Leland: A definite ‘colorful educator’

When viewing this book, I think of Julie Andrews in that mountaintop scene as she twirls and echoes the “The Hills Are Alive” in the Sound of Music movie – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fH2FOn1V5g and as I turn the pages, also comes to mind is “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”  song by Justin Timberlake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru0K8uYEZWw – Exploring Color Workshop by Nita Leland is power-packed with extraordinary new uplifting all-aspiring colorful visuals that sings the words which teaches artists of all mediums and skill levels the way to more expressive painting through color and how to use and control color.

 

 

     This updated 30th anniversary edition classic by North Light has been fatten to 176 pages as well as artworks by 58 artists: John Agnew, Denise Athanas, M.E. “Mike” Bailey, Linda Daly Baker, Mike Beeman, Karen Becker Benedetti, Fabio Cembranelli, Angela Chang, Roger Chapin, David R. Daniels, Willis Bing Davis, Sylvia Dugan, Sandy L. Ford, Jane Freeman, Janie Gildow, Lawrence C. Goldsmith, Jean H. Grastorf, Jane Higgins, Gwen Talbot Hodges, Judy Horne, Donna Howell-Sickles, Barbara Kellogg, Patricia Kister, Chris Krupinski, Lynn Lawson-Pajunen, Karen Livingston, Georgia Mansur, Karen Margulis, Larry Mauldin, Susan McKinnon, Mark E. Mehaffey, Cody F. Miller, Larry Moore, Carla O’Connor, Julie Ford Oliver, Mary Padgett, Lisa Palombo, Doris J. Patterson, Jean Pederson, Ann Pember, Elin Pendleton, Jane Phillippi, Douglas Purdon, Stephen Quiller, Ellie Rengers, June Rollins, Joan Rothel, Jada Rowland, Susan Sarback, Thomas W. Schaller, Mary Jane Schmidt, Paul St. Denis, Maggie Toole, Susan Webb Tregay, Veloy Vigil, Harold Walkup and Edwin H. Wordell as examples of what’s possible when you understand how color works. Revised once before and has sold in excess of 100,000 copies, Publisher Jamie Markle wrote in his introduction, “…You don’t mess with success…” being, he was hesitate in revising a ‘three-decade icon’ but “…trusted that Nita would deliver, and deliver she did…”

    Among the many new updates in Nita’s book, Exploring Color Workshop includes 90 hands-on exercises, 8 step-by-step demonstrations and countless nuggets of color knowledge as well as charts throughout such as, acrylic, alcohol inks, collage, colored pencil, fibers, gouache, mixed media, oil, pastel and watercolor. And to get your creative juices flowing, the illustrated glossary of 56 color terms and an ASTM Color Index Guide with color swatches serves as a useful reference to making intelligent pigment choices.

With all of the above, Exploring Color Workshop has more creativity that is rarely recognized as a work of art, but I am in awe of the ‘roads not taken’ by Project Manager Noel Rivera, Editor Stefanie Laufersweiler, Production Coordinator Jennifer Bass and a master to my heart, Designer Jamie DeAnne.  F+W Media is blessed!

Follow author, artist, educator Nita Leland (www.nitaleland.com) to the top of the mountain and experience the thrill, the fun of it all as you let your palette experience the ‘sounds’ of beautiful rays in your works of art.

Review by Ben Rayman

https://www.scribd.com/doc/48765539/Portrait-of-Nita-LelandOH