Book excerpt: Paint Watercolors that Shine! Make the most of watercolor's fresh, vibrant nature through light, color and contrast. In the first few chapters, artist Soon Y. Warren helps you lay the groundwork—everything from choosing and lighting subjects to color theory and perspective. Then, follow along with a thrilling series of step-by-step demonstrations to put your ideas into action for paintings that shine! Learn how color, value, contrast and composition affect the impact of your paintings Discover the plans and techniques you'll need for successful, realistic watercolors Follow 16 demonstrations to create brilliant paintings Paint a variety of subjects, including still life, landscapes, water scenes, flowers, architecture and animals This book is the perfect balance of classic theory and hands-on technique. Engaging and easy-to-follow instruction gives you a solid foundation so you can take your work to the next level as you create dynamic paintings.