While the many nuances and individual details of fine art may not be something that one can learn solely from a book, some how-to books, like The One-Hour Watercolorist, can really help in getting started. This book provides a valuable source of technical information that can help the paint-shy art lover take a big first step in putting brush to paper. The title may be slightly exaggerated, as many of the paintings take more than an hour, but the point is to show that by breaking down a work into steps, something substantial can be accomplished in a relatively short period. Author Patrick Seslar uses examples from professional watercolorists to point out practical tips like color combinations, uses for liquid masking tape, and examples of different brush sizes and their respective strokes. There is the assumption that the reader will be somewhat comfortable with his or her drawing skills. For those who are not, Seslar advocates the use of a little technology such as photographs, slides, and opaque projectors as a means to create an image. Throughout the book we are shown watercolors in their various stages, and one can begin to see the dramatic differences that each layer of paint makes. The paintings shown vary in theme from children and animals to close-ups of flowers and fruit to trees and the ocean. Included are brief biographies of the watercolorists whose works are shown as examples throughout the book. --J.P. Cohen