This unique book presents solid composition and design instruction with an emphasis on fun and creativity. The first half of the book focuses on traditional realism while the latter examines more experimental art. In both cases, the underlying lesson is that good composition and design is the underlying foundation of any successful painting, whether super-realistic or non-objective. Author Pat Dews illustrates this concept by showing, step-by-step, how successful painters in a variety of styles and mediums (including watercolor, water media, pastel, collage and more) use these principles to create gorgeous works of art. A few of the artists sampled design while they paint, always experimenting, using various techniques to decide what will work before committing to a final composition. Others design their compositions before they start painting. Some combine the two approaches. Readers will discover that they can compose beautiful paintings while being as creative as they want to be. Pat Dews is a signature member of AWS and NWS and is a very popular workshop instructor. She is the author of Creative Discoveries in Watermedia. She lives in Hobe Sound, Florida.