Painting Can Save Your Life: How and Why We Paint

by Sara Woster

Artist and founder of The Painting School Sara Woster invites readers into the vibrant world of painting as a creative practice powerful enough to transform our lives.

Sara Woster is a painter, teacher, and art evangelist. She believes in art as a form of mindfulness, a ritual for healing, and an outlet for self-expression. In Painting Can Save Your Life, Woster welcomes readers into this transformative art form, inviting them to pick up a brush and discover how painting can help you see the world in a whole new way.

Weaving soup-to-nuts instruction on how to paint--from choosing the right materials to painting the human body--with her own story of discovering a passion for painting, this book includes:

- simple and easy techniques for painters of all skill levels
- playful and challenging painting exercises
- tips on how to build a creative community using art
- insights on how to use painting to cultivate a sense of calm in a stressful world

Part how-to-paint, part sheer inspiration, Painting Can Save Your Life is a wise and inspiring guide to the power of painting.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Self Help

304 pages, Hardcover

Published July 19, 2022

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent read and looks to be a very promising program of exercises to build up a novice acrylic painter’s artistic knowledge and skills. Unlike many “learning to paint” books Sara does not spend weeks and weeks of having novices paint things like perfectly shaded spheres or apples. There’s a few simple things in that vein but the focus is on starting to make art that includes things that are personal to you all while learning important concepts about color, shading, light and all the other things one should ideally learn.

All the art knowledge is wrapped up in personal, reflective life stories that illustrate lessons or provide inspiration for the next chapter or skill. In many ways I feel like Sara is a kindred spirit. I too escaped into books, had imaginary friends until a frightfully old age, kept my Barbie dolls in easy access for ages (actually I still have them… although I haven’t had them out in years).

All in all this is a great foundational painting book which covers all the important skills for a new painter while being conscious that not everyone can afford to go spend hundreds on top quality supplies and giving realistic and useful suggestions on how to make the most out of budgetary restrictions.

I’ll be going back and doing different exercises, probably in mixed media because I still feel happiest starting with a watercolor base and adding other media on top.

[Christine Dabbs]

Did not read enough to review. But I loved the beginning and it made me see how something I thought I’d never be good at could be worth trying. Also, it helped add to the idea that being creative can be much more meaningful than having a hobby. It can matter quite a lot actually.

I’ve been busy with other creative outlets but maybe I’ll pick this back up one day.

[Lisa Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's silly, really, to say I'm finished with the book. I've read it straight through, true, but now I'm going to start again and do the exercises, which may take several months. Sara Woster nicely combines personal memoir-anecdote with theory, technique, and tips. I especially like how she rattles off the names of several contemporary artists I've never heard of, as evidence for some of the kessons. She is confident that her readers will research them, and she's right! A fun class in a book.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is captivating and a great guide for a new painter looking to paint to relieve some stress after a long day at work. The author has a great back story and a purposeful approach. Sara owns a painting school and reading this book made me feel like I was one of her students learning how to paint with an easy step-by-step guide. I would highly recommend building your painting skills and art portfolio with this book. This is an interactive book that I really enjoyed.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive guide to the art of painting and living the life of an artist - with illustrations from her art and her life as an artist plus advice on techniques of painting and an advice to garner the courage to become an artist. She has advice on how to live the best life that you can while being an artist and how to deal with setbacks .
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[Cameron Toney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not an acrylic painter, but this would make a good book for anyone interested in working in any painting medium.
This is a nice overview of basic art principles, but also a meditation on why art moves us, and what moves us to make it.