Published by

Princeton Architectural Press 37 East Seventh Street

New York, New York 10003

Visit our website at www.papress.com.

© 2015 Mimi Robinson All rights reserved

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except in the

context of reviews.

Every reasonable attempt has been made to identify owners of copyright. Errors or omissions will be corrected in subsequent editions.

Editors: Jennifer Lippert and Tom Cho

Designer: Mia Johnson

Author Photo: Yvonne O’Hare

Cover Design: Mia Johnson

Special thanks to: Meredith Baber, Sara Bader, Nicola Bednarek Brower, Janet Behning, Megan Carey, Carina Cha, Andrea Chlad, Barbara Darko, Benjamin English, Russell Fernandez, Will Foster, Jan Cigliano Hartman, Jan Haux, Diane Levinson, Katharine Myers, Jaime Nelson, Rob Shaeffer, Sara Stemen, Marielle Suba, Kaymar Thomas, Paul Wagner, Joseph Weston, and Janet Wong of Princeton Architectural Press

—Kevin C. Lippert, publisher

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robinson, Mimi.

Local Color : Seeing Place Through Watercolor : 14 Daily Practices / Mimi Robinson.—First edition.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-61689-297-5 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-1-61689-440-5 (epub, mobi)

1. Watercolor painting—Technique. I. Title. ND2130.R63 2015

751.42’2—dc23

2014039304

Acknowledgments

A special thanks to all of the people who helped bring this book into being: To my publisher, Princeton Architectural Press, for their vision; to Diane Chonette and Ann Hudner for their work on an earlier version of this book; to Steve Costa and Kate Levinson of Point Reyes Books, and Paloma Pavel, for their support and encouragement; to Kathy McNicolas and Kate Greene, who contributed color memories; to Robin Weiss for her superb eye; to Myn Ades for her masterful editing; and to Carla Robinson and Lily Reid for their help.

—Mimi Robinson

8 INTRODUCTION

10 CHAPTER ONE

Getting Grounded: My Backyard

28 CHAPTER TWO

Getting Started: Materials, Preparation & Techniques

36 CHAPTER THREE

Look Around You: Elements of Place

HABITAT · LIGHT · WEATHER · SEASONS

50 CHAPTER FOUR

World Color: Travel Journeys

88 CHAPTER FIVE

Wherever You Go: Field Studies

BIG PICTURE · DETAIL · SKY PATCH · TERRAIN · ROCKS · WATER · COLOR WALK · COLOR MEMORY · NAMING COLORS

108 CHAPTER SIX

Palettes to Painting: Some Places

118 CHAPTER SEVEN

Color Mixing: The Basics

HOW MANY GREENS ARE THERE?

126 FURTHER READING