Learn how to use watercolor to soothe your soul with this beginner's guide to painting for relaxation.
This fresh approach looks first at the process of painting as a means to de-stress and unwind. Many people love the idea of painting but hold themselves back from starting because they are worried about not being good enough or not feeling as though as are creative. In this guide for the absolute beginner, artist and teacher Sharone Stevens shows you that watercolor can be accessible to everyone and that just painting very simple lines, patterns and shapes in calming colors, concentrating on each brush stroke, can have a powerful meditative effect, while at the same time allowing you to create beautiful art you can be proud of. She also encourages you to connect more with the world around you, finding inspiration in your every-day life and discovering the beautiful textures found in nature, from tree trunks to fruit and butterflies!
The aim of the techniques and projects in this book is to create art that relaxes both the artist and the viewer of the finished piece. Projects range from simple gift tags, bookmarks, cards and small wall pieces to larger art pieces that you never thought possible - all done with a focus on relaxation - which is so important in today's fast-paced, increasingly digital world.
Learn how to mix a calming color palette, try simple painting exercises to get into a relaxed flow, and create beautiful artworks that will lift the spirits both during the painting process and beyond, as finished pieces of art.
Author Sharone Stevens is an established art teacher and talented artist who is passionate about using art for relaxation and encouraging others to build a regular creative practice. Her gentle lessons and nurturing reassurance will guide even total beginners through the process of making soothing, soulful modern watercolor art.
Table of Contents:
Introduction 4
Connecting with your practice 6
Materials 10
PAPER 10
BRUSHES 11
PAINT 12
OTHER SUPPLIES 13
CHOOSING YOUR PALETTE 14
Watercolor Basics 16
COMMON TERMINOLOGY: A QUICK GUIDE 16
GETTING STARTED 17
WATER CONTROL 18
Mixing Colors 20
VALUES 20
THE COLOR WHEEL 21
MUTED COLORS 23
COLOR PALETTES 25
Techniques 26
BRUSH STROKES 26
PAINTING SHAPES 28
METHODS OF APPLYING PAINT 30
WASHES 32
CREATING HIGHLIGHTS 35
PAINT SPLATTERS 37
The projects 38
LAYERED SHAPES 40
LEAVES 44
JELLYFISH 50
WHALE 54
AVOCADO 58
CARROTS 62
POTTED PLANTS 66
LEAFY WREATH 70
PEBBLES 74
LOG SLICE 78
CITRUS FRUITS 82
GEMSTONES 86
SNOWY MOUNTAINS 90
FEATHERS 94
ECHINACEA 98
BIRCH TREES 102
REEDS AT SUNSET 106
BUTTERFLIES 110
MAIDENHAIR FERN 114
TURTLE 118
MORE INSPIRATION: PATTERNS 122
MORE INSPIRATION: MOSAICS 124
About the author 126
Acknowledgments 126
Index 127
Sharone Stevens is a watercolor artist, illustrator and modern calligrapher for whom art is not just a career but a therapeutic process. She is passionate about encouraging and inspiring others to have a regular creative practice that provides them with a way to relax and feel joy, showing how watercolor can be a wonderfully beneficial mindful activity that can be accessible while also being satisfying and rewarding. She started her art business in 2018 following maternity leave, teaching watercolour online on Skillshare. She now has 17 watercolor classes on the platform and became a Skillshare Top Teacher in 2019. She is an Ambassador to Princeton Artist Brush Company, one of the largest brush suppliers in North America. She enjoys engaging with the art community on Instagram, encouraging others to share their work, and has over 100k followers. This is her first book.
Pub Date: March 08, 2022
0.5" H x 10.9" L x 8.4" W
128 pages
paperback