Vibrant Acrylics

Hashim Akib is an internationally renowned artist and is represented by several galleries in the UK. He has exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, New English Art Club and Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries in London. In 2009 he won the SAA Artist of the Year competition and has produced DVDs in partnership with Daler-Rowney. Before becoming an artist, Hashim worked as an illustrator for 15 years. His clients included the likes of Times Newspapers, The Telegraph, Time Magazine and New Yorker Magazine.Hashim has taught his unique techniques to students at art schools in the UK, Italy and France. Vibrant Acrylics, was first published by Search Press in 2012 and has now been translated into French, German, Italian and Dutch. Visit his website www.hashimakib.co.uk.

• Introduction 6Acrylics 8What makes a good painting? 10Materials 14The importance of drawing 20Starting off 26Dramatic composition 44Tone and colour 48Building up your skills 52STILL LIFE 56Step-by-step project: Antiques and Tennis Ball 58ANIMALS 68Step-by-step project: Benny 70LANDSCAPES 78Step-by-step project: Woodland Light 80PORTRAITS 88Step-by-step project: Hard Life 90CROWDS 96Step-by-step project: Brick Lane Sun 98BUILDINGS 106Step-by-step project: Rush Hour 108ABSTRACTS 118Step-by-step project: Light Tracks 120Index 128

May 12Fantastic book covering painting in acrylics for total beginners but with so much information it will appeal to established users also. Hashim advocates using big brushes with large quantities of undiluted pure paint to quickly create and build up layers and depth to produce fresh rich paintings. Hashim shows in this book how to utilise what I call “mark making” - there's bound to be a correct term but I don't know it – to create what close up look like dashes of pure paint dotted onto the painting but seen from further back merge to create bright but realistic scenes. Its something I love but struggle with – I’m always tempted to refine too much and lose that lovely freshness this type of style creates – armed with this book I intend to try further. There's the usual advice found in these books on materials and techniques but some valuable but lesser heard tips such as timing oneself and stepping back form the painting every fifteen minutes. This allows us to look at what we've done and what needs to be done instead of – my biggest fault – becoming so immersed in the work that it becomes overdone and loses that fresh bright appeal. Hashim says each brush-stroke should count and when one is taking frequent breaks to look at what’s been done and what needs to be done its easier to make it so – instead of the slap on more paint and hope approach I often use......there are numerous illustrations throughout the book showing exactly what Hashim means when he is explaining how to lay colour or use the brush in a certain way which is really helpful. There are also many useful exercises to practise that you've understood what he's saying. The subject themselves range from animals and portraits to still life and landscapes – really does contain a bit of everything and it makes it easy to see how the technique of big brush considered paint strokes can be used in so many different subjects. An inspiring book useful and appealing to any artist, whether new to acrylics or an established user, who wishes to retain freshness and vitality in their paintings. I know I will find it very valuable.