Handling of light and shade is the key to successful painting. Get it wrong and your results will always appear flat, dull and uninteresting. Get it right and they will sparkle with life and atmosphere.

Working with light can be a challenge. The right balance is hard to achieve and will vary depending on the subject and the circumstances.

Hazel Soan is a reliable teacher and she won’t let you down here. Her patient explanations will help you to understand not just what to do, but how and why you need to do it. She starts by showing you how to see – that important step before you even think of picking up a brush. Only then does she show you how to use watercolour to create contrast, tone, shape and form.

It’s here that her clear guidance is at its most reassuring. In this book and DVD set, Hazel will show you how to use composition to balance light and shade, consider ratios and use your best tool, the white of the paper.

You’ll also see how to mix the right colours to create tonal values, look for patterns and create that elusive quality, atmosphere.

Batsford - Hardback - 144 pages - Colour throughout