Liz Donovan's watercolor still lifes are infused with the sparkle, color and movement of sunlight. The effects of light and shadow are, in fact, as interesting as the objects themselves! Follow along with the step-by-step demonstrations in this book to learn her effective (and often surprisingly simple) techniques. You'll see how to capture the rich, sunlit textures and colors of a variety of popular still-life elements, including lace, an oriental rug, satin, velvet, patterned fabric and flowered wallpaper; clear and colored glass, reflections in a mirror, stems in water, brass, copper and silver; rich wood grains and marble textures; apples, pineapple, peony, iris and various types of leaves. You'll also find advice on every aspect of painting still lifes - such as creating dramatic sunlit effects in your studio, setting up your arrangement, and designing a sparkling composition unified by light and shadow. Four complete painting projects - with every step explained, from arrangement to final touches - show you how to use all the skills you've learned, to put together gorgeous still lifes alive with light.