Make nature inspired masterpieces with this friendly all-in-one guide to gouache. From ferns and flowers to seascapes and songbirds, create charming paintings alongside popular designer and illustrator Clare Therese Gray. This book is packed with stunning illustrations accompanied by detailed instructions so that readers can enjoy each step of the way in creating their own painted masterpieces. You will learn to capture the world around you with Clare's signature, whimsical style, ideal for gifts, invitations, greeting cards and more. Paint woodland mushrooms, beautiful botanicals or calming pastel landscapes; each project is broken into simple steps so you can enjoy the process and let go of perfection. Similar to watercolor yet easier to control, gouache is a fun and approachable medium for artists of any skill level. You'll find 25 unique tutorials for creating enchanting relaxing artwork. Pieces are organized from beginner-like a jam jar of wildflowers-to advanced-like a twilight owl scene-so you can grow in confidence and expertise as you paint through each chapter. The book includes a thorough introductory section covering everything you need to get started: choosing and mixing colors, handling paint, selecting brushes and mastering basic techniques. Let your creativity soar from riverbed to treetop and beyond with this gorgeous guide to gouache.

Join the Queen of Latina Style to make joyous, vibrant, sparkly Latin-inspired crafts that are stunning to look at yet surprisingly easy to make.The Crafty Chica is back! In The Crafty Chica Creates!, a revised and expanded edition of The Crafty Chica Collection, Kathy Cano Murillo enthusiastically welcomes you into her world of making and affirmational thinking with colorful, Latin-style craft projects inspired by her Mexican heritage. With 45 projects-26 completely new joining 19 previous favorites-get fun techniques for painting, sewing, mixed media, clay, and paper crafts using affordable and recycled materials. While some are more in-depth than others, the projects are ideal for all skill levels. The Crafty Chica welcomes you to infuse the projects with elements of your own cultural heritage to make them personal and unique. Each project is presented with a materials list, clear step-by-step instructions, a large photo of the finished project, and the personal and cultural history behind it. Organized by category-Clothing, Artful Affirmations, Home Accessories, Jewelry and Accessories, Garden Decorations, and Fiesta-the projects include: Milagros (miracle charms) layered resin phone grip Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) papier-mache dog sculpture Stamped clay folk-art boxes and ring dish A stunning poncho made from Mexican scarves A picture frame upcycled with an embroidered blouse As you embrace the Latino culture or let your cultural heritage shine with creative crafts, you'll discover: Innovative ways to work with a wide range of materials, including air-dry clay, resin, and fabric How to fully embrace vivid color palettes Ways of repurposing everyday supplies into gorgeous art pieces that make great gifts Great techniques for sculpting, sewing, painting, and embellishing that will boost skills and confidence Whether you are looking for dazzling things to make for group crafting, to decorate your casa or workplace, to release stress and lift your mood, or for gift giving, The Crafty Chica Creates! is your friendly, inspiring guide.

Recharge your creative spirit and rediscover the magic that is watercolor!

Every watercolorist needs a creative kick in the pants now and then--to keep seeking inspiration when feeling uninspired, to keep going when a painting has stalled, to keep trying when a technique isn't easy to master...sometimes just to keep painting, period.

When your artistic well has run dry, you must replenish it. Whether you have spent decades painting in watercolor or are just beginning, the tips and secrets shared by best-selling author and artist Gordon MacKenzie provide the perfect guide when the going gets tough. Get excited about watercolor again as he shows you how to:

- Find better approaches to a tired composition

- Engage viewers more fully with color, value and well-placed "wee people"

- Reinvent a scene that outshines your reference photographs

- Dramatize a landscape by focusing on the weather

- Nurture your own growth by sharing what you know with others

"You don't have to paint the way you paint now. You don't have to paint what you paint now." --Gordon MacKenzie

*An exciting approach to botanical illustration featuring exotic and extraordinary plant specimens. *Striking plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables provide new challenges in colour, texture and form. *Stunning finished paintings accompany simple instructions and step-by-step projects for a beautiful book that both guides and inspires.Strange and unusual specimens have never been more accessible - as more and more exotic fruit and vegetables appear regularly in our shopping baskets and our florists fill with flowers from every corner of the globe, this practical and beautiful guide to capturing strange and striking plants on paper has never been more timely. There is something for beginners and more experienced botanical illustrators alike, whether you wish to paint more familiar bananas, pineapples and other exotic fruits that are now widely available, or more complex orchids and even carnivorous plants.Acclaimed artists Rosie Martin and Meriel Thurstan (authors of the bestselling Contemporary Botanical Illustration and Botanical Illustration Course) run the popular botanical painting course at the Eden Project and are thus uniquely placed for this exciting take on the genre.The unusual colours and complex textures of exotic plants present a new challenge to the botanical artist, but this book guides you through each stage of the painting process with plenty of exercises and step-by-step projects. Fantastically illustrated with worksheets, colour swatches, sketches and stunning finished paintings this practical and inspirational guide is a must-have for botanical artists of all levels.

In The Urban Sketching Handbook: Panoramas and Vertical Vistas, urban sketcher and art educator Mario Linhares gives a guided tour on how to explore and capture cityscapes, landscapes, and more in drawings from unique points of view. In this thorough yet accessible book, you'll learn how to: Improve your drawing skills and selectively translate what you see for maximum impact Fearlessly use your sketchbook as a laboratory for experimenting with various points of view and perspectives Consider the many options for visual approaches with work contributed by a wide variety of experienced sketchers Featuring eight special gatefold pages that showcase outsized images, The Urban Sketching Handbook: Panoramas and Vertical Vistas will show you how to heighten the visual drama of every subject. The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers location artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format-perfect to toss in your backpack or artist's tote.