I always eager to learn new skill and watercolor take special place in my heart. I love to see how controlling few drops of water and colors can create such harmony. As beginner I always found that nothing better to learn easier than combine theory and practices. Those two components become the strengths of this how to book.

The  author share each essential basic technics, protips, list of suggesting materials and tools. She also provide us with QR codes to link of her video tutorial. Such delightful additional.

Each explanation given as bite size in four different installment. It make this book beginner friendly and easy to implementation. I would love to recommend this book to my fellow friends who interest in watercolor painting too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarry Books Publisher from Quarto Publishing Group for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting Publication : 5 March 2024

This is a great book if you’re new to watercolor or just trying to find your style with this medium. There are no crazy advanced techniques or sections that are “only for the experts”. This book really showed how drivers watercolors could be and all the different styles it can be used in. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone that has even had an interest in dabbling in watercolor.

This is a stunning book with wonderful tutorials and lots of inspiration and information. Do keep in mind that the author uses materials from past tutorials so if you have been following her for a while and have paid for some of her lessons you will probably get repeat content but it’s great stuff. Really lovely.

Watercolor Your Way is a beautifully designed and useful manual for aspiring painters at all experience levels. I loved the well-organized information, directions, and sample projects. Each of the sections— For Those Just Starting Out, Building Confidence and Skill, Finessing and Enhancing, and Finding Your Style— delivers exactly the guidance and ideas promised. While I am very definitely Just Starting Out, I enjoyed studying the instruction and illustrations throughout the book. Also, a Resources page helps users locate supplies and materials.

I just loved this book! It made me want to drop everything and sit down with color and paper! This was simply a delightful read - I learnt a lot, and I was inspired a lot too.... and considering she used only a handful of colors, It really opened my mind about how we dont need a lot of different colors, but just different applications (color to water ratio) to create a multi layered painting.
I love how she even showed us how to paint carrots - in 3 shades using 3 colors....and the flowers are just SO pretty!
I am a beginner in painting and watercolor, but this book makes me think I can do this!
such a positive experience reading this book!

I never thought of myself as an artist, but WATERCOLOR YOUR WAY by Sarah Cray offered the knowledge, encouragement, and support I needed to change that lifelong opinion. With clear, detailed guidance, Cray took a willing, nervous, and eager student through principles and practices that have opened up a whole new world for me. I love watercolor and I love this guide for changing my mind about art, giving me a keener eye for my daily rounds and the confidence to translate that into paintings. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

I have at this point owned a set of watercolour paints – more than one, if I’m honest – for more decades than I care to put into print. I love the colours, and the ethereal nature that can be achieved… if only I was brave enough to learn! But for a simple-looking material, watercolours just seem to be far more complicated to even begin with, let alone master.

Now, this isn’t the first watercolour guide I’ve read, but oh, did it do in the right way! First off, it dispenses with the long preamble on techniques and materials and colour theory, maybe even perspective, and… oops! Yup, usually I’m overwhelmed before I’ve begun! But here we get the minimum necessary to get actually started with paint and brush, and wow is that refreshing. By page 15, you’ve had just enough info on shape, technique, palette (THREE colours! Starting so simply!), and supplies to tackle your first guided project.

The projects are mainly a mix of florals, landscapes – and carrots?! I’d suggest following along, as they do increase in complexity, and along the way there are further techniques to try, and plenty of tips. There are also outlines/templates of all the artwork in line drawing form, so that the first stage doesn’t have to be a blocker if you’re struggling.

There are two things I really loved about this book. One is the way that it eases you in to everything, building slowly and in a very manageable way. Given that one of my main problems starting anything creative is overwhelm, this was just ideal.

The other is the positive messaging used throughout, which I just found so encouraging and lovely and applicable to life, not just art. From the introduction, the author urges you to be kind to yourself, to have fun and relish the joy of creating.

There are also regular QR codes provided that link to video tutorials – alas, I don’t currently have a way to access these, so I do wish there had been links provided, perhaps in a list at the end. That’s about my only complaint, though!

For beginners, this book is just about perfect at gently hand-holding you into giving it a go and bolstering your confidence. If you have some experience but need a fresh approach or a little help in developing, there’s still a lot on offer here. Happy painting, all!

A fresh look at the art and craft of paint and water on the page. You probably won't win awards by using this manual, willed with beautiful illustrations. And you may not become world-famous with the kind of watercolor demonstrated.

But you will enjoy the process of creating beauty from what you see around you, regardless of the level of skill with which you begin. I recommend it for beginners and middle-skill levels.

Open it at your kitchen table or at your desk - and enjoy making something pretty with a light touch, a deft hand, and new tools.

Cray has a lot of followers so check her out on FB, IG, YouTube, etc.

This is an easy to read book for beginner watercolor. I especially liked the outlined pictures to give the beginner something to work from. I wish there was a little more information about technique, but overall it’s a helpful book.

Sarah Cray is one of my favorite watercolor teachers! This book is no exception to all of the great kits and classes she offers at Lets Make Art. Within Watercolor your way, Sarah incorporates Color Theory between each project and each project focuses on multiple techniques. The variation in this workbook means there is a project for everyone, and something to learn for all levels of artists.

Thank you Sarah Cray and NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was quite easy to understand and the way it breaks each project down helps a lot.
The projects get quite complex, so you'll need some practice before really getting to there, but it has the templates at the end of the book, so that helps a lot.
It also explains more about the materials you need, gives lots of useful tips, lists the colors for each project and gives a list of useful websites to use at the end.

All in all, if you are looking to start a new hobby or learn more about watercolor, I think this book is great for beginners.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion

Once again, Quarto has brought us another exceptionally illustrated book on painting. It not only teaches you the basics (wet on wet technique, color pallet, brushes you'll need), but also demonstrates how to draw leaf shapes and other things in nature, one of my favorite things to paint. As a bonus, there are even traceables near the end, and a list of resources. This book should be on every artist's bookshelf!

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry for an advance review copy. I've already pre-ordered the paperback version for my reference library.

They say that we eat with our eyes and boy, this 125 page plus book is a FEAST for the eyes! The cover and the delicious tones within the pages are just gorgeous to behold. And even better, with projects designed to demonstrate newly acquired skills (brush handling, laying down washes, working with negative space etc) you get to play with your paints from the moment you begin with this book. The white tiger project especially was one that I thought - I could NEVER paint that, but I did!

What sets THIS lovely book apart from others (at least, all the others that I own) is the use of QR Codes where you can access videos of Sarah showing you what to do. I love this because like most practical skills, there is only so much that you can learn from a book and watching someone work is such a good way to learn.

At the back of the book are all the templates you need to get going - because Sarah understands that lots of people NEVER start because their drawing skills aren't fabulous. Don't be held back because your drawing is a bit wonky - the hard work is done so that you can get cracking with the colour!

I think that a copy of this book, plus a little pack of brushes and a set of student water-colours would make a really gorgeous present for someone. A really lovely, useful book - I loved it.

This review is based on an ARC copy kindly provided by NetGalley.

There are many, many “Teach Yourself Watercolour” books out in the world, and I have read many. Most newer ones have become pretty indistinguishable: they all start with tools, then show you watercolour techniques, colour theory, and finally projects to try. That means projects are usually the things that set these books apart, and if it isn’t your first wc book, then that’s where you should look first to find out if it’s worth your time.

Happily, this one is a little different. While short, it shows you interesting ways to apply techniques (to create an unusual abstract landscape, to paint a wall of leaves with depth, to create a painted pattern), and you can build on these ideas in various ways. It is definitely more geared towards beginners though, so if you’re looking for complex things to try, this will not be the book for you.

Thanks to Quarry Books and to NetGalley for access.

If you are just starting out with watercolors as a hobby, then I strongly encourage this book. As someone who has not picked up the paint flush in a really long time this was such a breath of fresh air because it really walked me through step-by-step on how to do the water coloring.

I've been a longtime follower of Sarah's tutorials through Let's Mark Art so was very happy to receive an ARC through NetGalley! I appreciated the different sections and how they build on each other. Working through this book will really expand my range. I have already ordered a hard copy for myself.

Sarah Cray's book "Watercolor Your Way" is an excellent guide for those who want to explore the art of watercolour painting. As a novice, I found the advice and direction in this book precious, particularly the emphasis on shape, which I had difficulty with before.
The book's clear subheaders made it easy for me to navigate and find what I needed quickly. I also found many sections to be very helpful and encouraging, as it felt more like having a supportive friend guide me through the learning process than a strict teacher.
The step-by-step projects were presented well, making them easy to follow. I especially appreciated the "What You Will Need" sections, which provided a helpful guide on supplies and colours. One of the sections focusing on light instead of tone was a refreshing perspective that offered me a new way of seeing the watercolour painting.
The section on finessing and enhancing artwork was fascinating to me. It can help me add those final touches to my paintings, even if I'm starting to paint. The tips provided were practical and easy. Additionally, I found the section on finding my style very useful. I think it can encourage everyone to experiment with various techniques to discover unique approaches to watercolour painting.
"Watercolor Your Way" is an enjoyable and informative book with precise guidance and valuable suggestions. Sarah Cray's knowledge and skills are evident throughout the book, making it an invaluable tool for both beginners and experienced artists looking to enhance their watercolour skills. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for inspiration and guidance on their watercolour journey.

A delightful book which will inspire many to try their hand at water colours for the first time and also encourage more experienced artists to try something new.
Watercolor Your Way is full of ideas and instructions to begin watercolor painting and maybe advance to a more complicated piece.
It feels like learning to paint with an encouraging friend.

"Don't fear messing it up - it's just a piece of paper."

TLDR: Sarah Cray has the most supportive, positive voice. If you want to feel cared for while you learn to watercolor, look no further.

If you want to learn watercolor from a book, this is a good option. If you have already learned watercolor from videos, this book still has value, if you want to learn from this media. Personally I think learn watercolor from a book is a bit more challenging than a video. However, this book does provide links to video for certain techniques which is such a nice thing to include. The real advantage here is that you can take it at your own speed and won't ever feel pressured by a video to work faster. I am not new to watercolor but I am a novice who practices inconsistently. So speaking from that perspective, I would recommend this book. That being said as someone who is done watercolor before I feel like Sarah doesn't explain how to mix colors at any point and while that has become one of my favorite things about watercolor (I love mixing colors possibly more than painting), it was intimidating at first. To have her say create a peach without any instruction about how to do it with yellow, blue, and magenta could be a bit daunting for beginner. But that is my only complaint. The structure of the book as beginner, intermediate, advanced, and finding your style is great. You're lead through more and more difficult techniques until you're told to mix it up and try everything. Sarah Cray has such a kind and encouraging way of teaching that you may want to buy this book just to feel good.

This is a lovely short guide on watercolor techniques. Starting with a guide for beginners and moving on to more detailed techniques for experienced users of watercolors, this meets your needs at every skill level.