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Wild Watercolour: Connect to the Natural World Through the Art of Painting
Discover your inner artist and deep connection with nature with this striking project book on the basics of watercolour from Inga Buividavice.
Wild Watercolour starts with an introduction to the basic techniques of watercolour, coaching you for painting success by showing you how to recreate nature’s wildlife and habitats.
Experience how the practical medium of painting in watercolour can connect us to inner and outer nature, and be freeing, joyful and wild! Each step-by-step project introduces a new watercolour technique.
Learn the basics with guided exercises showing you how to depict your favourite animals in watercolour, including:
• Dry brush on wet effect – red pandas
• Wet brush on wet effect – beetles
• Glazing – ladybirds
• Blooms – hare silhouettes
• Pulling technique – frogs
• Watercolour and ink – koi fish
• Using masking tape – snake
• Using different textures – turtles
• Expressive features – flamingos
• Using space – dolphins
• Different brush strokes – chameleons
• Painting patterns – butterflies
With mindful reflections on the meditative benefits of watercolour, experiment and develop your skills, all whilst taking inspiration from the world around you. Once you’ve learned the power of the paintbrush, let your creativity blossom by stumbling into nature! This stunning project book guides you to become an independent watercolourist, painting what you see when the meditative moment strikes.
Learn the calming art of watercolour, connect with your inner artist and be inspired by the wonderful wildlife all around you. Create a space of mindful calm as you settle down with your brush and paper and learn how watercolour can open up a world of serenity, creativity and appreciation of nature.
Wild Watercolour starts with an introduction to the basic techniques of watercolour, coaching you for painting success by showing you how to recreate nature’s wildlife and habitats.
Experience how the practical medium of painting in watercolour can connect us to inner and outer nature, and be freeing, joyful and wild! Each step-by-step project introduces a new watercolour technique.
Learn the basics with guided exercises showing you how to depict your favourite animals in watercolour, including:
• Dry brush on wet effect – red pandas
• Wet brush on wet effect – beetles
• Glazing – ladybirds
• Blooms – hare silhouettes
• Pulling technique – frogs
• Watercolour and ink – koi fish
• Using masking tape – snake
• Using different textures – turtles
• Expressive features – flamingos
• Using space – dolphins
• Different brush strokes – chameleons
• Painting patterns – butterflies
With mindful reflections on the meditative benefits of watercolour, experiment and develop your skills, all whilst taking inspiration from the world around you. Once you’ve learned the power of the paintbrush, let your creativity blossom by stumbling into nature! This stunning project book guides you to become an independent watercolourist, painting what you see when the meditative moment strikes.
Learn the calming art of watercolour, connect with your inner artist and be inspired by the wonderful wildlife all around you. Create a space of mindful calm as you settle down with your brush and paper and learn how watercolour can open up a world of serenity, creativity and appreciation of nature.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2024
272 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 7, 2024
What a fantastic step by step watercolor book. I saw this one and thought the cover was so cute I needed to pick it up.
Inside there are so many good projects and teachings that use different watercolor techniques. What I like about this one is rather than using the techniques with landscapes, it’s animals.
It’s cute, beginner friendly, and offers a little something special. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review ecopy.
Inside there are so many good projects and teachings that use different watercolor techniques. What I like about this one is rather than using the techniques with landscapes, it’s animals.
It’s cute, beginner friendly, and offers a little something special. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review ecopy.
March 22, 2024
Wild Watercolour: Connect To The Natural World Through The Art Of Painting
By Inga Buividavice
I have been playing with the idea of learning how to watercolor. I enjoy dabbling in creative projects as a means to step away from my busy day and benefit from some relaxing quiet time. When I spotted Inga Buividavice’s book, I was delighted! The cover and interior illustrations were simply beautiful. Buividavice presents the reader with a guide for painting creature from the natural world. She discusses color theory, illustrates a variety of water color techniques (i.e., dry brush on wet, wet brush on wet, glazing, blooms, texture, etc.) and provides over a dozen practice exercises. Her suggestions for materials and brands were practical and accessible. The author’s step-by-step instructions were clear, approachable, and well organized. I was especially impressed with her philosophy of “perfect imperfection” in which she expresses the idea that perfection is boring, that even experienced artist struggle and most importantly that one needs to continue to experiment, dare to make mistakes and practice, practice, practice. I would recommend Wild Watercolour to anyone who is looking for an informative guide to mastering the basics or to improve their water color painting skills. I look forward to more from Buividavice.
Many thanks to the author @Inga.Buive, #QuatroPublishingGroup and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
By Inga Buividavice
I have been playing with the idea of learning how to watercolor. I enjoy dabbling in creative projects as a means to step away from my busy day and benefit from some relaxing quiet time. When I spotted Inga Buividavice’s book, I was delighted! The cover and interior illustrations were simply beautiful. Buividavice presents the reader with a guide for painting creature from the natural world. She discusses color theory, illustrates a variety of water color techniques (i.e., dry brush on wet, wet brush on wet, glazing, blooms, texture, etc.) and provides over a dozen practice exercises. Her suggestions for materials and brands were practical and accessible. The author’s step-by-step instructions were clear, approachable, and well organized. I was especially impressed with her philosophy of “perfect imperfection” in which she expresses the idea that perfection is boring, that even experienced artist struggle and most importantly that one needs to continue to experiment, dare to make mistakes and practice, practice, practice. I would recommend Wild Watercolour to anyone who is looking for an informative guide to mastering the basics or to improve their water color painting skills. I look forward to more from Buividavice.
Many thanks to the author @Inga.Buive, #QuatroPublishingGroup and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2024
I absolutely love this! The illustrations are charming and lovely, the book informative and interesting. A must for any nature and/or art lover, from the beginner to the more advanced.
February 27, 2024
I learned how to draw in a basic elective art class in college- dang it, if my professor (Hottie McHot Pants, the real reason I wanted to sign up for his class, let’s be honest) didn’t do a bang up job of teaching me how to observe the world around me! I later taught myself some very basic watercolor technique. For a while, I took up nature journaling as a hobby, and sketching in pencil and then watercolor painting my subjects was my preferred medium. I actually completed a few entries in my nature journal combining these skills that I am still super proud of to this day. And some others that I’m not- but that’s ok, too.
I fell out of the habit of creating, but since the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels in recent years, I’ve taken to occasionally watching “real artists” at their craft because it’s actually super relaxing and satisfying. Eventually, I’d like to pick up the brush and palette and start painting again for myself.
I’ve been thinking about it more and more lately, and that’s why I decided to check out the ARC for this book. What’s the worst that can happen? I don’t learn anything?
It turns out, I learned a lot reading this book, and I came away more encouraged and energized to paint again than ever! There are so many new to me techniques that I’m dying to try now. The author uses different subjects from the animal kingdom, each to display a different painting technique. The tutorials are detailed, with step by step instructions, including the name for each color she uses. They start basic and simple, and each one is a little more complex than the last, ending with more advanced skills towards the end. She includes lists of useful supplies and tips for how to use a sketchbook. Every page is lavishly illustrated with her own incredibly layered and colorful artwork! These projects are genuinely fun and make me feel inspired.
Do yourself a favor and go watch author Inga Buividavice at work on her Instagram page: @inga.buive …her art is magical! I am grateful for the opportunity to preview this new book of hers and learn from her expertise as a watercolor artist. Inga has earned herself a new fan!
I fell out of the habit of creating, but since the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels in recent years, I’ve taken to occasionally watching “real artists” at their craft because it’s actually super relaxing and satisfying. Eventually, I’d like to pick up the brush and palette and start painting again for myself.
I’ve been thinking about it more and more lately, and that’s why I decided to check out the ARC for this book. What’s the worst that can happen? I don’t learn anything?
It turns out, I learned a lot reading this book, and I came away more encouraged and energized to paint again than ever! There are so many new to me techniques that I’m dying to try now. The author uses different subjects from the animal kingdom, each to display a different painting technique. The tutorials are detailed, with step by step instructions, including the name for each color she uses. They start basic and simple, and each one is a little more complex than the last, ending with more advanced skills towards the end. She includes lists of useful supplies and tips for how to use a sketchbook. Every page is lavishly illustrated with her own incredibly layered and colorful artwork! These projects are genuinely fun and make me feel inspired.
Do yourself a favor and go watch author Inga Buividavice at work on her Instagram page: @inga.buive …her art is magical! I am grateful for the opportunity to preview this new book of hers and learn from her expertise as a watercolor artist. Inga has earned herself a new fan!
April 4, 2024
“These insights are intended to assist you in developing a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles underlying the art of painting at any level.”
I particularly enjoyed this book.
First, the illustrations are particularly gorgeous, and a source of interest in themselves and the book can be flipped through like an art book, just for the pleasure to look at them. I also loved the self care underlined all around the book, making the act of painting some kind of meditation.
However, the tutorials are –of course– the real strength of the book. From the supplies to projects, everything is detailed in tiny steps, making them manageable. I enjoyed that basic techniques are explained, showing how to do it, but also what to expect and then, consequently, introduce the beginner to an understanding of the tools they can use. That is something that is often lacking in many “how to” art books. This part, combined with the exercises, allow the aspiring artist to familiarize themselves with the techniques, to apply them in a precise context, making them ready to be creative in the end. In most books, only one of the parts is present, making them useless for many people (or, at least, me). Some projects in this volume were –of course– too difficult for me to even try at the moment, though I found it very interesting to just analyze them.
(NB: Even if a specific book would be more adapted -and I would love to read one, I also applied some of the “basic techniques” to my digital painting: I use “watercolour brushes” and knowing how they are supposed to react “in the real world” helped me to understand how to use them in the digital paint, even if it’s also very different.)
Thank you NetGalley, Inga Buividavice and Leaping hare Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
I particularly enjoyed this book.
First, the illustrations are particularly gorgeous, and a source of interest in themselves and the book can be flipped through like an art book, just for the pleasure to look at them. I also loved the self care underlined all around the book, making the act of painting some kind of meditation.
However, the tutorials are –of course– the real strength of the book. From the supplies to projects, everything is detailed in tiny steps, making them manageable. I enjoyed that basic techniques are explained, showing how to do it, but also what to expect and then, consequently, introduce the beginner to an understanding of the tools they can use. That is something that is often lacking in many “how to” art books. This part, combined with the exercises, allow the aspiring artist to familiarize themselves with the techniques, to apply them in a precise context, making them ready to be creative in the end. In most books, only one of the parts is present, making them useless for many people (or, at least, me). Some projects in this volume were –of course– too difficult for me to even try at the moment, though I found it very interesting to just analyze them.
(NB: Even if a specific book would be more adapted -and I would love to read one, I also applied some of the “basic techniques” to my digital painting: I use “watercolour brushes” and knowing how they are supposed to react “in the real world” helped me to understand how to use them in the digital paint, even if it’s also very different.)
Thank you NetGalley, Inga Buividavice and Leaping hare Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
April 6, 2024
The artwork throughout the book is stunning and visually appealing. As a beginner at watercolors, the recommendations on supplies and techniques were very useful. I like that the author's attitude towards teaching was very easy-going and allowed the reader to be creative. The author lists the colors they used for each project but tells the reader that they don't have to use the exact same color palettes and to experiment with what they have. The instructions were clear and very helpful but some of the drawings and techniques were sometimes too advanced for me. That being said, I think this book is great for inspiration and as I get better, I will definitely be trying some of the more challenging projects in this book again. Just FYI, I received this as an ARC and this is my honest review of the book.
April 26, 2024
"Wild Watercolour" is a beginner guide to painting watercolor animals. The author began by giving advice about materials and supplies, explaining the basic techniques used in the projects and about color mixing, and talking about sketching the subject. Next came the projects, where you learn how to use a technique while creating a painting of an animal. These step-by-step projects included both text descriptions and illustrations and covered: ladybugs, beetles, pandas, frogs, hares, koi fish, flamingos, snakes, tortoise, chameleons, butterflies, and dolphins. The projects came across as doable, more about the principle and trying techniques out than perfectly replicating the painting in the book. Overall, I'd recommend this book to beginner watercolor painters.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
February 27, 2024
I am very interested in learning to use watercolors so when I saw this as a Read Now on NetGalley I grabbed it. I’m glad I did. It’s a beautiful how-to book with clear instructions and advice on needed art supplies, the steps needed to paint with watercolors, etc. She also gives a wide variety of projects using different watercolor techniques to give the reader practice using those techniques. This is a useful guide book for those interested in learning to use watercolors. Personally can’t wait to get some supplies and try the first project in this book.
**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
February 29, 2024
Inga Buividavice’s watercolor books are filled with technique pointers and inspiration — Wild Watercolor is no exception. The instructions are clear, the content is well-organized, and the projects feel doable, even to a beginner like me.
Especially powerful for me was Ms. Buividavice’s point about “perfect imperfection” — the idea that absolute perfection is boring and that even experienced artists struggle; the point is to keep trying and not to be quite so judgy—a good lesson.
This is a beautiful book and a great addition to anyone wanting to learn to use watercolor.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
Especially powerful for me was Ms. Buividavice’s point about “perfect imperfection” — the idea that absolute perfection is boring and that even experienced artists struggle; the point is to keep trying and not to be quite so judgy—a good lesson.
This is a beautiful book and a great addition to anyone wanting to learn to use watercolor.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
Read
March 14, 2024Watercolour books can sometimes be a little repetitive with their intros, but in Wild Watercolours, it is a practical collection of confidence-building skills. I learned a lot from it.. The exercises are described step by step, building on new skills gradually. I also found the techniques transferable to other projects. I will be sure to add some of the tips and tricks to my repertoire of skills.
Overall, the author give the readers an inspiring urge to let the medium be wild and unpredictable and to bring back the playing aspect of learning new techniques. It’s everything I love about watercolour. I’m very grateful to have had a chance to read an advanced copy via NetGalley.
Overall, the author give the readers an inspiring urge to let the medium be wild and unpredictable and to bring back the playing aspect of learning new techniques. It’s everything I love about watercolour. I’m very grateful to have had a chance to read an advanced copy via NetGalley.
April 25, 2025
Wild Watercolour is an incredibly helpful, step-by-step guide to creating art inspired by nature, for the very green artist to the seasoned painter. In 36 weeks and projects, you can move from never having picked up a brush to having created something worth framing. As someone who enjoys painting, I appreciated the introduction to the tools and techniques with precise detail, as well as practical tutorials that actually explained how to use these techniques in a way that a beginner can use and enjoy. Overall, painters of all skill can glean from this book, especially those looking to try a new medium.
Thank you to Zeitgeist via NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Zeitgeist via NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, Leaping Hare Press for providing me with a free advance reader copy of this book. These opinions are my own.
This book is filled with inspiring projects and well-organized instruction. I appreciate that the author starts with basic information about getting started with watercolor and that the projects build specific skills. I am still intimidated and doubt my own ability to create anything near as beautiful, but I will be picking up a copy of this book upon its release.
This book is filled with inspiring projects and well-organized instruction. I appreciate that the author starts with basic information about getting started with watercolor and that the projects build specific skills. I am still intimidated and doubt my own ability to create anything near as beautiful, but I will be picking up a copy of this book upon its release.
March 28, 2024
I found the part about tonal values and color mixing very helpful. It explained the concepts in a way that I could finally understand after several tries reading other material.
And while it may seem simple, the section about creating wild splashes was so helpful. I could not figure out how people were making those watercolor marks.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning watercolor. I have been working on learning watercolor for about a year now and I’m so glad I found this book to clarify things for me.
Thank you for the eARC!
And while it may seem simple, the section about creating wild splashes was so helpful. I could not figure out how people were making those watercolor marks.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning watercolor. I have been working on learning watercolor for about a year now and I’m so glad I found this book to clarify things for me.
Thank you for the eARC!
March 31, 2024
From painting a simple ladybug to creating a professional sketchbook, Wild Watercolour teaches the reader step-by-step how to be a proficient watercolor painter.
Beginning with the basics of tools and techniques, this book quickly progresses to lessons teaching perspective, character grouping and style. If you seriously want to improve, or begin, your artistic journey, Wild Watercolour is a great way to begin. 4 stars!
Thanks to Leaping Hare Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.
Beginning with the basics of tools and techniques, this book quickly progresses to lessons teaching perspective, character grouping and style. If you seriously want to improve, or begin, your artistic journey, Wild Watercolour is a great way to begin. 4 stars!
Thanks to Leaping Hare Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.
April 1, 2024
This is a beautiful book for anyone wanting to improve their watercolor skills. It feels over my head but I did not sit down and try to follow along and I really think she gives such detailed instructions that I would be far more successful than I would guess if I tried. The projects are beautiful and she really goes into such detail with so many tips and so much good advice.
I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.
May 21, 2024
4.25 stars
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a really nice watercolour reference book for wild animals. It starts with a few watercolour techniques and then it goes into in depth projects that are creative and a lot of fun.
The great thing about this book is that you learn a lot about colour from the projects. On how it interacts, how it mixes, to how to create a nice effect for you watercolour works.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a really nice watercolour reference book for wild animals. It starts with a few watercolour techniques and then it goes into in depth projects that are creative and a lot of fun.
The great thing about this book is that you learn a lot about colour from the projects. On how it interacts, how it mixes, to how to create a nice effect for you watercolour works.
February 25, 2024
This book is so beautiful and detailed. I am not quite advanced enough in my watercolor skills to tackle many of the project within, but the author provides so many techniques and styles that it is both inspiring and confidence building. She does an excellent job breaking projects down simply in order to draw and paint them. It is a beautiful dive into watercolor.
March 12, 2024
I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.
The watercolor illustrations in this book are fabulous. Beautiful colors and images.
The instructions are basic and easy to follow. The “tips” are very helpful.
The watercolor illustrations in this book are fabulous. Beautiful colors and images.
The instructions are basic and easy to follow. The “tips” are very helpful.
March 13, 2024
This is a lovely book.
I still struggle with watercolors, I just began this adventure and I love this kind of books.
This is really helpful and I enjoyed to play around with watercolors (together with my 11 y.o. daughter.)
There are a lot of tips which I found very useful
I'm a beginner and this book was really great for me.
I still struggle with watercolors, I just began this adventure and I love this kind of books.
This is really helpful and I enjoyed to play around with watercolors (together with my 11 y.o. daughter.)
There are a lot of tips which I found very useful
I'm a beginner and this book was really great for me.
March 23, 2024
Wild Watercolour is an enchanting book on how to do beautiful wildlife water colors. I can only hope to accomplish something so beautiful. The tutorials are definitely based more in the higher skill level range but anyone that loves watercolor can still learn something from this one. If only just for the artwork it’s worth a read! Truly well done by a skilled artist. Very impressed!
December 31, 2024
It’s a lovely book for beginners like me who like to experiment with water colours. I originally borrowed it from a local library, but I now have a copy of my own as I kept borrowing it.
It walks you through the materials, colour selections, different techniques.
I had successfully painted beautiful pictures with the help of this book
It walks you through the materials, colour selections, different techniques.
I had successfully painted beautiful pictures with the help of this book
February 28, 2025
Wild watercolor
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It gave wonderful hints and instructions on how to improve your pictures through lines, composition, color, and shape. I will definitely refer back to this one many times. Excellent book for any personal library reference.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It gave wonderful hints and instructions on how to improve your pictures through lines, composition, color, and shape. I will definitely refer back to this one many times. Excellent book for any personal library reference.
February 28, 2024
NetGalley App Review
This was such a delightful informative art book for watercolor. (Watercolor) the author clearly helps you learn and find your skill set in watercolor by her clear and amazing mini lessons with these pages.
An absolute must buy for any artist and lover of watercolor.
This was such a delightful informative art book for watercolor. (Watercolor) the author clearly helps you learn and find your skill set in watercolor by her clear and amazing mini lessons with these pages.
An absolute must buy for any artist and lover of watercolor.
March 5, 2024
This was a fantastic guide. A lot of watercolor books are focused so much on flowers and plants. It is great to try something new!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC , which I was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC , which I was provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2024
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)
4.5 stars. Really pretty designs with instructions that seem easy to follow. I appreciate that it also included basic tips.
4.5 stars. Really pretty designs with instructions that seem easy to follow. I appreciate that it also included basic tips.
March 22, 2024
The art in this book is simply amazing, i found it informative and easy to follow, everything was laid out well and so many photos to help you along your way. It helped me improve my painting to no end.
December 28, 2023
Wild Watercolor gives you the basics of getting started in watercolor and includes color mixing and even some basic drawing. I loved all of the projects and illustrations.
January 8, 2025
I'm not quite ready for this level. Loved Painting Calm.
March 30, 2024
This book gives very detailed descriptions for how to create watercolor paintings of animals and their habitats. The book begins with lessons on choosing the correct papers, paints, and brushes, and explains the differences between types. There is a section on colors and mixing them, along with a color wheel and explanations for how best to use colors together. Another section is on creating your sketch and how best to transfer it and prepare it for painting. There are some descriptions of painting techniques and then the book leads into projects. The first project is a ladybird (aka ladybug). Step by step instructions are given for how to sketch and then paint the ladybug. The second painting project is a beetle. The book moves toward more complicated creatures such as a snake, furry creatures, and birds. The last section of the book is about painting habitats.
I learned a LOT about painting from this book. It’s definitely not projects that a beginner can achieve quickly, but with repetition, the instructions are detailed enough for any level of artist to learn and have some success.
Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #WildWatercolour by #IngaBuividavice in exchange for honest feedback.
-5 stars
I learned a LOT about painting from this book. It’s definitely not projects that a beginner can achieve quickly, but with repetition, the instructions are detailed enough for any level of artist to learn and have some success.
Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #WildWatercolour by #IngaBuividavice in exchange for honest feedback.
-5 stars
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews