If you want to attempt the varied and frequently perplexing subject of boats and their environs, this is the clearest guide you could wish for.

Charles covers not only the boats and harbours of the title, but also still, rippling and stormy seas, and inland waterways. Here you’ll find receding hills, towpaths, buildings, people and craft of every kind. The book is full of technical advice, all presented in Charles’ simple, no-nonsense way that cuts through jargon and tricky subjects. With thirty-three projects - each accompanied by a pre-drawn tracing - there’s plenty to get your teeth into and you’ll find yourself learning as you work.

Each of the projects covers a separate topic. Some are more complex scenes, others deal with single elements such as ripples, shadows or foliage. In only a dozen or so steps (often fewer), you’ll find yourself completing a work that many books would only deal with in a whole chapter. Nothing is skimped, though, and there’s a solid basis to everything you’ll do.

Search Press - Paperback - 128 pages - Colour throughout