Colour Manual

I go through phases where I feel the need to refresh my approach to a subject. When I saw Simon Jennings' Collins' Artist's Colour Manual I thought that it was a book I'd like to have around the studio. I'm working entirely in black and white for my Peak District sketchbook so it seems like a good time to do some reading on colour and some experimental colour sketching and experimenting during my free time.

The Artist's Colour Manual is something of a work of art in its own right. It's a practical colour catalogue, I don't think I've ever seen such a thorough review of the subject, but it's more than that: it's hard to look through its pages without picking up some of the enthusiasm, verging on passionate obsession, for the subject. I find myself wanting to grab paints, brushes and canvas and get started.

I notice that Betty Edwards, author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain has written Color; a course in mastering the art of mixing colors. If it's as well thought out as her book on drawing it will be worth reading and going through the exercises.

Peak District

I started reading Mountains and Moorlands recently but when we went to Texas for my holiday reading I tracked down this companion volume in the New Naturalist series on The Peak District. I was too busy in Texas sketching and socialising to do much reading so I'm still finishing it off.

For my Peak sketchbook I'd like to combine the creative buzz of the Colour Manual with the keen eye for place, natural processes and relationships found in The Peak District.

Both books help me open my eyes to what is around me but reading alone isn't enough and I want to spend plenty of time out there seeing the real Peak District and being inspired the local colour.

Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk