Bestselling artist and writer Hazel Soan has distilled her art teaching into the things that matter most and can be digested in a short period of time – in just one afternoon you can start painting. Learning to paint is one of the life-long aspirations of many of us, and these techniques can be picked up faster than you think.

Hazel Soan's concise book, filled with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step exercises, is written in an accessible way for those completely new to painting. Chapters include: Getting Started (the materials you will need and those you can ignore in the art shop); Choice of Colours; Mixing Colours; What's the Subject?; What Surfaces to Paint on; Basic Painting Techniques; Brushstrokes and Composition (with details on how to design paintings with horizon, focus and balance, a hint of perspective and the light and shade of a subject).

Packed with illustrations for guidance, this is the most comprehensive guide to learning watercolour very quickly.



Hazel Soan is a popular and successful artist who divides her time between London and Cape Town, exhibiting her work widely. She has her own gallery in Fulham, London. She is author of eight bestselling books for both Harper Collins and Batsford, including Watercolour Rainbow and TheEssence of Watercolour. She was one of the art experts in the popular Channel 4 TV series Watercolour Challenge. The very successful Collins Gem 10 Minute Watercolour (9780007202157) is also by Hazel Soan.