Stephen Coates was born in Sheffield in 1960. Son of a draughtsman, he was introduced to drawing at a very young age. He excelled in art at school but chose a career in retail, working first in the music industry for 16 years followed by another 16 years running his own catering business. Largely self-taught, Stephen specialised in watercolours and over a period of twenty years, developed his own style and unique brand of teaching in his spare time. In 2011, he traded his sandwich business for a career in art and teaching. He became a full-time professional freelance artist and set up his own studio in Sheffield with a purpose-designed teaching facility. He runs courses, workshops and hosts his own amateur art groups. He also demonstrates his skills and shares his expertise at art society meetings all over England. Stephen's successful teaching business inspired him to write and compile a watercolour teaching manual. He wanted to bring the excitement of his live teaching into the pages of a book so that students could truly experience the learning process in the comfort of their own homes. Stephen exhibits at a variety of art shows and loves to share his experiences with people.

Introduction The science of the medium What you will need Initial exercises & paintings - Exercise One: Feeling the fluidity - Exercise Two: Learning to blend in squares & circles - Exercise Three: Pebbles on the sand - Exercise Four: Across the bay - Exercise Five: Red sail reflections Understanding colour & mixing Final paintings - Exercise Six: Lake in the snow - Exercise Seven: Peak district walk Conclusion Gallery Index