A lovely reference book!! Wonderful for new and budding artists but also great for experienced artists want to try something new!! Lots of helpful tips and tricks with plenty of photographs showing what’s being explained!

I really enjoyed this book about color harmony. There is a short refresher course about color in the beginning. It isn't overly technical and wordy, however, there is plenty of information available. Through several different types of art and pattern, Ana illustrates putting color together to create certain aesthetics and also gives specific notes about colors, palettes, and experiences while making the examples.

As an artist, I can get in a rut and use the same old color palette for my paintings. This book would be very helpful in ensuring that I use a wide variety of color themes instead. The author presents 10 different color themes and explains the color notes and techniques for them.

One interesting tip she has is the use of white gouache in making colors creamier. Looking forward to using that idea in my next painting!

Overall, a really handy reference book for inspiration.

Nice learning resource if you are a novice artist or just starting out with painting. I already knew this info so did not get as much out of it as I hooed to, but still recommend for those just starting out.

This book focuses mainly on color techniques with watercolor painting. You can certainly apply the color harmony principles to other art or design projects, but watercolor painters will benefit most here. The author shows you how to make vibrant and deep colors with watercolors, and even create watercolor takes on famous works of art (Monet, Mondrian) made in other media.

This book is accessible enough for older children, while still having plenty to keep an adult occupied as well. Order a set of watercolors and add this to your quarantine queue!

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

A beautiful book filled with vivid colours and lovely paintings. The author has taken a photo, showed the palette she created and then a painting inspired by the photo. Unfortunately for me there is not enough information on exact colours, or techniques used, or tools and brushes used.
It covers the basics of colour theory, the process of getting inspired by colours and does give ideas and inspirations with colour palettes to explore.
It’s a good book for beginners that helps with the process of getting inspiration and where to start from. But if you want a more technical book, this isn’t it.

An excellence balance of theory, practical advice and inspiration for watercolour painting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a great, fun reference book. I'm sure I'll refer to this again and again both in my coloring and in my watercolors.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A great resource for artists, especially watercolorists looking for inspiration. Calderon shows examples of photographs, embroidery swatches, etc., and then breaks them each down into their color elements, and includes an example painting she has created with that color palette. You'll start to see colors everywhere. This is not a book for beginners--she doesn't have a how-to-paint introduction--but those with a basic knowledge of painting will find it very useful.

Informative book on colour swatching photographs in watercolour paint. Taken a wide selection of images the colour is dissected into paint swatches. Good book for teaching 1. looking at the colours in a photo and 2. recreating these in paint.

A very handy book for understanding the color wheel. As a watercolor artist, I found it to be highly useful.

As I read this book, I really liked the idea of swatches/mini paintings very much but overall the book felt like it took the idea almost too far with so many pages of color swatches -- and although some of the paintings included were very inspirational, others seemed too simplistic. At the same time it did not feel there was enough detail included to try and recreate a similar set of swatches. Perhaps that was the point, to bring the reader to create on their own, but as implemented it left a feeling of missing something with no specific information on the color mixes shown.

This is a great book to add to any artist’s collection. It provides guidance for beginners and advanced artists. There are easy to follow instructions to get you started.

Touching base on the basics of color pallets and how to use them to compliment one another this book went on to show beautiful color pallets and their inspirations. Showing you how to draw inspiration from the world around you. I thought this was so inventive and beautiful.

★★★☆☆ | Play with colours and let them inspire you

Honestly, this review has been in my drafts for some time now. 

I don't really have that much to say about this book?

It had all the basics of watercolours covered so you can start off with it with no prior knowledge and as a beginner, it's always good to go through it once again.

But!

It's just not very close to my art style.

I had a lot of paintings to chose from when I was writing the review of my last art book and while I like the idea of getting inspired by colours and the quick tour of the colour used in various art styles -- my art process is just not there yet.

I think this book would gain a lot if the author said a word or two on the techniques she was using as well because if this is aimed at beginners (I assume since it started with the basics) -- then it's important to know where to start from.

As an inspiration, it's certainly interesting and would be helpful to many struggling with art block or just trying to get better with colour composition. 

(Provided they 'click' with the art style or are okay with and have the time for exploring)

I'll update if I try out this process.

The author did a great job of showing how palettes can be created from other inspirations such as pictures, nature, art, etc. The book does not so give much on the way of techniques but mostly colors and combinations to create palettes.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very good book for understanding how to look at objects and paint what you feel. It doesn’t have to be an exact copy of what you see, it can be just one small portion of the whole picture. I love how she gave examples at beautiful scenery or animals but painted what spoke to her. I really need to remember this because it's hard to push myself to paint or draw when I get inspired because I feel required to portray everything I see. I don’t need to do that. I can just capture the color, texture, or one item and use it to inspire me.

This book also discusses the breakdown of color schemes and color temperatures. This is important for understanding how to really make paintings pop and look natural. I also love that she discussed the different styles of art throughout the centuries and how it can teach you different things.

Overall, I enjoyed this perspective on painting and will be referring back to this book in the future.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*

This book provided great examples of different moods you can create just by changing the colors of the same painting. The examples she provided were different from what I have seen in other color theory books.

The book provides the same information on color theory that you find in the majority of color books. This is a good painting reference book if you do not already have one.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

Good for those who want to learn more on colour theory and colour combinations. Take part of an painting or photograph and repaints it in the combinations (shows swatch above image). Really nice if you want to know what colours can be used well together.

A feast for the eyes. It is very helpful to have examples of color palettes and there were so many great ones.