Discover fresh, forgiving techniques that promise less frustration and juicier results! Julie Gilbert Pollard subscribes to the "whatever works" school of painting. Not bound by tradition, she shows you how to unleash your watercolors for exciting and expressive results...and have lots of fun doing it! See how a few simple steps at the beginning can preserve the lights, lock in the darks, and allow you greater freedom to let your watercolor do what it does best: move and flow wet-into-wet, creating luminous layers of depth and vitality. Inside you'll find: 9 step-by-step painting demonstrations, plus many more quick lessons illustrating basic techniques. How to paint water, rocks, trees and other landscape elements in a lively manner. Easy techniques for making your paintings pop, including tips for successful spattering. How to combine a representational painting style with abstract acrylic underpaintings for unique and lively results. This book is all about painting boldly, embracing the medium's unpredictable nature, and achieving a loose, painterly quality. It's ideal for the beginner trying to get off on the right foot, as well as the intermediate artist looking for ways to "freshen up" their approach.