"It is my sincere hope that students will derive the same overwhelming joy and pleasure through their paintings that I have found. I am so enthusiastic about all I have discovered that I am eager to share my knowledge with others who are searching to express themselves in a creative way. If you would like to explore an intriguing approach to painting it would be my privilege to open the door to negative
painting for you."

What is negative painting?

Negative painting is an innovative, alternative approach that artists can use to create striking, alluring artworks. To work in the negative means that rather than painting the object itself, the shape is created by painting around the object.

Most painters work in the positive, typically adding one shape on top of another. If, on the other hand, you carve out your shapes, you are taking a subtractive approach: constructing in the negative.  So when images such as leaves, trees, flowers or rocks appear in negative paintings, they have been created by painting the spaces around and between simple, distinctive shapes, or symbols, that represent these things.

Look at it this way...

How will negative painting help me become a better painter?

Becoming aware of negative shapes will greatly increase your perception. You will see the world in a whole new way!

Whether you choose to work solely in the negative or the positive, or if you choose to combine the two, an awareness of these very different approaches will provide you with a variety of options. When it comes to increasing your creativity you will have more choices and possibilities!

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Is negative painting hard to learn?

Negative painting is not only easy to learn, but it is fun too! You don't need to be an expert painter either. The lessons in Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines will show you how by leading you through an easy to follow, logical program.
 

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Where did the projects and exercises in this book come from?

This book is a collection of projects and exercises that I developed and refined over the past years, in response to my students' needs. The straight forward, fundamental step-by-step exercises really work. They have been proven in my workshops to teach this alternative approach to painting and to expand the way in which participants perceive the world around them.

The program concentrates specifically on instructing artists in the essential steps required to see and understand negative space and shapes, and how to use them to develop a painting. The exercises are simple and fun to do and are intended to instruct, inform, and provide a satisfying sense of accomplishment. Topics that are covered are directly related to achieving the best results when working with negative space and glazing. Core elements include understanding the negative, material and pigment selection, underpainting, shape-making, glazing techniques and layer building. Once the basic skills are established, the student is guided through a series of various cumulative projects and ultimately on to finished paintings.

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Who is this book written for?

This book is intended for painters who are eager to learn and try new things and who want to have fun while learning! The basic projects are written to encourage and inspire beginners as well as accomplished painters in need of a fresh approach to painting or who are looking to expand their creative skills.

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Why do people need to read Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines?

If you are like me you already have bookshelves sagging with instructional art books. It's hard to resist their gorgeous, colorful paintings and promises of success! However, an ever-expanding library can become expensive and, while some books are truly wonderful, unfortunately others may be disappointing. You may have reached a point where you have decided to limit the number of "how-to" art books you purchase.

Or perhaps you are just beginning to explore painting. You will want to choose any new book with caution. You need to ask, "Is this book right for me?"

I certainly understand the importance of selecting your purchases with caution. After all you are making an investment of both your money and your time. With these factors in mind I would like to tell you what makes this book exceptional.

While many of the painting books available acknowledge the presence and importance of negative space, few offer little more than a casual comment or two. It is a challenge to find more than a single chapter or brief paragraph dedicated to this fascinating, effective manner of creating art!

Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines, is the only book that concentrates precisely on negative painting. This book focused specifically on this exciting alternative approach.

I will show you the how-to, as well as the where, why and what of negative painting. The who is up to you!
 

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What topics are covered in this book?

Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines, offers a complete course in negative painting that will teach you how to build paintings of a variety of subjects such as close-ups of nature's complex shapes, florals and landscapes.

The book is divided into the following chapters;

1. Basic Painting Supplies
Outlines the equipment you need to complete the projects in this book, along with tests you can use to determine the suitability of your paints for building with layers of negative shapes.

2. Underpaintings - laying the groundwork
An underpainting is the foundation or groundwork on which you build your painting. These exciting beginnings are as personal and expressive as the individual who creates them and can be approached in a variety of ways, implementing a broad spectrum of techniques.

3. Getting into Shapes - become aware of negative shapes!
You'll learn how to become a shape maker to simplify and greatly improve your artwork. By designing with shapes instead of attempting to recreate things, you can produce creative and original artworks and make the experience of painting more rewarding and satisfying.

4. Working with Glazes and Building Layers
Here you will find the key projects that have been designed to teach you how to weave your negative shapes together and to build with layers for a variety of subject matter.

5. Building Nature's Complex Shapes
Straightforward strategies that simplify the tasks of depicting complicated compound shapes and unraveling the network of interwoven layers. These projects will show you how to make complex natural forms easy to paint.

6. Picture Planning Made Easy
Designing your paintings doesn't have to be painful! I'm hopeful that you will find my rather unsophisticated "user friendly" approach to design logical and easy to use.

7. Assembling the Pieces of the Puzzle
It's time to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. Follow along with three demonstrations that will show you how to combine all of the ideas in this book to create finished paintings.
 

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What style of painting and choice of medium is best suited to negative painting?

While the exercises are illustrated with watercolor, this approach can be used with a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic and mixed media.

The negative approach dates back to Paleolithic Man and is evident throughout art history in a multitude of styles and media. Negative painting is not just a gimmick or fad, but rather an alternative way of working that allows the artist to incorporate the ideas and concepts in their personal work - whether it be from highly realistic to contemporary abstraction.

Video/DVD

Watercolor - Painting Outside the Lines is a new instructional art video
by Linda Kemp, produced by Teaching Art Videos!

New! Now available in DVD format
 

This extraordinary video is a fully comprehensive guide to negative painting. Negative painting, is an intriguing, alternative approach in which the subject is created by painting around the object rather than by painting the object itself. Using this creative method, artists can create striking and alluring works of art of a broad variety of subject matter. Working in the negative isn't hard to master, it's a simple shift in the way you see! Learn the techniques used by Linda in this informative and friendly video, whether you are a beginner or an accomplished artist wanting to learn something new.

In this 88 minute video you will learn the essential excises for painting in the negative. Watch full demonstrations of a variety of subjects including berries, leaves, wisteria, trees, and a full landscape. To get the most from this program be sure to work through each of the lessons one at a time.