A practical guide to learn painting individual people and crowds, with simple exercises and step-by-step demonstrations.

Bestselling artist and writer Hazel Soan has distilled her art teaching into the things that matter most and can be digested in a short period of time. Learning to paint is one of the life-long aspirations of many of us and the techniques of painting lively crowd scenes or portraits of loved ones can be picked up faster than you think.

In this concise book, Hazel Soan explains everything you need to know about figurative painting in an accessible way. She advises on how to paint people in a variety of poses and settings, dealing with the theories of colour and light in a way that beginners will understand and more experienced painters will find invaluable. She also guides you through ways to insert people into your pre-existing painting to bring them to life; scenes like urban streets and on the beach are explored. Subjects like how to paint portraits and getting to grips with body proportion and perspective are also covered. Both media of watercolours and oils are covered, making this the perfect book for any type of artist.

Filled with easy-to-follow exercises and demonstrations, this is a practical and helpful guide to learning to paint people very quickly.


Learn Watercolour Quickly

by Hazel Soan

Published 1 January 2014

Bestselling artist and writer Hazel Soan has distilled her art teaching into the things that matter most and can be digested in a short period of time - in just one afternoon you can start painting. Learning to paint is one of the life-long aspirations of many of us, and these techniques can be picked up faster than you think.

Hazel Soan's concise book, filled with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step exercises, is written in an accessible way for those completely new to painting. Chapters include: Getting Started (the materials you will need and those you can ignore in the art shop); Choice of Colours; Mixing Colours; What's the Subject?; What Surfaces to Paint on; Basic Painting Techniques; Brushstrokes and Composition (with details on how to design paintings with horizon, focus and balance, a hint of perspective and the light and shade of a subject).

Packed with illustrations for guidance, this is the most comprehensive guide to learning watercolour very quickly.


Learn Oils Quickly

by Hazel Soan

Published 10 March 2016

A practical guide to learn painting in oils, with simple exercises and step-by-step demonstrations.

Bestselling artist and writer Hazel Soan has distilled her art teaching into the things that matter most and can be digested in a short period of time. Learning to paint is one of the life-long aspirations of many of us and the techniques of oil painting can be picked up faster than you think. And, as mistakes can be corrected much more easily in oils than any other painting medium, it is the ideal medium for beginners.

In this concise book, Hazel Soan explains everything you need to know about oils in an accessible way. She advises on the materials you need (keeping things to a minimum), how to mix colours, basic brush techniques and how to use a palette knife. The subjects covered range from still life, flowers, animals, landscapes, figures and portraits.

Filled with easy-to-follow exercises and demonstrations, this is a practical and helpful guide to learning to paint in oils very quickly.


Learn to Paint Portraits Quickly

by Hazel Soan

Published 17 February 2022

Bestselling artist and writer Hazel Soan delivers a concise and approachable guide to portrait painting, with simple exercises and step-by-step demonstrations.

Whether you are using watercolour, oils or acrylic, Learn to Paint Portraits Quickly explains the key elements of catching a likeness in portrait painting in a mixture of mediums. The book is filled with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step exercises that can be digested in a short period of time, and written in an accessible way for all artists to learn about portraiture.The key elements of portraiture covered in this concise book include:

·Finding the likeness

·Creating form – the light and shade

·The facial features

·Painting the hair

·Skin tone and colouring

·The body, clothing and background

Illustrated with Hazel’s magnificent, colourful paintings, and with practical advice and demonstrations throughout, this book is the perfect tool to help beginners master portrait painting – quickly.