wheel, or which type of paintbrush to use, or the exact colors of paint to use from which manufacturer to replicate her artwork. If you need an introductory book on watercolor techniques, there are lots of titles (too many, in my opinion) that go over this information, along with step-by-step instructions for making 1-2-3 art. These books have their place, but if you need your hand held as you attempt your first watercolor painting, Breaking the Rules of Watercolour is perhaps not the book for you. This really is not a beginner's book, and it should not be judged as such.If, however, you are an intermediate to advanced watercolor painter in search of fresh inspiration and new ways to free up your own technique, or if you're having problems midway through a complicated painting, I believe that you will find this book very helpful. It's unusual, in that it doesn't follow the expected format of most art and craft books.After a brief personal introduction, Shirley discusses 10 of her paintings and shares her thoughts on them. That's basically it. She includes background information on what inspired her to paint each picture, how she designs a composition, the importance of shapes and the use of favorite props to create still-life setups, and how she chooses a color scheme for each painting. For illustration, she provides full-color closeups of her finished paintings, line-art drawings of her preliminary sketches, and color photos of her paintings in-process (stage 1, stage 2, etc.).What I found most valuable was the author's commentary throughout. She is refreshingly honest, sharing her thought process, admitting her occasional self-doubt, explaining that some paintings can take weeks to finish. She shares great advice and tips, such as cutting snips out of colorful magazine pages that can be used as color "test strips" on a painting before committing oneself to applying paint to the paper.Although a great deal of planning goes into each of her paintings, Shirley allows herself to change her mind frequently as she works through each stage. For example: Having chosen one color of paint for a particular area of a composition, she may find herself suddenly dissatisfied with her choice. She then goes back to the beginning with her preliminary sketches, notes, and color strips. Having found a new color that she had not previously considered, Shirley confidently paints something fresh and exciting. She also discusses working large, and teaches how to scale-up a little sketch into a much bigger, bolder painting. She writes at length on selecting the right props and making several preliminary sketches to work out tonal values and design composition. There is much more in this vein...The remainder of the book follows this format: several pages of thoughtful commentary on Shirley's paintings (10 in all), detailed discussions of the techniques used, lavish full-color illustrations, preliminary sketches, and even a few funny cartoons and photos of herself working in the studio. This is a book that is meant to be carefully read and not just scanned for the pretty pictures. You will find some great advice here if you pay attention.The author's finished artwork is incredibly inspirational, perhaps because although it is gorgeous, it is also somehow approachable. Shirley has a "loose and juicy" style that feels warm and inviting. And I guess that's why I love all three of her books. Her artwork is lively, vibrantly colorful, carefully thought-out, yet loosely painted with a spirit of joyful excitement. You can feel her love for shapes, texture, gesture marks, movement, and — most of all — color. This artist in love with color, and she has learned to dance with it. We're all just fortunate that she's so willing to teach us some of the steps.I also recommend Shirley's instructional DVDs. I have all three, and found them all quite excellent.—Sharilyn Miller, author of the Arty Jewelry series

I love it. The book is very inspiring and lots of information. Colors are bright and different new ideas.

The book arrived quickly and in great shape--thank you. I thought I'd written a review, so sorry this took me so long--her work is so unique and she has a ton of images of her work so you can get a feel for how she does what she does. My style is nothing like hers, but I do get ideas from her in terms of how she stimulates her own creativity, etc.

I love her style and use of color. I haven’t really used the book but enjoyed going through it. It’s such a visual delight.

This work is for serious watercolorists. You have to know the rules before you can learn how to break them. It's a difficult read for those who aren't artists, but the plates are excellent, and the experienced watercolorist will learn techniques not taught in the typical watercolour classes.

Just love it.

The colors are so lovely.

Trevena is an artist who has adopted untraditional methods to create watercolor art that is unusual, freeing, and beautifully interesting. Definietly worth reading and studying,