Mood and atmosphere are those indefinable qualities that breathe life into a painting and make it so much more than just a picture. They create a sense of presence that tells the viewer what it was like to be in that place at that time and bring engagement and involvement.

To define the indefinable, you first have to understand what it is. "Before I start to paint", Barry says, "I ask myself what it was that grabbed my attention and made me look twice". Even a familiar scene can look fresh in different light, or the changing colours of the season. Your conscious mind may not see it at first, but the unconscious will have registered it and getting in touch with that is the key to unlocking a world of creation.

As well as aesthetic considerations, Barry is also top-notch on the practicalities. He looks, of course, at light and colour, but also at composition and using the structure of the painting to make it stand out from the paper. His subjects include landscapes, buildings, skies, trees and water and every one of the examples and demonstrations has the elusive and magical quality that makes it stand out.

Follow Barry’s advice and you’ll never look back.

This book is a reissue, but comes complete with new inspirational artworks and expanded sections on colour mixing and techniques.

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