A review by niffler_for_words
Wild Watercolour: Connect to the natural world through the art of painting by Inga Buividavice

informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

5.0

“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