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Just Add Watercolor: Inspiration and Painting Techniques from Contemporary Artists
A beautifully illustrated, easy-to-navigate guide to creating contemporary watercolors, pairing full-page paintings with insights and tips for artists.
Featuring 200 of the best works of young, modern watercolor painters, paired with bite-sized painting tips and art instruction, Just Add Watercolor gives aspiring artists access to information about--and examples of--top work in the medium. Artist and instructor Helen Birch breaks down each painting by techniques, subject matter, and tools, providing art enthusiasts and painters with a one-stop resource and gallery of the best that modern watercolor has to offer. Its small trim size with one painting per spread provides a bold, but user-friendly alternative to traditional, process-heavy painting instruction texts. Just Add Watercolor shines the spotlight on featured paintings, while still giving readers all the insights needed to get started painting in this popular medium.
Featuring 200 of the best works of young, modern watercolor painters, paired with bite-sized painting tips and art instruction, Just Add Watercolor gives aspiring artists access to information about--and examples of--top work in the medium. Artist and instructor Helen Birch breaks down each painting by techniques, subject matter, and tools, providing art enthusiasts and painters with a one-stop resource and gallery of the best that modern watercolor has to offer. Its small trim size with one painting per spread provides a bold, but user-friendly alternative to traditional, process-heavy painting instruction texts. Just Add Watercolor shines the spotlight on featured paintings, while still giving readers all the insights needed to get started painting in this popular medium.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
114 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 10, 2015
If you enjoy contemporary art. If you are one of those people who look at paintings and wonder about how they were done and what materials were used. If you want something to encourage you to pick up a paintbrush and get painting..... then this is the book for you.
There is something intensely manageable about this book. It is small, easy to handle, and the descriptions are succinct. At the back of the book the author goes into more detail about materials and techniques, but the body of the book is not burdened with long cumbersome how-to details. Instead each picture, with its accompanying description, is like some sort of discrete, self-contained little pleasure; taken together they are like a box of delicious truffles, to be nibbled on, as and when you fancy a boost of inspiration.
My one reservation? The title is a bit misleading. Whilst the book concentrates on watercolour and gouache, it also has sections on acrylic and other mediums, including digital work. I would have preferred it if the book had been purely about watercolour, and that the author had gone on instead to write separate books about gouache, acrylic etc. But having said that, I enjoyed it enormously, and am very glad to have it on my bookshelf.
Finally, herewith a sample of a few of its fabulous artworks.
Watercolour: Cate Edwards
Gouache: Vikki Chu
Acrylic: Itsuko Suzuki
Coloured pencils and watercolour pencils:Lieke van der Vorst
Digital: Jennifer Davis
There is something intensely manageable about this book. It is small, easy to handle, and the descriptions are succinct. At the back of the book the author goes into more detail about materials and techniques, but the body of the book is not burdened with long cumbersome how-to details. Instead each picture, with its accompanying description, is like some sort of discrete, self-contained little pleasure; taken together they are like a box of delicious truffles, to be nibbled on, as and when you fancy a boost of inspiration.
My one reservation? The title is a bit misleading. Whilst the book concentrates on watercolour and gouache, it also has sections on acrylic and other mediums, including digital work. I would have preferred it if the book had been purely about watercolour, and that the author had gone on instead to write separate books about gouache, acrylic etc. But having said that, I enjoyed it enormously, and am very glad to have it on my bookshelf.
Finally, herewith a sample of a few of its fabulous artworks.
Watercolour: Cate Edwards
Gouache: Vikki Chu
Acrylic: Itsuko Suzuki
Coloured pencils and watercolour pencils:Lieke van der Vorst
Digital: Jennifer Davis
March 25, 2015
Just Add Watercolor is a small but delightful volume featuring the works of dozens of working artists from around the world. The book is a combination of a coffee table book and instructional guide -- you can flip through it and just look at the pretty pictures, or you can read about the techniques used to accomplish each piece. The author goes into just the right amount of detail in her descriptions in order to help the reader understand concepts like color work, dimensions, print techniques, etc. without being overwhelmed by the material or buried in jargon. Different sections explore the advancement to subfields like mixed media and digital watercolor. A helpful glossary at the back gives you good grounding if you're brand-new to the subject, and if you only want to read a little on each page, you can stick to the one- or two-line "Tips" accompanying each image to get the most basic grasp of how such a piece can be accomplished. As someone with no watercolor experience but an appreciation for art, I loved learning in such an accessible yet professional way about how artists make their magic happen. Even though I don't expect to become a watercolor artist myself any time soon, I do now have a solid urge to visit a local watercolor exhibition as soon as possible!
March 10, 2015
This book is not quite what I had expected. It's smaller than I thought it would be and it doesn't have much by way of instruction. It focuses on analyzing different works of art from various artists and discussing their approach, inspiration, and techniques. There are some helpful tips along the way and short descriptions of supplies and what they do, but no step-by-step photos or laundry lists of brush sizes or paint brands. It's like attending a seminar on art rather than an instructional class. It's a good book to browse through when you need inspiration or want to get lost in the world of watercolor.
There are a wide range of styles and approaches included in the book, so there is something for everyone. It's definitely a book that I am happy to add to my collection so I can peruse it whenever I'm feeling stuck or need a change of pace.
Content: One image with partially nude (and very tiny) people.
Source: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
My blog: Batch of Books
There are a wide range of styles and approaches included in the book, so there is something for everyone. It's definitely a book that I am happy to add to my collection so I can peruse it whenever I'm feeling stuck or need a change of pace.
Content: One image with partially nude (and very tiny) people.
Source: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
My blog: Batch of Books
June 7, 2024
I need more of these kinds of books in my life. Small descriptions and advice about techniques and materials. Loved it.
Learned the "phenomena of pareidolia--the tendency among humans to find something recognizable in distinct forms (for example, seeing an animal or a face in the clouds)."
Or the Virgin Mary on toast. Or Jesus on Doritos.
Art books from the public library are tiny saviors during hard weeks.
Learned the "phenomena of pareidolia--the tendency among humans to find something recognizable in distinct forms (for example, seeing an animal or a face in the clouds)."
Or the Virgin Mary on toast. Or Jesus on Doritos.
Art books from the public library are tiny saviors during hard weeks.
April 29, 2015
At last an art book that is portable and light! The size is just a bit more than 5x7--something that easily fits in the hands of even a child and can easily be brought along on an outing to sketch or paint. The smaller book size makes the art much less intimidating and accessible to every age and skill level. Pictures take up the full 5x7 page and text is reserved for a page of its own facing the print. I love that the styles vary greatly throughout the book (the cover is a great example of the range of styles). There is truly something here for everyone.
The table of contents was cleverly designed. Each painting style is assigned a color and on the top of the pages, the style is highlighted in that color so you can easily get to the section you want. And then, the real genius is also a visual index which shows thumbnails of prints in the book to help guide readers back to a style, color or background that they had previously seen in the book.
Each painting gives artist credit and their websites are listed in the back of the book. This makes it easy for readers to explore the works of artists they are particularly drawn to. The narrative tells about the technique and how to replicate. A running list of tips is shared at the bottom of each double spread.
Watercolor fundamentals are covered at the back of the book with explanations of various materials (types of paints & pencils, paper, and other accessories). The book closes with suggestions for joining artist groups and starting to exhibit or sell works as well a complete index of topics.
This book would make a great book for any art enthusiast--perfect for coffee table display or working inspiration in the art room. This is an excellent resource for any level artist whether beginner or advanced. With so many styles and ideas, there are pictures to inspire and replicate at every skill level. This would also be a fabulous quiet book for a child to explore--size is not overwhelming, colors are bold and bright with enough variety to hold their attention for quite some time. This book is also an excellent resource for art teachers wanting to introduce varied techniques to students.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2015
I don’t draw and I don’t paint. That being said, I have long desired to have an artistic outlet and now that I’m retired, I’ve been thinking perhaps a bit of painting might be something to try. I also understand that watercolors are the medium best to begin with. Hence, my desire to see just what Just Add Watercolors might have to help this potential painter.
First of all, it is NOT a step-by-step how-to-do-it book that tells you how best to dip you brush into a pot of watercolors and voila an artist is born! No. It is a small book filled with interesting paintings along a “modern” line. Each of the paintings is show on the right side and an explanation of the tools and techniques used by the artist is on the left side.
You’ll get an introduction to techniques and terms on a small scale so you can begin your dabbling in this forgivable medium. Or if you've been painting awhile, you might learn a new technique that will really make your painting come alive.
So now I just need to go out and acquire a bit of stuff - you know brushes, paints, pens, and paper to begin. Then I can see if I have any talent for adding watercolor to create something that might be lovely to look upon. Something with which I can express feelings of joy, moodiness, hurt, love.
The anticipation just might be enough to get me moving. So do I really Just Add Watercolor?
Pssssssttt…. I do have a daughter that dabbles a bit with paints and she enjoys using watercolors. Perhaps this little book will be best suited for her. But then….. perhaps I should give it a real try myself.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Bloggingforbooks.com to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
First of all, it is NOT a step-by-step how-to-do-it book that tells you how best to dip you brush into a pot of watercolors and voila an artist is born! No. It is a small book filled with interesting paintings along a “modern” line. Each of the paintings is show on the right side and an explanation of the tools and techniques used by the artist is on the left side.
You’ll get an introduction to techniques and terms on a small scale so you can begin your dabbling in this forgivable medium. Or if you've been painting awhile, you might learn a new technique that will really make your painting come alive.
So now I just need to go out and acquire a bit of stuff - you know brushes, paints, pens, and paper to begin. Then I can see if I have any talent for adding watercolor to create something that might be lovely to look upon. Something with which I can express feelings of joy, moodiness, hurt, love.
The anticipation just might be enough to get me moving. So do I really Just Add Watercolor?
Pssssssttt…. I do have a daughter that dabbles a bit with paints and she enjoys using watercolors. Perhaps this little book will be best suited for her. But then….. perhaps I should give it a real try myself.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Bloggingforbooks.com to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
April 2, 2015
This is just such a lovely little book! The size is small, perfect for adding to your bag to read while out and about. Honestly, even if you don't read the advice on watercolor painting, the wonderful illustrations alone are worth picking up this book to see!
There are no step by step instructions, its more of a compilation of advice, techniques, and tips for a watercolor artist. The tips come from many different artists, which gives such a great range of styles. If one artist isn't your style, there are many others that may right up your alley!
The format of the book is perfect for paging through. There is a grid at the front of the book with all of the artwork contained inside. So you can pick and choose that way or you can just page through. There are 200 watercolor artworks to choose from, each with a full page of tips and techniques from the artist.
This book is the perfect gift for the watercolor artist of any skill level. It's small in size, but packed with info and beautiful paintings.
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
There are no step by step instructions, its more of a compilation of advice, techniques, and tips for a watercolor artist. The tips come from many different artists, which gives such a great range of styles. If one artist isn't your style, there are many others that may right up your alley!
The format of the book is perfect for paging through. There is a grid at the front of the book with all of the artwork contained inside. So you can pick and choose that way or you can just page through. There are 200 watercolor artworks to choose from, each with a full page of tips and techniques from the artist.
This book is the perfect gift for the watercolor artist of any skill level. It's small in size, but packed with info and beautiful paintings.
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
December 12, 2017
This book has taught me so much more than I could've ever expected from it. If you already know the basics of watercolour-painting, but want to learn how to truly experiment, using everything from digital tools to collage, in your watercolour-work, and at the same time be inspired by a whole bunch of really beautiful and artistically interesting paintings, then this is the book for you!
December 31, 2017
Un buen puñado de inspiración. Es un libro que abre la mente, da ideas y explica técnicas. Me gusta mucho su enfoque
September 21, 2020
Artists from this book:
Ana Montiel:
anamontiel.com
Anne Smith:
annesmith.net
Arthur Kvarnstrom:
arthurkvarnstrom.com
Becca Stadtlander:
beccastadtlander.com
Betsy Walton: 6.84, 6.86
morningcraft.com
Blanca Gómez:
cosasminimas.com
Cate Edwards:
flickr.com/cate_edwards
Cathy McMurray:
cathymcmurray.com
Charlene Liu:
charlene-liu.com
Dadu Shin:
dadushin.com
Daniela Henríquez Fernández:
flickr.com/danielahenriquez
David Hornung: 2.38, 2.55
davidhornung.com
Ekaterina Koroleva:
ekaterina-koroleva.de
Eleni Kalorkoti: 1.21, 2.43
elenikalorkoti.com
Eleonora Marton:
eleonoramarton.com
Elissa Nesheim: 6.81, 6.87
elissasue.com
Elizabeth Baddeley:
ebaddeley.com
Elizabeth O’Reilly:
elizabethoreilly.com
Emily Watkins:
emily-watkins.co.uk
Functional Fox (Matt La’Mont):
thefunctionalfox.com
Gabby Malpas:
gabbymalpas.com
Georgiana Paraschiv:
gpdsn.com
Hatsuki Miyahara:
hacco.hacca.jp
Helen Dealtry:
wokinggirldesigns.com
Helen Hallows:
helenhallows.com
Holly Exley: 1.07, 1.17
hollyexley.com
Itsuko Suzuki: fm1.1, 5.72
itsukosuzuki.com
Jeannie Phan:
jeanniephan.com
Jennifer Davis: 6.80, 6.83
jenniferdavisart.com
Joanna Goss
joannagoss.com
Julie Van Wezemael:
julievanwezemael.blogspot.co.uk
Junyi Wu: Part One, 5.74
junyiwu.com
Kamilla Talbot:
kamillatalbot.com
Karen Barbour:
karenbarbour.com
Kasia Breska:
pencilboxgirl.blogspot.com
Kate Pugsley:
katepugsley.com
Kaye Blegvad:
kayeblegvad.com
Kelly Puissegur: 6.82, 6.88
retrowhale.com
Koen Lybaert:
u-cover.com/paintings
Kotryna Žukauskaitė:
kata-illustration.com
Leah Goren:
leahgoren.com
Liam Howard:
liam-howard.blogspot.co.uk
Lieke van der Vorst:
liekeland.nl
Loui Jover: 1.04, 1.08
louijover.tumblr.com
Lourdes Sanchez:
lulisanchez.com
Luka Va:
luk.lt
surfingsloth.com.au
Madara Lukjanoviča:
etsy.com/shop/madareli
Marcus Oakley: 4.65, 4.69
marcusoakley.com
Marina Molares:
marinamolares.com
Misato Suzuki:
alittlepainter.com
Monica Ramos:
monramos.com
Nadja Gabriela Plein:
nadjagabrielaplein.co.uk
Natasha Newton:
natasha-newton.co.uk
Nicholas Stevenson: 2.44, 2.53
nicholasstevenson.com
Nikki Painter:
nikkipainter.com
Nuria Mora:
nuriamora.com
Patrick Boehner:
patrickboehner.com
Paul Bailey:
paulbaileyart.co.uk
Peggy Wolf:
peggywolf.com
Sandra Dieckmann / Jamie Mills:
sandradieckmann.com
sandradieckmann.blogspot.com
Sandrine Pelissier:
watercolorpainting.ca
Sarah Burwash:
sarahburwash.com
Sasha Prood:
sashaprood.com
Simona Dimitri:
illusimi.com
Sophie Lécuyer:
sophielecuyer.blogspot.com
Stina Persson:
stinapersson.com
kokoartagency.com
Talya Baldwin:
talyabaldwin.com
Tracie Huskamp:
TheRedDoor-Studio.com
Valéria Kondor:
flickr.com/people/13901617@N
Valerio Vidali:
vivavidali.blogspot.co.uk/
Vikki Chu: 2.45, 2.50
vikkichu.com
Wil Freeborn:
wilfreeborn.co.uk
Yellena James: fm3.2, 1.23
yellena.com
Yoshinori Funayama:
mozneko.boo.jp
Ana Montiel:
anamontiel.com
Anne Smith:
annesmith.net
Arthur Kvarnstrom:
arthurkvarnstrom.com
Becca Stadtlander:
beccastadtlander.com
Betsy Walton: 6.84, 6.86
morningcraft.com
Blanca Gómez:
cosasminimas.com
Cate Edwards:
flickr.com/cate_edwards
Cathy McMurray:
cathymcmurray.com
Charlene Liu:
charlene-liu.com
Dadu Shin:
dadushin.com
Daniela Henríquez Fernández:
flickr.com/danielahenriquez
David Hornung: 2.38, 2.55
davidhornung.com
Ekaterina Koroleva:
ekaterina-koroleva.de
Eleni Kalorkoti: 1.21, 2.43
elenikalorkoti.com
Eleonora Marton:
eleonoramarton.com
Elissa Nesheim: 6.81, 6.87
elissasue.com
Elizabeth Baddeley:
ebaddeley.com
Elizabeth O’Reilly:
elizabethoreilly.com
Emily Watkins:
emily-watkins.co.uk
Functional Fox (Matt La’Mont):
thefunctionalfox.com
Gabby Malpas:
gabbymalpas.com
Georgiana Paraschiv:
gpdsn.com
Hatsuki Miyahara:
hacco.hacca.jp
Helen Dealtry:
wokinggirldesigns.com
Helen Hallows:
helenhallows.com
Holly Exley: 1.07, 1.17
hollyexley.com
Itsuko Suzuki: fm1.1, 5.72
itsukosuzuki.com
Jeannie Phan:
jeanniephan.com
Jennifer Davis: 6.80, 6.83
jenniferdavisart.com
Joanna Goss
joannagoss.com
Julie Van Wezemael:
julievanwezemael.blogspot.co.uk
Junyi Wu: Part One, 5.74
junyiwu.com
Kamilla Talbot:
kamillatalbot.com
Karen Barbour:
karenbarbour.com
Kasia Breska:
pencilboxgirl.blogspot.com
Kate Pugsley:
katepugsley.com
Kaye Blegvad:
kayeblegvad.com
Kelly Puissegur: 6.82, 6.88
retrowhale.com
Koen Lybaert:
u-cover.com/paintings
Kotryna Žukauskaitė:
kata-illustration.com
Leah Goren:
leahgoren.com
Liam Howard:
liam-howard.blogspot.co.uk
Lieke van der Vorst:
liekeland.nl
Loui Jover: 1.04, 1.08
louijover.tumblr.com
Lourdes Sanchez:
lulisanchez.com
Luka Va:
luk.lt
surfingsloth.com.au
Madara Lukjanoviča:
etsy.com/shop/madareli
Marcus Oakley: 4.65, 4.69
marcusoakley.com
Marina Molares:
marinamolares.com
Misato Suzuki:
alittlepainter.com
Monica Ramos:
monramos.com
Nadja Gabriela Plein:
nadjagabrielaplein.co.uk
Natasha Newton:
natasha-newton.co.uk
Nicholas Stevenson: 2.44, 2.53
nicholasstevenson.com
Nikki Painter:
nikkipainter.com
Nuria Mora:
nuriamora.com
Patrick Boehner:
patrickboehner.com
Paul Bailey:
paulbaileyart.co.uk
Peggy Wolf:
peggywolf.com
Sandra Dieckmann / Jamie Mills:
sandradieckmann.com
sandradieckmann.blogspot.com
Sandrine Pelissier:
watercolorpainting.ca
Sarah Burwash:
sarahburwash.com
Sasha Prood:
sashaprood.com
Simona Dimitri:
illusimi.com
Sophie Lécuyer:
sophielecuyer.blogspot.com
Stina Persson:
stinapersson.com
kokoartagency.com
Talya Baldwin:
talyabaldwin.com
Tracie Huskamp:
TheRedDoor-Studio.com
Valéria Kondor:
flickr.com/people/13901617@N
Valerio Vidali:
vivavidali.blogspot.co.uk/
Vikki Chu: 2.45, 2.50
vikkichu.com
Wil Freeborn:
wilfreeborn.co.uk
Yellena James: fm3.2, 1.23
yellena.com
Yoshinori Funayama:
mozneko.boo.jp
July 24, 2022
This is NOT a step-by-step book, rather it is a little museum of contemporary artwork in book form.
It showcases all its artworks in the front of the book to be used both as a gallery and a visual reference index.
Written with concise and easy to understand language, Helen Birch takes us on a private tour of a beautiful curated collection of artworks divided into the following categories: Traditional Watercolour, Guache, Digital, Mixed media, other water-based Media, and Non-Paper Media.
Then here lies the GOLD: Each piece is then explained in terms of technique, materials, elements, composition, intention and effect.
Such information is not commonly available and not every piece of art is as it seems. Understanding how each artists approached their own piece and seeing how the images were created allows for incredible insight into one’s own artistic studies and practice as inspiration and/or as reference.
The book is focused on promoting curiosity, experimentation and learning rather than “doing things a certain way”. This is evident by the presence of an encouraging tip on every double spread and although It includes some basic information on materials at the back (I.e. brushes, papers etc) it is only a very brief overview.
Just Add Watercolor is a highly recommended for people who are self-taught or looking to explore and growth their creative expression through watercolour and find numerous ways to be creative with it.
It showcases all its artworks in the front of the book to be used both as a gallery and a visual reference index.
Written with concise and easy to understand language, Helen Birch takes us on a private tour of a beautiful curated collection of artworks divided into the following categories: Traditional Watercolour, Guache, Digital, Mixed media, other water-based Media, and Non-Paper Media.
Then here lies the GOLD: Each piece is then explained in terms of technique, materials, elements, composition, intention and effect.
Such information is not commonly available and not every piece of art is as it seems. Understanding how each artists approached their own piece and seeing how the images were created allows for incredible insight into one’s own artistic studies and practice as inspiration and/or as reference.
The book is focused on promoting curiosity, experimentation and learning rather than “doing things a certain way”. This is evident by the presence of an encouraging tip on every double spread and although It includes some basic information on materials at the back (I.e. brushes, papers etc) it is only a very brief overview.
Just Add Watercolor is a highly recommended for people who are self-taught or looking to explore and growth their creative expression through watercolour and find numerous ways to be creative with it.
August 2, 2024
Ik heb vier van deze inspiratie- en tipboeken van Helen Birch en ik vind ze geweldig. Rechts staat een afbeelding van een hedendaagse illustrator/kunstenaar, links wordt iets specifieks over het werk verteld, waardoor je net anders kijkt, en onderaan staat elke keer een waardevolle of leuke tip.
Dit werkt voor mij heel goed, doordat het niet één stijl volgt en geen stappenplan neerzet doet het precies waar ik naar op zoek ben. Zin om aan de slag te gaan, veel ruimte laten voor mijn eigen stijl en altijd net die handige tip die ik wel kon gebruiken.
Dit werkt voor mij heel goed, doordat het niet één stijl volgt en geen stappenplan neerzet doet het precies waar ik naar op zoek ben. Zin om aan de slag te gaan, veel ruimte laten voor mijn eigen stijl en altijd net die handige tip die ik wel kon gebruiken.
September 11, 2021
Lovely little pictures to look at (all very much my style) and provided lots of inspiration. Very informative accompanying text, though I sometimes felt a bit muddled reading it! But absolutely lovely overall.
December 31, 2023
Great little motivational book, keep it handy when you are looking for a fresh style or to remember a technique. This is not an instructional book, it’s a visual guide to styles by a broad and diverse selection of working artists.
July 23, 2017
So much inspiration in this little book! Excited to try out some new techniques!
August 26, 2018
An overview of how many, many watercolor pieces were created. A nice introduction to equipment/supplies and techniques.
June 26, 2019
Beautiful & Inspiring
Learned some green lessons. The examples are wonderful. I can't wait to try out the ideas the book inspired. Happy to recommend it!
Learned some green lessons. The examples are wonderful. I can't wait to try out the ideas the book inspired. Happy to recommend it!
July 21, 2019
This is one of my favourites for inspiration lately using watercolour. Great tips and ideas for keeping your work moving.
December 31, 2020
This series of books are great little tools for inspiration. A lot of wonderful images of different artists' work, and brief explanation of the techniques used.
March 16, 2021
Inspiring!
April 1, 2021
A small format but big in ideas and inspiration for get the most of your watercolors.
May 17, 2021
More inspiration than techniques. Dozens of examples of different styles using watercolor.
October 16, 2021
Wide range of current paintings with very simplistic explanations of how they were created. A great book for beginners and mid-level painters.
July 25, 2024
nice — but too few examples
It’s much more a tutorial without The bothersome examples that lead The weak minded into The trap of imitation !
It’s much more a tutorial without The bothersome examples that lead The weak minded into The trap of imitation !
August 7, 2024
Inspirative, shows a collection of art made in various styles.
April 7, 2015
I'm not an artist.
I dabble in doodling with my pen.
Watercolor looks so easy- but why is that so deceiving?
These are some of the statements that often run through my head.
When given the opportunity to review Just add Watercolor by Helen Birch I thought, Aha! Now I'll learn all the secrets and be whipping out watercolor pictures left and right.
Not sure about in your lifetime but in mine, rarely, do my Aha moments come about as easily as expected.
This small 5"x7" 200+ page book includes 88 beautiful watercolor pictures on the right and a short description with a smattering of technique and artist name on the left. I was hoping for that magical tell all where I could pull on my painter's smock, chew on the end of my brush and follow step by step instructions where I might achieve a reasonable facsimile of the watercolor in front of me. In other words, there are no step by step lessons, which was a bit disappointing. Even with the highlighted tips on each left side page, if I were to be able to paint anything that even resembled Arthur Kvarnstrom's Autumn Trees, I would need more instruction than what is provided.
However, I think this small book is a gem! In the back is what I would call a tutorial on watercolor fundamentals, and for the wannabe painters like me- it is extremely helpful to know what Gouache is and to know the difference between Watercolor pencils and Water-solvable crayons.
YES, I would recommend this book to one who already knows how to watercolor paint as well as the people like me that just like to look at pretty pictures and dream that one day we can create something this lovely.
July 13, 2015
I read a couple books on watercolors after I started getting more interested in it. I really don't think any other resource will give you as much information on techniques as a good 'ole book.
I read one last summer and got a lot of good information from it, so I picked out another book on watercolors this summer. I am reading Just Add Watercolor by Helen Birch, and I am finding it really interesting so far! This is a quick, easy book to read - each page has a painting, with the matching page including descriptions of the artists work and tips on techniques.
I like this layout for a couple reasons - first, including the descriptions of the work is really interesting to me in terms of art appreciation. Are these paintings all my style? Not all of them, but when I read about the process the artist went through, or the unusual choices they made, I appreciate each work that much more. I think this book would actually be a handy little tool in our homeschool arsenal for art appreciation. Second, I love that they don't end with just talking about each painting - they give you tips on the practical aspects of techniques and materials, which I found very helpful!
When I am reading a book about a specific topic, it gives me that motivation to try to apply some of what I'm learning - so books are one of my favorite things for that inspiration to get started!
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
I read one last summer and got a lot of good information from it, so I picked out another book on watercolors this summer. I am reading Just Add Watercolor by Helen Birch, and I am finding it really interesting so far! This is a quick, easy book to read - each page has a painting, with the matching page including descriptions of the artists work and tips on techniques.
I like this layout for a couple reasons - first, including the descriptions of the work is really interesting to me in terms of art appreciation. Are these paintings all my style? Not all of them, but when I read about the process the artist went through, or the unusual choices they made, I appreciate each work that much more. I think this book would actually be a handy little tool in our homeschool arsenal for art appreciation. Second, I love that they don't end with just talking about each painting - they give you tips on the practical aspects of techniques and materials, which I found very helpful!
When I am reading a book about a specific topic, it gives me that motivation to try to apply some of what I'm learning - so books are one of my favorite things for that inspiration to get started!
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
November 29, 2015
What a treat! First I was shocked at the size of the book, it is around 4″ X 6″! I love how tote-able the book is and it features a hard cover which is great for carrying the book around the city with me!
One of the highlights of the book is the unique index gallery in the front of the book. There are thumbnails of all the painting is the book with the page number in them offering a quick visual reference which is helpful and such an amazing quality for the book!
The main focus of the book is each artist talking about their painting, offering techniques and tips. Each painting is by a different artist and Helen features all types of water-coloring as well which is great!
Helen Ends the book with Watercolor Fundamentals, information on materials and steps on what to do next! I think it is great that she offers ideas on what steps to take after painting to get your work in galleries ect.
Helen is based out of UK and is an art lecturer, blogger and author. You can check out her blog @ http://drawdrawdraw-drawdrawdraw.blog... and also follow her on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/drawdrawdraw and also on instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/helenbirch_...
I really enjoy her Pinterest which can be found @ https://www.pinterest.com/drawdrawdraw/ particularly her board watercolour-water-based-media
One of the highlights of the book is the unique index gallery in the front of the book. There are thumbnails of all the painting is the book with the page number in them offering a quick visual reference which is helpful and such an amazing quality for the book!
The main focus of the book is each artist talking about their painting, offering techniques and tips. Each painting is by a different artist and Helen features all types of water-coloring as well which is great!
Helen Ends the book with Watercolor Fundamentals, information on materials and steps on what to do next! I think it is great that she offers ideas on what steps to take after painting to get your work in galleries ect.
Helen is based out of UK and is an art lecturer, blogger and author. You can check out her blog @ http://drawdrawdraw-drawdrawdraw.blog... and also follow her on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/drawdrawdraw and also on instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/helenbirch_...
I really enjoy her Pinterest which can be found @ https://www.pinterest.com/drawdrawdraw/ particularly her board watercolour-water-based-media
December 18, 2015
I’ve attempted watercolor several times, but have never been particularly pleased with the results. I’ve always gone back to my favorite method of using acrylics. However, after browsing the pages of "Just Add Watercolor", I’m definitely ready to give it another try.
As the book description states, this book showcases “200 of the best works of young, modern watercolor painters, paired with bite-sized painting tips and art instruction…” Yet, as the description also says, each photograph is paired with insights and tips. Each vivid and beautiful photo includes an in depth critique of the art, along with an insightful tip from the author. Techniques like lifting color with a variety of tools, adding finely detailed pen work before or after adding watercolor and prepping surfaces with gesso (good to know!) are explained in detail at the conclusion of each art evaluation/description.
"Just Add Watercolor" packs a ton of information in one lovely little book. It’s filled to the brim with watercolor tips, tricks and techniques for artists of any level. This book has definitely given me the incentive to try my hand at watercolor again! Highly recommended.
http://ebookreviewgal.com received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As the book description states, this book showcases “200 of the best works of young, modern watercolor painters, paired with bite-sized painting tips and art instruction…” Yet, as the description also says, each photograph is paired with insights and tips. Each vivid and beautiful photo includes an in depth critique of the art, along with an insightful tip from the author. Techniques like lifting color with a variety of tools, adding finely detailed pen work before or after adding watercolor and prepping surfaces with gesso (good to know!) are explained in detail at the conclusion of each art evaluation/description.
"Just Add Watercolor" packs a ton of information in one lovely little book. It’s filled to the brim with watercolor tips, tricks and techniques for artists of any level. This book has definitely given me the incentive to try my hand at watercolor again! Highly recommended.
http://ebookreviewgal.com received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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