If you're a serious artist who's looking to improve your skill at creating realistic faces and figures using watercolor, there's a new book out that will help you achieve your goal. Painting Portraits and Figures in Watercolor by Mary Whyte was released December, 2011 from Watson-Guptill.

 Appropriate for beginning and intermediate students of watercolor, the book leads the reader through the artistic process from start to finish, covering topics such as choosing the right tools, selecting the most effective mediums, composing the picture, and displaying your finished art. Well-illustrated with how-to photos demonstrating technique and reproductions of works from some of the great masters of watercolor, Whyte has created a book that's entertaining, educational, and effective.

The content of the book spans the topic of watercolor from multiple angles. In the “Materials and Tools” chapter, Whyte discusses everything from easels and paper to pallets and paints, and she even throws in useful information about where to buy supplies and what you'll need to set up a basic studio space. There's also an especially helpful chapter on techniques that discusses the use of washes and glazes and how to use texture and combine mediums. Other chapters explore values, drawing, color and light, edges, and backgrounds. Whyte has also included information on the basics of exploring your talent, dealing with failures, and how to live the artist's life.

An established professional artist and illustrator, Mary Whyte has exhibited her work in some of America's most renowned museums, and her art has been featured by the American Watercolor Society and Allied Artists of America.

The 160-page volume is available now in paperback or Kindle edition.