ISBN 9781782218937
Publisher Search Press
Format BC Paperback Flexi with flaps
Dimensions 216mm x 280mm
Page Extent 176
Pub Date May 2023

Description

Catherine Beale has developed an imaginative light-capturing technique that is both simple and effective. She calls this ‘gravity’ painting. In landscapes, where light is an essential element, this ‘loosen up’ method of flowing watercolour pigments is particularly effective. It can dramatically alter perspectives, veil or highlight details, create mood and atmosphere and imbue pictures with life and vitality. Catherine offers an exciting new technique for artists seeking new challenges and a different way of working.

Capturing Light is a must for artists who wish to investigate the subtle qualities of light with an emphasis on creating dramatic, imaginative landscapes.

Loving the fluidity of watercolours, Catherine has developed a painting technique by experimenting with, and exploring, modern watercolour pigments and the boundaries of the medium. The method uses lots of water on a sloping board which Catherine calls gravity painting, which creates a natural way of working, keeping colours luminous and mobile without any ‘muddying’. 

The book starts with an explanation of the technique, the materials and colours used and the importance of capturing the essence of a landscape. There are numerous progressively challenging small exercises, demonstrations and inspirational finished pictures illustrating the alluring effects of reflections, mists and shadows and showing the dramatic effects of different skies. Developments of ideas for landscapes are introduced as the book progresses, plus nine projects exploring how to build up light-filled effects. Catherine’s method will free up your painting style, embolden your colour choices and show you how to create vibrant pictures full of dramatic light.

About the Author

Catherine Beale is known for her light-filled watercolours, the luminosity of which is influenced by years spent in Asia where light and colour pervaded every facet of her local daily life. During time spent there her clients included the British High Commission, the British Club and US Embassy in Singapore, organizations including BNP Paribas and Reuters, and the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary in Malaysia. Her work was also gifted to the British Royal Family and Singapore's President.

Catherine now works from her studio in Bath, UK painting commissions for private collectors including galleries, art shop owners and schools. Her pictures can be found in Bath’s Flamingo Gallery, Stourhead's First View Gallery and White Chalk in Devizes. She is often in the Bath Society of Artists Annual Exhibition and during the Wylye Valley and Bath's Open Studios. She exhibits annually with the Society of Women Artists at the Mall Galleries, and has exhibited with the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Institute of Painters. Catherine has contributed to The Artist Magazine (UK), and runs workshops for art groups and the Royal West of England Academy Bristol. See her website at catherinebeale.com