Watercolor: Vanilla Sun (& 5 art book gift ideas for watercolor & sketch artists)

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Vanilla Sun 10.5 x 8 watercolor (sold)

Hi everyone! How was your Thanksgiving? Did you indulge at the dinner table, catch up with friends & family, and take a little time to make some art? I hope it was a great week, and your plans for the rest of the holiday season include a little creative time to re-charge your batteries in between the To-Do lists and preparations for your particular flavor of celebrations this season.

I read a great article in the New York Times about the science of gratitude, and I’m sharing it here in case you missed it. I’m grateful for YOU – for taking the time to read this, for leaving feedback on my posts & videos, and for being a fellow appreciator of art and all things creative. ♥Thank you!♥

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What sort of art supplies or books are good gifts for artists?

It’s gift-giving season, and if you’re like me, you might have not-so-artsy family members struggling with choosing art-related goodies for you or the other artists in your family. My non-art friends and family want to be supportive of my studio endeavors, but they don’t know what flavor of gift an artist might enjoy. My brother is a musician, and I’m not, so it would be like me picking out a new microphone or guitar strings for him; I’d be lost! With that in mind, I’m posting a series, starting this week, on gifts for artists; some very specific, and others pretty broad, so you’ll have inspiration for your own wish list, or you can use this as a hopping off point in your artist-friend gift-search. This post features five under $20 art book gift ideas for the watercolor & sketch artists in your life (or maybe even you!).

Five Art Books under $20 for Sketchers & Watercolor Artists

This book covers mixing color in all media, so whether your artist is using watercolor, oils, acrylics, colored pencil, gouache, or pastels, Ian Sidaway has you covered. A good color mixing book is an excellent addition to any artist’s studio.
If you know an artist who’s frustrated with watercolor, and their former attempts at the medium resulted in brushes & paints now gathering dust, this might be just the book for them. Gina Rossi Armfield covers watercolor sketching & journaling materials, process and attitude with humor and a Can-Do message through out each exercise. The art work is unfussy, and whimsical, so there’s no pressure to make anything “photo-perfect”. The focus is on playing with and getting acquainted with materials, and having fun.
If you have little, budding artists in your family, or you’re searching for a gift to give an art teacher, or someone homeschooling their kids, or a grandparent looking for art-projects to share with their grandkids, Susan Schwake’s Art Lab for Kids is a great assembly of 52 simple art ideas that are easy to follow, and broad enough to pick and choose across a variety of media and subjects.
Danny Gregory has written numerous books that have launched the practice of sketching, drawing and painting to people who have never touched an art supply, all across the globe. I’m a big fan, and this little book is perfect for the newbie or the seasoned artist who loves watercolor, sketching and pen & ink, but feels there’s just not enough time for either.
Cathy Johnson has written a no-nonsense, encouraging and easy-to-digest introduction to watercolor painting, and if you or someone you know would like to try painting with watercolor, but you don’t know where to start, this is a great foundation book with easy to follow demonstrations.

Art Quote

Art is a great expression of emotion which covers your attitude towards people & things. It can have no formulas, as it is a registration of reactions. Modern Art theory says art musn’t look like anything at all & nothing is creative unless it comes from the inner conscious & technique is nothing. That’s misleading to people. They ought to know how to draw, at least. I don’t like to see a face with a nose three times too long & a neck out of joint just because the artists’ mind happened to conjure it that way.
~Colin Campbell Cooper 1925

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11 thoughts on “Watercolor: Vanilla Sun (& 5 art book gift ideas for watercolor & sketch artists)”

  1. After reading your post I bought Color Mixing Bible as a Christmas present to myself! I’m wondering, to get a bit of a better handle on mixing Akua intaglio inks, what section would be most helpful? The “ink” section seems to be more for acrylic inks. At the moment, I’m rather good at making mud colours!

    1. Hi Louise, I love to pick my own art books as Christmas presents too! Good for you! For akua inks, the best bet it to sit with some brushes, stir sticks, scrap paper and a palette knife or spatula, and just play. The color mixes they encourage lean more towards 4-color print process (CMYK), I think, but you can get beautiful shades with a little dabbling & practice. Have a look at this page on their web site: http://www.akuainks.com/using-akua-intaglio2#mix
      And keep a journal with pull-down samples on the pages and notes about the colors used to get those shades.I hope that helps!

      1. Rats! 🙂 Was hoping you’d say, “Try section such and such!” One day soon I’ll have to make a pot of tea and “play” like you suggest. Still, that’s not a bad way to spend a snowy January afternoon. Thanks! Appreciate the Akua link too.

  2. I second Annie. We’re all grateful for you, Belinda! Your posts are so generous and encouraging and your art is beautiful and inspiring.

  3. Thank you Belinda for the gratitude article! I am grateful for your kind, encouraging energy and the way you use watercolor to give us rich deep sultry images…..

    1. Thank YOU, Annie! I’m glad you enjoyed the article too. I loved the notion of being grateful for the splatter of spots on a trout! 🙂 I truly appreciate your comments & encouragement.

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