WATERCOLOR: You Can Do It
If you could have only one book or video by watercolor artist Tony Couch, this is the one you should have! It’s the basic text to all the Watercolor videos/DVDs and has everything in it! Learn Watercolor Painting Techniques with "Watercolor You Can Do It!", first published by North Light Books in 1987. This watercolor book has remained on their list for 10 years and became their all time best selling book on art. Out of print for a few years, "Watercolor You Can Do It!" has now been re-published! 178 pages, ALL IN COLOR. Two chapters on Watercolor design: one on basic Watercolor control and watercolor technique. Another on Color. 10 step-by-step watercolor demonstrations. 64 paintings. 161 "how-to" diagrams. Learn watercolor the Tony Couch way!
Watercolor Painting VIDEOS by Tony Couch
"Let me show you how I paint with these 10 watercolor DVDs. In each DVD,
I show you how to paint with watercolors, and explain what I'm doing and why I'm doing it!" - Artist Tony Couch
Controlling Watercolor
Instructional DVD
I call the Controlling Watercolor video "Basic Training". In this instructional video I explain to you simply and directly just what the water, paint and paper will do when you paint - and why you lose control - in terms you understand and won't forget. Then I show you how to tame this monster using brush, water and sponge to make the paint do just what you want on wet paper. In the process you'll learn how to easily paint the three critical textures.
Symbols, Part I: Trees and Water
Instructional DVD
If there's a "secret" to fresh, sparkling watercolor painting, it's learning to paint the symbols for subjects, rather than those subjects. In this watercolor techniques video/DVD you'll learn the symbol for a tree - first without leaves, then with them. Then, Tony Couch shows you a simple, foolproof symbol for a body of water, including reflections. You may want to see this watercolor video or DVD before tackling a whole painting.
Symbols, Part II: Rocks, Puddles and Weeds
Instructional DVD
If you have trouble painting rocks, puddles and tall grass, this watercolor demo video/DVD is for you. This watercolor lesson is a follow up to Symbols, Part I. You'll learn the symbol for sharp edged rock, how to paint convincing puddles on any surface, and what you must know to paint a sparkling field of graceful weeds or tall grass. Plus, you'll learn how and when to use the time-honored watercolor "spatter" technique.
Winter's Soft Mantle
Instructional DVD
This watercolor video/DVD includes a full sheet (22x30) demonstration painting, from beginning to end, of a pair of farm buildings in snow. From a blank sheet of paper, you'll see it gradually evolve as Tony Couch paints and explains - in simple terms - what he is doing, and why. You will also see a great way to paint wood, snow and cast shadows. This watercolor video/DVD is ABSOLUTELY UNCUT, so you see the whole thing: every stroke, miss-step and recovery - just as it happens!
Painting Barns in Watercolor
Instructional DVD
First you see the real barn, then watch while Tony Couch does a sketch of it, on location. Next, in the studio, he paints a sunlit Western barn in a summer setting from that sketch. You'll see a simple way to watercolor paint a foreground, the sky, and background mountains, and how to paint a believable stone wall. You'll see how to "hide" a shape in the foreground and a smooth way to paint tall grass. This watercolor video includes lots of closeups. Edited.
Painting Streams, Rocks and Trees in Watercolor
Instructional DVD
Tony Couch offers a fresh, direct demonstration painting of a fast moving mountain stream. In this watercolor video/DVD Tony Couch shows you what to do to tame this so-called difficult subject-matter and make it believable. It's simpler than you think! There are plenty of examples of painting rocks in the foreground, as well as in the stream. Watch as Tony Couch also shows you a way to paint a mass of foliage, and logs that lie in a typical wilderness stream. Edited.
The Eight Principles of Design
Instructional DVD
If the typical art student harbors a gray area, it's DESIGN: dominance, contrast, gradation, harmony, variation, alternation, balance and unity - all basic to the construction of any work of art! Watercolor artist Tony Couch make clear this traditionally cloudy subject in language you easily understand. With paintings and simple diagrams, he'll show you what these eight principles mean and how they're used. You'll want to review this instructional video/DVD often; no artist's library should be without it.
Drawing, Part I: Learning Professional Techniques
Instructional DVD
Basic drawing exercises and techniques are taught in this instructional video by Tony Couch. Among them is contour drawing, a drill that builds your ability to draw anything. Another is gesture drawing, which illustrates the importance of getting the gesture of a figure. Then there's a simple one and two point perspective demo, which will help you understand the principle and make any building believable. You'll also learn how to indicate sunlight.
Drawing, Part II: Sketching with Markers
Instructional DVD
See a demonstration of two ways you can produce finished art work with ordinary marker pens. First Tony Couch executes a harbor scene using black and gray markers. It's the same technique he uses to produce sketches in the field, from which watercolor paintings are later done. Next see how to use colored markers with these same black and gray markers, to produce a bright, striking still life of a basket of fruit.
Drawing Landscapes with Pencil and Ink
Instructional DVD
Tony Couch shows you two more ways you can produce drawings you'll be happy to frame. First with an ordinary soft lead dawing pencil, Tony Couch draws a seascape with rocks, tall grass and fir trees. He shows you when to use the point, the side of the lead, and other times a finger smudge for exciting thick, thin, soft, hard and light lines and masses. Next he demonstrates the ever attractive "line and wash" technique with watercolor paint and India ink.