Watercolor Workbook: 25 Beginner Botanical Projects on Premium Watercolor Paper (Watercolor Workbook Series)

I can't create a picture worth a damn but I enjoy making pretty things. This was an absolutely perfect introduction for watercoloring for me. I have enjoyed the entire process, reading the instructions to outlining the pictures to the actual painting. The author gives easy to follow instructions and a relatively simple and forgiving list of supplies to get started. Her recommended supplies for the entire book: #1 round brush #4 round brush 01 or 02 Micron Pigma waterproof pen Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolor tube paints in: Lemon Yellow Yellow Ochre Alizeran Crimson Burnt Sienna Cobalt Blue White (any) Ivory Black Oxide of Chromium (professional) Payne's Gray (professional) Optional extras - Perylene Maroon and Perylene Violet. There are some good discount art supply stores online to get the paints at halfish price so it's not a bad investment if you try to stick with the recommendations. The paper quality feels hefty and easy to work with and the designs are aesthetically pleasing without being too complex or too boring. She walks you through every step with clear instructions and provides examples. The painting pieces themselves are big and one-sided so you could cut them out, crop and frame. She encourages experimentation and having fun, and her writing feels like you're painting with a friend. I think this is a good buy for any creative type, professional or novice. My mother has a disability affecting her grip and dexterity, and I think she could use this book to paint. She's creative but as her issues have progressed is easily discouraged to try new art hobbies. This is relatively easy and still sophisticated. I might outline some of the sketches for her, show her a couple tricks and let her have at it. You DONT HAVE TO PAINT IN THE LINES to be pretty. I've pre-ordered Sarah's next book and want her to make a dozen more please. If the author reads this I have some ideas for a version of your workbook that is even more accessible for folks with impaired vision or dexterity. Have the drawings already outlined black, perhaps ever so slightly bold for better contrast. Keep an even simpler color palette with less need to mix. Include more examples of loose and undefined boundaries. Show how going outside the lines can be pretty. Keep the boho, soft floral aesthetic that lean slightly simpler in shapes. (the illustrations are gorgeous) Perforate the pages to make it easy to detach. Maybe a spiral binding for even easier use. Increase the text size and contrast. Include a larger avatar/finished example. Recommend brushes that are more ergonomic, maybe a round brush with a fatter handle. I've gone down the Amazon rabbithole and so far there hasn't been a workbook quite like this. I am a fan!

Very simple instructions. Practice tasks were short and manageable, so that even with ADHD, I was not overwhelmed by them. I enjoyed using the book and the lessons have improved my art. I was commissioned to do my first watercolor after someone saw a painting I had done of a cat in a garden. While not my only training, it did help me learn to manipulate watercolors. I had fun with the lessons and made good progress with techniques for application and mixing colors.

I really love this workbook and I wanted to point out some of the negatives from other reviews are probably people who didn't understand what this workbook is for. It is not a beginner guide to mixing water colors, it says that it's for water coloring botanical projects. No drawing needed, it's meant to be a water color, coloring book. It's what the description says it is. It's not misleading. It's a beginners guide to learning a few techniques and exploring how to mix colors as you go. The instructions are very clear and in depth. I've really enjoyed this workbook.

Beautiful book and well worth it if your young. Unfortunately, I'm older and, whereas esthetically it is designed beautifully, I pi k it up to use it and then put it back down. It's impossible for anyone with omdefeyes to read. The print is not only small,but uses a faint ink instead of a black that would help make it readable. Pretty is useless if you can't read it and there are a lot of us who started painting later in life because we have more time and can't get out as much. I would give it a solid 5, but I'm so sick of having to take a photo of the instructions with my phone and blowing it up to make it readable. If you're younger, scoop it up. If not you may find it sitting on a shelf, frustrated that you're cut out of one more thing in life.

This workbook is perfection. So well made and explained for beginners in the water color world. So entertaining yet challenging for more advanced water color enthusiasts. I ordered this book as well as some new water colors to practice with, and from the moment I opened it I was obsessed. I absolutely love Sarah’s designs, I find them so aesthetically well balanced, modern, classy, original and inclusive. Love them all! As someone who hasn’t painted in years and has not much experience, I found this book to be so helpful. It was so easy for me to start painting again and remember how much joy I feel while I am doing so. It’s instructions, tips and stunning color combinations definitely helped awakening my creativity a little more each day. 10 out of 10! 🎨🫶🏼

Just outstanding! I'm not a beginner in watercoloring but this books is easily done by beginners with some guidance. Simon gives explicit directions on how to paint, how to mix and blend colors and the small projects she presents build confidence. For me, this books was like a mini-painting-retreat with fun project AND it has watercolor paper and outlines of drawings in the book itself.. makes it all so accessible. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great learning book in water coloring. Can’t wait to get started

As a beginner in trying my hand at water painting I decided on the book. I love the direction and the workbook itself. But like anything else hands on will be the most helpful. What was great also was teaching you about color mixing to obtain desired color, which the book showed. I’m really enjoying the preprinted images that you paint as well

Super fun

جيد! مو بس للمبتدئين، ينفع للناس اللي فقدوا الشغف وحابين يلملموا نفسهم🤣

Questo libro è molto curato dal punto di vista tecnico e la carta su cui dipingere è ottima, una delle migliori che abbia mai utilizzato. Dal punto di vista dei contenuti è didattico nella prima parte, con spiegazioni abbastanza chiare su come utilizzare i colori e le tecniche dell'acquerello. È adatto ad un principiante. La cosa che non mi piace è l'approccio dell'autrice al disegno, che contorna con inchiostro nero e, ancora peggio secondo me, l' utilizzo del bianco nella creazione della maggior parte dei colori. Infatti il bianco li opacizza rendendoli gessosi. Non è sicuramente uno stile per tutti, nel senso che non piace a molti, come a me.

This was EXACTLY what I was looking for. If you are new or newish to watercolours, and have been following a few YouTube videos on painting flowers etc, and if you had bought a set of colours and really wanted to try and develop your ability further, then I can't tell you how great this book is for the task!! I bought it due to the great comments and I'm not disappointed. It is very clear and easy to read, so it's easy to read thru BEFORE starting the projects, and there are clear step by step instructions that take you thru each one. You only need the bare basics to get on with this. She also has some really very helpful stuff on colour mixing, and it's so well explained that u start doing it and learning before u know u are! All the projects can be coloured from a small group of colours which can be mixed to get u a huge range, a selection of which is used in the book. It really motivates u to mix up and experiment with mixing. And, because it takes u step by step thru the process, u learn about how to use , wet on wet say, when painting a flower or petal. Breaks it down at your pace which has really been the missing link for me. Going from that flat look to gaining proper blending looks, without lines. The paper is great, I can paint with no worries and she encourages u to paint and mark throught every page. It's so useful that I've been painting constantly! I love this book and can't recommend it enough, she has a second book (it was her first one I think) which is out there so that's next! Thank u Sarah for all the work that went into making the perfect watercolour learning book!👍

Her palette is absolutely not what I would ever choose, so I am learning so much about new color combos. I copied her drawings to watercolor paper so I can't judge the quality of that.