Collins art class - Simon Jennings

Collins Art Class is a practical teaching book to inspire artists of all levels, whether beginners or the more experienced, to start painting or to try new techniques. Superbly illustrated and designed, this is the definitive instructional guide that encourages you to roll up your sleeves and start painting.

Collins Art Class is structured like a real art school, with many exciting painting rooms, which the reader can visit. In each room, or section of the book, there is a different activity taking place with a variety of top professional teacher-artists leading the reader.

The book opens with Where shall I start? - a visual gallery of options, ideas and source material, on topics as diverse as still life, flower painting, landscape, portraiture and imaginative compositions.

Section two, entitled What shall I paint?, is the core of the book, where the many contributing artists reveal their studio tips and techniques. This section contains over 120 individual studies in all the popular media, from watercolour to oil paint. With their step-by-step demonstrations, the projects are designed to be achievable and reassuring as they develop in complexity throughout the book.

The final section, What are the basics?, contains detailed information on materials and techniques. This is a plunder chest of practical reference on subjects such as brushes, brushwork, mixing colours and creating paint effects.