Book excerpt: Basic Acrylic Instruction—Amazing Results! This resource is packed with the best of Lee Hammond's lessons and tips on working with acrylics, including more than 80 step-by-step exercises and demonstrations that will have you creating amazing paintings in no time flat. Success is easy—just follow along with Lee! With just seven to nine pigments, you can paint anything. You'll learn how to add layers and details, one stroke at a time. Along the way, Lee 's friendly encouragement and quick tips will help you work past what she calls "the awkward stage," so you can complete your paintings with confidence. In addition to detailed information on selecting materials and mixing colors, you'll also get complete visual instruction for painting subjects of all kinds, including: • Still Life: Get proper proportions every time, using easy graphing techniques. You'll also find demonstrations for painting the tricky parts, such as glossy textures and reflective surfaces. • Landscapes: Lee shares proven tips for creating depth and realism in subjects ranging from forests and mountains to prairies and seascapes. She also shows how to paint realistic clouds, trees, water and more. • Animals: This chapter provides step-by-step guidance for painting all your favorite creatures. There's even extra instruction for getting the eyes, noses, fur and feathers just right. • People: Painting people can be especially challenging, but success is easy with basic steps and practical guidance. One feature at a time, you'll learn simple techniques for painting faces of all kinds—male or female, young or old. You'll also find in-depth guidance for creating realistic fleshtones, eye color, hair and more. This is a complete acrylic painting course right on your bookshelf. Follow along from beginning to end or refer to this guide when you need a quick lesson. Either way, after learning from a master like Lee Hammond, you won't be a beginner for long. Get started today!