Julie Collins studied Fine Art at the University of Reading and has been an artist, writer and teacher since then. She has written a number of colour mixing guides and artists’ problem‑solving books and also writes for Leisure Painter & The Artist magazine. She works from her studio in Hampshire, UK, where she explores her passion for painting, drawing and crafts.Julie has received numerous prestigious awards for her painting, including from the Royal Watercolour Society, the Royal West of England Academy and ING Discerning Eye. Julie was elected a Member of the Society of Women Artists and on to the SWA Council in 2022.Julie is also the author of Colour Demystified, published by Search Press in 2021, which has sold over 10k copies to date.

Julie Collins long ago became the default go-to author for books on colour mixing, but it’s been a while since we had an addition to her oeuvre. Given how much has gone before, I thought it wise to check that this isn’t a re-hash and I’m pleased to be able to say that it isn’t.Why so happy? Because it’s so good. Where previous guides of this type (all of them) have gone for quantity, this very much goes for quality and relevance. It is a lot more that just a guide to all the colours you might possibly want for painting flowers, but rather a series of palettes for depicting specific examples – chosen for colour variations so that you get the full range of what you might want. You’ll also find leaves and seedheads as well as blooms themselves, both individually and in arrangements. Julie introduces themes, settings and techniques as well as considering lighting conditions, making this a rather nice primer and leg-stretcher in flower painting, as well as that all-important analysis of colour. I’d class this as pretty much a must-have for any flower painter.This has, if Julie is willing, all the hallmarks of a rather promising series, with titles devoted to a range of subjects. I do hope so.

• Introduction 4Tools and materials 6Colours 8Colour wheel and colour charts 12Watercolour techniques 16PROJECTSFlowers 22Geranium 23, Tulip 28, Bird of paradise 29, Hydrangea 31, Spray of flowers 36 Orchid 37Leaves 38Maple 39, Plantain lily 44, Feathery leaves 45Seedheads 46Love-in-a-mist 47, Cardoon 52, Hollyhock 53Bulbs 54Hyacinth 55, Allium 60, Fritillary 61Glossary 62

Julie Collins studied Fine Art at the University of Reading and has been an artist, writer and teacher since then. She has written a number of colour mixing guides and artists’ problem‑solving books and also writes for Leisure Painter & The Artist magazine. She works from her studio in Hampshire, UK, where she explores her passion for painting, drawing and crafts.Julie has received numerous prestigious awards for her painting, including from the Royal Watercolour Society, the Royal West of England Academy and ING Discerning Eye. Julie was elected a Member of the Society of Women Artists and on to the SWA Council in 2022.Julie is also the author of Colour Demystified, published by Search Press in 2021, which has sold over 10k copies to date.

Julie Collins long ago became the default go-to author for books on colour mixing, but it’s been a while since we had an addition to her oeuvre. Given how much has gone before, I thought it wise to check that this isn’t a re-hash and I’m pleased to be able to say that it isn’t.Why so happy? Because it’s so good. Where previous guides of this type (all of them) have gone for quantity, this very much goes for quality and relevance. It is a lot more that just a guide to all the colours you might possibly want for painting flowers, but rather a series of palettes for depicting specific examples – chosen for colour variations so that you get the full range of what you might want. You’ll also find leaves and seedheads as well as blooms themselves, both individually and in arrangements. Julie introduces themes, settings and techniques as well as considering lighting conditions, making this a rather nice primer and leg-stretcher in flower painting, as well as that all-important analysis of colour. I’d class this as pretty much a must-have for any flower painter.This has, if Julie is willing, all the hallmarks of a rather promising series, with titles devoted to a range of subjects. I do hope so.

• Introduction 4Tools and materials 6Colours 8Colour wheel and colour charts 12Watercolour techniques 16PROJECTSFlowers 22Geranium 23, Tulip 28, Bird of paradise 29, Hydrangea 31, Spray of flowers 36 Orchid 37Leaves 38Maple 39, Plantain lily 44, Feathery leaves 45Seedheads 46Love-in-a-mist 47, Cardoon 52, Hollyhock 53Bulbs 54Hyacinth 55, Allium 60, Fritillary 61Glossary 62

Julie Collins studied Fine Art at the University of Reading and has been an artist, writer and teacher since then. She has written a number of colour mixing guides and artists’ problem‑solving books and also writes for Leisure Painter & The Artist magazine. She works from her studio in Hampshire, UK, where she explores her passion for painting, drawing and crafts.Julie has received numerous prestigious awards for her painting, including from the Royal Watercolour Society, the Royal West of England Academy and ING Discerning Eye. Julie was elected a Member of the Society of Women Artists and on to the SWA Council in 2022.Julie is also the author of Colour Demystified, published by Search Press in 2021, which has sold over 10k copies to date.

Julie Collins long ago became the default go-to author for books on colour mixing, but it’s been a while since we had an addition to her oeuvre. Given how much has gone before, I thought it wise to check that this isn’t a re-hash and I’m pleased to be able to say that it isn’t.Why so happy? Because it’s so good. Where previous guides of this type (all of them) have gone for quantity, this very much goes for quality and relevance. It is a lot more that just a guide to all the colours you might possibly want for painting flowers, but rather a series of palettes for depicting specific examples – chosen for colour variations so that you get the full range of what you might want. You’ll also find leaves and seedheads as well as blooms themselves, both individually and in arrangements. Julie introduces themes, settings and techniques as well as considering lighting conditions, making this a rather nice primer and leg-stretcher in flower painting, as well as that all-important analysis of colour. I’d class this as pretty much a must-have for any flower painter.This has, if Julie is willing, all the hallmarks of a rather promising series, with titles devoted to a range of subjects. I do hope so.

• Introduction 4Tools and materials 6Colours 8Colour wheel and colour charts 12Watercolour techniques 16PROJECTSFlowers 22Geranium 23, Tulip 28, Bird of paradise 29, Hydrangea 31, Spray of flowers 36 Orchid 37Leaves 38Maple 39, Plantain lily 44, Feathery leaves 45Seedheads 46Love-in-a-mist 47, Cardoon 52, Hollyhock 53Bulbs 54Hyacinth 55, Allium 60, Fritillary 61Glossary 62