_ THE

THE BIG
BIG BOOK
BOOK OF
OF
WATERC
WATERCOJ0R
By José M.
By Jose M. Par
Parram on
ramon

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24.95

THE BIG
THE BOOK OF
BIG BOOK OF
WATERCOLOR
WATERCOLOR
By
By Jose
Jose M.
M. Parramon
Parramon
A watercolor
A watercolor painting must be
painting must be aa /ala prima—
prima —
inin the
the moment,
moment, fast,
fast, spontaneous. The
spontaneous. The
secret is to
secret is to understand the medium
understand the medium itself:
itself:
its
its watery,
watery, translucent
translucent texture,
texture, its
its fluid
fluid

rhythms,
rhythms, its its vivid, gem-like colors
vivid, gem-like colors which
which
render
render such such irresistible
irresistible results.
results.

InIn this extraordinary exploration

this extraordinary exploration of
of the
the
technique of
technique of watercolor
watercolor painting, a world
painting, a world
renowned
renowned artist, teacher, and
artist, teacher, and author
author ofof 27
27
books shares aa wealth of
books shares wealth of practical
practical and
and
Creative
creative knowledge
knowledge withwith the
the beginning
beginning or or
more professional
more professional painter.
painter. From his survey
From his survey
of the
of the masters —
masters—old old and
and new—to —
new to the the ac-
ac-
tual application
tual application of
of the craft,
the craft, José M.
Jose M.
Parramon shows the
Parramon shows the reader not simply
reader not simply how
how
to mix
to mix color,
color, choose
choose brushes,
brushes, understand
understand
paper
paper surfaces, select aa palette,
surfaces, select furnish
palette, furnish
the studio,
the studio, but
but also
also how to
how compose,
to compose,
evaluate
evaluate tone, execute perspective,
tone, execute perspective, trans-
trans-
late
late lighting effects, and
lighting effects, and interpret
interpret aa theme.
theme.
Parramon's “active pictures"
Parramon's "active pictures’ are
are carefully
carefully
selected
selected to
to complement
complement thethe text and ex-
text and ex-
pand the
pand the reader's understanding. He
reader's understanding. He dem-
dem-
onstrates the techniques
onstrates the techniques of of wet-on-wet
wet-on-wet
painting, drybrush,
painting, drybrush, sponge
sponge texturing, Su-
texturing, su-
perimposition of
perimposition of translucent
translucent shapes
shapes and
and
colors,
colors, use of the
use of the paper
paper asas white,
white, and an
and an
examination of
examination of style.
style. He experiments with
He experiments with
ranges of color
ranges of —
color—warm,
warm, cold, and broken
cold, and broken
—
—asas he enjoins you,
he enjoins you, the reader, to
the reader, to
“do it,”
"do it," to
to really follow his
really follow procedures and
his procedures and
practice
practice the the demonstrations
demonstrations so so perfectly
perfectly
worked out
worked out in this book.
in this book.
The author includes
The author step-by-step prac-
includes step-by-step prac-
tice demonstrations that trace the painting
tice demonstrations that trace the painting
process
process in in watercolor
watercolor forfor seven classical
seven classical
themes: rustic
themes: rustic landscape,
landscape, landscape
landscape withwith
aa house,
house, cityscape,
cityscape, seascape,
seascape, harbor
harbor
scene,
scene, still life, animals,
still life, animals, the
the human figure.
human figure.
Teaching, communicating
Teaching, communicating with the
with the
reader/student
reader/student isis clearly
clearly aa labor of love
labor of love for
for

José
Jose M.
M. Parramon.
Parramon. His His presence,
presence, patience,
patience,
knowledge, and
knowledge, enthusiasm are
and enthusiasm felt
are felt
throughout
throughout The The Big
Big Book
Book of of Watercolor
Watercolor
Painting
Painting asas he
he Strives
strives toto "create
“create inin the
the
reader the
reader idea that
the idea that the
the artist
artist is
is beside
beside
him, painting
him, painting with
with him,
him, explaining
explaining inin per-
per-
son how to
son how to do
do it.” Wonderfully
it." detailed,
Wonderfully detailed,
lavishly illustrated,
lavishly illustrated, TheThe Big
Big Book
Book ofof Water-
Water-
color Painting is a joy to look at, an
color Painting is a joy to look at, an
unending
unending source
source of
of information, and an
information, and an
inspiration
inspiration to paint.
to paint.

192 pages. 9
192 pages. 9 xx 12
12 (23
(23 xx 30.5 cm). 382
30.5 cm). color
382 color
plates. Glossary.
plates. Glossary.
WATSON-GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS
WATSON-GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS
 = Phe
4we
= RY |
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2 4
 THE
THE
BIG
BIG BOOK
BOOK
OF WATERCOLOR
OF WATERCOLOR
PAINTING
PAINTING
 THE
THE
BIG BOOK
BIG BOOK
OF WATERCOLOR
OF WATERCOLOR
PAINTING
PAINTING
The history,
The history, the
the studio,
studio, the
the materials
materials
the techniques,
the techniques, thethe subjects,
subjects, the
the theory
theory
and the practice of watercolor painting
and the practice of watercolor painting

by
by

JOSE M.
JOSE M. PARRAMON
PARRAMON

WATSON - GUPTILL
WATSON -GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS
PUBLICATIONS // NEW
NEW. YORK
YORK
 os
Copyright
Copyright ©(£ 1985
1985 by
by José M. Parramon
Jose M. Parramon Vilasalé
Vilasalo

Published
Published 1985
1985 in
in Spain
Spain by
by Parramon
Parramon Ediciones,
Kdiciones, S.A.,
S.A.,
Barcelona
Barcelona

First
First published
published 1985
1985 in
in the
the United States by
United States by Watson-
Watson-
Guptill
( iiiplill Publications,
Publications, aa division of Billboard
division of Billboard
Publications,
Publications, Inc.,
Inc., 1515
1515 Broadway,
Broadway, NewNew York,
York, N.Y.
N.Y.
10036.
10036.

Library of
library of Congress
Congress Catalog
Catalog Number 84-40386
Number 84-40386
ISBN
ISBN 0-8230-0496-1
0-8230-0496-1

Printed
Printed in
in Spain
Spain by
by
Cayfosa, Sta. Perpétua de
Cayfosa, Sta. Perpetua de Mogoda
Mogoda
Barcelona (Espaiia).
Barcelona (Kspaha).

Register Book
Register Book Number: 785
Number: 785
Legal
legal Deposit:
Deposit: B-32171-87
B-32171-87

AllAll rights
rights reserved.
reserved. No part of
No part this publication
of this publication may
may
ee be reproduced
be reproduced or
or used
used in any form
in any form or
or by
by any
any
i —
means —graphie, electronic, or mechanical, including
means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including
photocopying,
photocopying, taping or information
taping or information storage
storage
and retrieval systems —
without written permission of
the publishers.

Manufactured in Spain
3 4 5 6677 88 9/89
9/89 88 87
88 87
 1

« , | Contents
Contents

Introduction,
Introduction, 99

History of
History watercolor painting,
of watercolor painting, 11
1

The painter's
The painter’s studio,
studio, 49
49
The studio
The studio for
for painting
painting in
in watercolor, 50
watercolor, 50
Lighting the
Lighting professional studio,
the professional studio, 51
51
Furniture and tools,
Furniture and tools, 52
52
Running water,
Running water, wall
wall unit, armchair, 54
unit, armchair, 54

Materials and
Materials and tools,
tools, 55
55
The easel, 56
The easel, 56
Paper
Paper for watercolor painting,
for watercolor painting, 58
58
Stretching the paper, 61
Stretching the paper, 61
Watercolor colors,
Watercolor colors, 6262
Watercolor
Watercolor color chart, 64
color chart, 64
Watercolors commonly
Watercolors commonly used, 66
used, 66
Tempera
Tempera colors
colors (gouache),
(gouache), 67 67
The
The palette box, 68
palette box, 68
Jose M. a Parramon.
Saz (Cuenca).
Saz (Cuenca).
Villar

Private
Private Col-
Col-
del
Moisteners,
Moisteners, masking
masking fluid,
fluid, fixatives, and more,
fixatives, and 70
more, 70
lection.
lection. Water,
Water, 71
71
Brushes for watercolor
Brushes for watercolor painting, 72
painting, 72
Brushes:
Brushes: their
their use and care,
use and 74
care, 74
Other
Other materials,
materials, 75
75

Drawing:
Drawing: the foundation of
the foundation of watercolor, 77
watercolor, 77
Cube,
Cube, cylinder, sphere, 78
cylinder, sphere, 78
Fit, dimension, proportions,
Fit, dimension, proportions, 80
80
Light and shade:
Light and shade: tonal
tonal values, 82
values, 82
Doing
Doing aa quick sketch, 83
quick sketch, 83
A special
A special exercise, 84
exercise, 84
The right perspective, 86
The right perspective, 86
Aerial
Aerial perspective, atmosphere, contrast,
perspective, atmosphere, contrast, 91
91
Plato’s
Plato's rule,
rule, 92
92
Vitruvius’ golden
Vitruvius' golden section,
section, 93
93
Compositional
Compositional schemes,
schemes, 94
94
The third
The third dimension, 95
dimension, 95
Composition
Composition in practice,
in practice, 96
96

Wash: warm-up
Wash: warm-up for
for watercolor,
watercolor, 97
97
Characteristics and
Characteristics and similarities,
similarities, 98
98
First practical
First practical exercises,
exercises, 99
99
Techniques of
Techniques watercolor, 103
of watercolor, 103
Painting with
Painting with two
two colors,
colors, 108
108
Examples in wash, 112
Examples in wash, 112

Theory
Theory and
and practice in color,
practice in color, 113
113
Primary, secondary
Primary, secondary and tertiary colors,
and tertiary colors, 114
114
Complementary colors,
Complementary colors, 115
115
The color
The color of forms; the
of forms; color of
the color of shadows,
shadows, 116
116
Colorists and
Colorists value painters,
and value painters, i117 17
Harmony, 118
Harmony, 118
To
To Maria,
Maria, my
my wife
wife
 Color mixing
Color mixing inin watercolor,
watercolor, 119
119
Three
Three basic colors, 120
basic colors, 120
Warm colors,
Warm colors, 121
121
Cold colors,
Cold 124
colors, 124
Broken colors,
Broken colors, 126126
“Special” colors, 127127
1
"Special' colors,
Painting a watercolor with
Painting a watercolor with three
three colors, 128
colors, 128

Technique
Technique andand skills,
skills, 131
131
Dry watercolors,
Dry watercolors, wetwet watercolors,
watercolors, 132
132
Wet watercolors,
Wet watercolors, 133133
Synthesis, 134
Synthesis, 134
Synthesis and
Synthesis and interpretation, 136
interpretation, 136
Thumbnail
Thumbnail sketches,
sketches, 138
138

Watercolor painting in
Watercolor painting in practice,
practice, 141
141
The
The human
human figure, 142
figure, 142
Painting skies
Painting and clouds,
skies and clouds, 148 148
Painting trees, 152
Painting trees, 152
Painting
Painting aa landscape
landscape in in watercolors,
watercolors, 154154
Painting
Painting aa sea port in
sea port in watercolors,
watercolors, 160 160
Painting aa seascape
Painting seascape in watercolors, 164
in watercolors, 164
Painting an
Painting an illustration
illustration inin watercolors,
watercolors, 170170
Painting aa snowy landscape
Painting snowy landscape in in watercolors, 177
watercolors, 177
e José
Jose M
M. a Parramén, A snowy
Parramon. A snowy Glossary, 188
Glossary, 188
landscape. Private Collection.
landscape Private Collection.
 J, M.3
J. M a Parramon.
Parramon. Port
Port of Genoa.
of Genoa.
Private Collection.
Private Collection.
foe)