Color in Contemporary Painting: Integrating Practice and Theory

Explains how to make use of colour in oil, acrylic and watercolour painting. Colour theories are outlined, but the main emphasis is on the way contemporary artists actually use colour. The book's thesis is that once artists have become acquainted with fundamental colour principles, they can begin to have fun with colour and play with it spontaneously. A number of approaches to colour are set forth as a guide, including building a picture with colour blocks, enriching colour with shadows, heightening colour intensity, achieving freshness with broken colour, painting with sunlight, experimenting with abstract colour systems, fantasizing with colour and creating space with colour. Each of the sections of this book are illustrated by the work of artists of historical importance as well as by the work of contemporary artists. There are also a number of development studies of the author's own work. Each section closes with a group of suggested exercises. Charles LeClair is the author of The Art of Watercolour: Techniques and New Directions .