Watercolor for Absolute Beginners

Recommended Books

in Watercolor and Drawing
 

No book is required. Art supplies are not cheap, and I don’t want anyone suffering from sticker shock.

However...looking at watercolor books is not only inspirational, but a great help. Do please visit a Barnes & Noble, the Strand, or any large bookstore, and go to the Art Technique section. Or browse my books in the studio. You'll get a good idea of watercolor's many possibilities.

Then, only if you care to, purchase the book that appeals to you the most. Nearly every book has the same basic information, and I’d rather you own examples of watercolors in a style you really like.

 Of course most books are available at deep discounts on amazon.com, half.com, and powells.com, and you can often "look inside the book" online.

My very favorite beginner book is 
Watercolor: No Experience Necessary by Carol Cooper (out of print, but available used on amazon)

  also good:  You Can Paint Watercolors by Alwyn Crawshaw (paperback) and  Watercolor: A New Beginning by Anne Lindsay

An excellent DRAWING book:  
The Complete Sketching Book,  by John Hamilton

Other highly recommended books:

The Watercolor Book by David Dewey    The one book that contains everything you'll ever need to know, with gorgeous paintings.

Watercolor for the Fun of It: Getting Started by John Lovett. He also has an excellent watercolor website worth exploring, www.johnlovett.com

The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron   A wonderful book on how to be more creative, no matter what your art.