book Archives - Studio Katie

Book Review- Anywhere, Anytime Art: Gouache by Agathe Singer

Have you ever used Gouache? I have in the past, and honestly I didn’t love it. But I recently found this book all about Gouache at my library so I thought I’d give it a go again.

The book:

Anywhere, Anytime Art: Gouache: An artist’s guide to painting with gouache on the go! by Agathe Singer

What is Gouache?

Firstly for anyone who doesn’t know, Gouache is a paint that is a bit of a cross between acrylics and watercolors. Like watercolors, the paint is mixed with water before use. Unlike watercolors though, gouache is opaque instead of transparent.

I think the reason I didn’t like it before is the type of gouache I have. It’s not a very high quality paint brand, so I think if I bought a more artist quality I would like it more.

Anyhow, despite not liking my paint, I did learn a bit from this book!

About the Book:

Here’s the official blurb from the book:

Take a fresh look at an up-and-coming art medium with Anywhere, Anytime Art: Gouache!

Gouache paint has a long history, but it’s often associated with watercolor and multimedia art. Until now, that is! Trendy artists with large social-media followings are reinvigorating gouache, making this the ideal time to add this medium to your toolbox…or start your art journey with it!

Like the other books in the Anywhere, Anytime Art series, Gouache explores this medium in a portable, approachable, and contemporary way. Basic painting topics, such as tools and materials, techniques, and color theory, are presented in an easy-to-read, visual style. The subsequent step-by-step projects focus on various subjects that artists can find anywhere, whether they’re home or out and about. Artists can learn to paint their favorite things, including plants, flowers, cats, patterns, and more.

Anywhere, Anytime Art: Gouache is filled with vibrant, colorful artwork that’s sure to inspire any artist to give gouache a try and get out there and paint!

I liked this book because the author/artist really broke down color theory and tutorials for you! Agathe included some great tips for choosing colors, mixing colors, and even painting on the go.

There’s 12 project tutorials in the book that are really fun. So even if you’re someone who thinks they can’t draw/paint, you can follow her tutorials to get a fun piece of art!

Inspired by Agathe’s paintings, I painted these little Gouache Branches in my Aaron Arts Sketchbook.

Learn more and find this book on Amazon here.

This post isn’t sponsored in any way, I actually checked this book out from my library and decided to share about it here. I hope you liked this little peek into it. Do you like these book reviews? You can see more of my previous reviews here.

Reviews

Book Review: Kawaii Doodle Class

Hey friends! It’s been a little while since I brought you a book review, so I’m excited to be posting one here today! The book I wanted to let y’all know about is Kawaii Doodle Class. This post isn’t sponsored in any way, I actually checked this book out from my library but thought it was pretty neat. So here I am. 🙂

Kawaii Doodle Class is a book is written by Zainab Khan, the creator of Pic Candle. It’s filled with really easy step-by-step tutorials on how to draw Kawaii inspired artwork. If you’re not already familiar with the term Kawaii, it’s a Japanese word that basically means “cute”, and in the drawing world it’s a style of adorable doodles.

The tutorials in this book are extremely easy, so even if you can’t draw, you can doodle these. Trust me! Zainab really breaks kawaii down, so you can learn how easy it is. And if you’re someone who draws a lot already (like me), you can still use this book as inspiration!

Following some of the character tutorials from book, I created this fun page in my journal, using Tombow’s 05 MONO Drawing Pen. I love the thicker tip for doodling with.

I loved the food chapter in the book, so I followed the tutorial for the coffee cup to create the character on this handmade card:

It’d been a little while since I drew any kawaii, so I’m really glad this book reignited my love of cute doodles.

You can learn more about the book on amazon here.

and find Pic Candle online here.

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Book Review: Lettering with Purpose by Brittany Luiz

Lettering With Purpose

Hey y’all! Today I am sharing a review of the book Lettering With Purpose by Brittany Luiz. First, let’s start with a little bit about the book from the publisher:

Lettering with Purpose is a beautiful and thoughtful book for anyone interested in developing their own artistic alphabet. Whether you’re hoping to personalize greeting cards, or just enjoy the art, hand lettering is an uplifting and compelling craft to learn.
Aspiring artists and lettering enthusiasts will explore and deepen their understanding of this art form by delving into a variety of lettering techniques. You will also enjoy 100 reflective lettering prompts to spur the imagination and help readers answer the question: “What should I write?”
Your lettering journey will begin with lettering basics. This intuitive guide includes suggested tools and materials, the anatomy of letters, how to pair different lettering styles, and thorough tutorials on working with a variety of mediums. You’ll be creating striking layouts and compositions in no time.

Brittany is a friend of mine and my number one inspiration for Hand Lettering. I was super excited when I saw that she was writing a book because I admire Brittany’s work so much.

Just look at all of the beautiful lettering she posts on her instagram.

Brittany’s book, Lettering with Purpose, covers basically everything you want to know about hand lettering. It starts you out with lettering basics, suggested tools, and lettering styles.

After you get the basics, there are chapters on ligatures, embellishments and flourishes, which is what I struggle with, and so I was extremely happy to read through Brittany’s tips on this.

The book includes a ton of fun embellishing ideas (think galaxy lettering, tie-dye lettering, floral letters, etc!) and start-to-finish art tutorials, such as the lettering mosaics that Brittany is famous for.

I tried my hand at this type of lettering following the tutorial in the book. I still need a little practice, but here are my results:

Besides all of the fantastic tutorial included in the book, there are also 100 prompts to get you started. If you have a creative block, these are perfect. It’s always hard to know what to write/come up with something creative so these prompts are super handy for jump starting your imagination.

This isn’t a book that just shows you pretty examples- Brittany is a fantastic teacher, and she shows you so many techniques that will make you want to grab your lettering supplies right away!

I have nothing but good things to say about Lettering with Purpose! You can grab a copy of Lettering with Purpose here. Learn more about Brittany Luiz here.

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*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review, however all opinions are my own.

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Book Review- Crocheted Bears and Other Animals by Emma…

Hey y’all, Today I have another book review for you. I received a copy of the book Crocheted Bears and Other Animals by Emma Brown to review from the wonderful people at CICO Books.

Let’s start off with a bit from the publisher:

A world away from mass-produced plush toys, Emma Brown’s hand-crocheted creations live on the make-believe island of Shady Bay. The animals all have their part to play in island life. Ronnie the bear is the Ranger on Shady Bay and he takes his rucksack and cosy scarf whenever he goes on his outdoor adventures. Archie and Boris are two crafty canine brothers and together they build the homes for the other animals on the island. There’s Whimsie the bunny with a wild imagination and Breeze the owl who swoops high amongst the trees gathering the midnight fruit for the other animals. With 25 gorgeous patterns suitable for beginners through to experienced crafters, you’re sure to find a unique toy in Crocheted Bears and Other Animals that will spark a child’s imagination and become a firm friend for life.

As it says in the book description, all of the little crocheted characters live on an island called Shady Bay, and each one has a little story about themselves in the book. I think that’s so cute.

If you’ve never crocheted before, the book starts out with a little “before you begin” section that has recommendations for the bast yarn, hooks, etc. It includes a stitch conversion chart between US and UK terms.

In the back of the book it has all of the stitches and techniques you need to know explained out.

There are 25 different toy patterns in this book, and not just bears, there are also, puppies, hedgehogs, bunnies, bees, and so many more, including the owls pictured above: Breeze and Woolie, who might be my favorites.

I put this review off for a little while hoping I might make one of the critters to show you, but I’ve been a bit busy filming some online classes so I haven’t made anything from this book yet. YET. I do intend to make some of these adorable little animals!

You can find out more about the book here.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

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Book Review- Making Concrete Pots, Bowls, and Platters

Hey y’all, Today I have another book review for you. I received a copy of the book Making Concrete Pots, Bowls, and Platters by Hester van Overbeek to review, and I’ve really enjoyed reading through it. First, let’s start with a little bit about the book from the publisher:

Follow Hester van Overbeek’s simple tutorials to make a huge range of unique concrete projects. You will find everything you need to know—what type of concrete to buy, how to use it, and how to decorate it—explained in a comprehensive techniques section. From there you can make chic and on-trend home accessories such as upside-down plant pots, a concrete vase with a wooden base, serving platters, a letter-shaped bookend, fruit bowls, and much more.

I’ve always been a bit interested in concrete projects, especially things like planters or bowls, but have been a bit intimidated by it and not knowing where to start. I think this book will come in handy!

Included in the book are 35 different projects to create including garden planters, bowls and serving boards and decor pieces like bookends, vases, and art.

Hester includes tips and resources for getting started (just what I need!) how to choose concrete, how to calculate quantities and mix concrete, coloring concrete, what you can use as molds, etc.

The projects included in this book are, for the most part, amazing. Usually when I think of concrete projects I imagine a lot of industrial styled projects, but Hester has a really beautiful style and includes trends like geometric designs, two tone, etc, into her work.

To finish this post- I’m definitely recommending this book for anyone with any interest in concrete projects. All of the projects are very well explained in the tutorials, with supply lists and great, clear, photos!

You can find out more about the book here.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

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Book Review- Crocheted Animal Hats Book by Nicki Trench

Hey y’all, It’s time for another book review! I want to thank CICO Books for keeping me supplied with some amazing craft books. You can never have too many.

Today I am reviewing the book Crocheted Animal Hats by Nicki Trench. First, let’s start with a little bit about the book from the publisher:

Choose from a wide variety of wild and wonderful animal hat designs; there are hats to keep little babies cosy, such as the super-cute rabbit and kitten and hats for toddlers and bigger kids such as the cool penguin, fierce (but sweet) shark and the cuddly polar bear. Most of the hats can be made in a range of sizes so adults who are young at heart won’t feel left out, and can have their very own tiger, fox or wolf hat. Each hat has easy-to-follow instructions and uses the simplest of stitches, with clear photographs to help with the all-important snouts, ears, eyes, noses and whiskers! With essential yarn information as well as a helpful techniques section, you’ll be ready to start crocheting fun animal hats in no time.

My absolute favorite thing to crochet would definitely be hats. Especially animal hats or character hats, so I was pretty excited to hear about this book.

This book includes 35 different hat patterns you can make, all of them fairly simple. It is divided up into size categories, such as hats for babies, kids, adults, etc.

There are some fun critter hats in this book that I haven’t seen on pinterest yet, so that was refreshing.

My one wish was that Nicki made all of the hats with patterns to fit all sizes, so that I could easily make some of the baby hats into adult hats.
I am pretty decent at crocheting, so I will be able to figure out the sizing myself, but it would have been handy. 🙂

Overall, This is a great new crochet book. And I have a lot of new animal hats I want to crochet now to add to my hat collection. 🙂

You can find out more about the book here.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

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Book Review – Tiny Tabletop Gardens

Hey everyone, Happy Tuesday! Today I have another book review for you. received a copy of the book Tiny Tabletop Gardens by Emma Hardy to review, so here it is. First, let’s start with a little bit about the book from the publisher:

Be inspired by Emma Hardy’s beautiful ideas for tiny tabletop displays. Why not try some indoor projects on rainy days; plant some little ferns under glass domes, make Japanese moss balls for the roots of some colorful orchids, or why not create a unique water garden in glass goblets? Make use of any outdoor space you have with hanging lantern planters, little place name pots for a party, a tower of plants, and a beautiful chandelier with small planted glasses. The edible plants chapter has easy-to-grow delicious treats including potted blueberries, an alpine strawberry centerpiece, and much more. Every project has helpful step-by-step instructions and aftercare tips from expert gardener Emma Hardy, so now even those with a minimum of space can enjoy the benefits and joys of gardening.

I do really enjoy working in the garden and potting flowers, so this book is automatically something I would be interested in.

The book includes 35 projects, so it has a pretty good variety. I really love all of the different ideas Emma includes on what type of containers you can use. Such as vintage tins, mason jars, ladles, tea pots, etc. There are so many options.

Emma includes an Edible Plants section, which is perfect if you want to grow your own herbs. Right now I have mint, oregano, and cilantro growing outside, but I would love to put them in a cute container to have in my kitchen.

You can find out more about the book here.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

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Book Review – Folded Book Art by Clare Youngs

Hey y’all! Today I am sharing a review of the book Folded Book Art by Clare Youngs. First, let’s start with a little bit about the book from the publisher:

Follow Clare Youngs’ simple step-by-step projects to make a huge variety of creative book art projects. In the first chapter, Folding Books, get folding and make a beautiful bird, a sailor’s knot, and a shining star, they look impressive but are deceptively simple to make. In Chapter 2, Making Scenes, you will learn how to cut and glue splendid scenes such as tiny paper mushrooms and ferns under a glass bell jar, a fairytale castle, and a tiger in the jungle, all of which would make great gifts, or just keep and display them all yourself! Chapter 3, Refashioned Pages, has ideas for transforming the pages cut from books—make greeting cards, a botanical print lampshade, and hanging birds. All the projects have helpful step-by-step instructions and illustrations so all you need are a few old books and you are ready to start!

When I first saw the title of this book, my first thought was of those folded book angels I used to see older ladies make at Christmas. And while there are some folded designs like that in this book, there are also a ton of other ideas I wouldn’t have guessed.

The Author, Clare Youngs, shows an amazing variety of projects, not just folded paper angels. My personal favorite projects are in chapter 2, which sows you how to make some projects such as paper ferns and these adorable paper mushrooms! I am definitely going to make those!

Clare has some really cool ideas for using individual book pages as well, such as the embroidered art pictured below, which I think is really neat.

This book was a really great surprise, and I look forward to making some of the projects included in it. So I definitely recommend it.

You can find out more about the book here.

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Book Review- Simple Chic Crochet by Susan Ritchie and…

Today I’m reviewing the book Simple Chic Crochet by Susan Ritchie and Karen Miller of Mrs Moon. First, let’s start with a little bit about the book:

Susan Ritchie and Karen Miller’s mission is to show you howsimple it is to create your own modern-casual crochet garments,accessories and homewares. There are easy-to-hook projects thatwill grow so fast you’ll be finished in a day and larger or moreintricate items that will take longer.

Crocheting is really only a Fall and Winter hobby for me, and I don’t share my yarn projects here on the blog much, but that won’t stop me from enjoying a good crochet book!

In the beginning of the book you have the content section, and the 35 projects are separated into different categories.

Truthfully, I wouldn’t make many of the projects in this book. Don’t get me wrong- they’re lovely!! but my crochet style isn’t very chic. I’m a nerd and I usually crochet more fun things, like animal hats or tea cup coasters.
So it’s just a personal preference of project style, if you make more stylish crochet projects, You will love the patterns in this book.

That being said, I did still love a few of the projects included, like this adorable owl.

It is nice that there are a variety of projects. Some that are perfect for beginners, and others that have more complicated stitches for more advanced crocheters!

You can learn more about this book on CICO Books, here.

*I was compensated in the form of a free book for this post, but all opinions are my own.

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Book Review- Modern Weaving by Laura Strutt

Hey everyone! Today I am sharing a review of the book Modern Weaving by Laura Strutt.

Although it’s an ancient art, Weaving has especially been a huge trend for a couple of years now but I haven’t really done any myself, it has just looked a bit intimidating to me!

When I saw this book I thought “oh hey, they actually make it look easy!”.

Let’s start with a blurb from the publisher:

Laura Strutt has designed 25 contemporary weavings in a range of stylish colorways, from bright neons to pastels, Navajo-inspired earth tones, monochrome, and neutrals, as well as suggesting alternate colors so you can match your makes to your home and your accessories to your mood. With a comprehensive techniques section that covers everything from how to make your own loom, warping (preparing) a loom, basics such as tabby weave, bubbling, Egyptian knots, Soumak weave, basket weave, and many more, you will develop the skills you need to make a wide range of exciting projects, such as a stunning gold and cream wall hanging with extra-long Rya knots, a pastel-colored hanging with ribbons and strips of lace to create a tactile texture, or a pretty phone cover with Aztec-inspired triangles—the only difficult part is choosing what to make first!

As it says on the cover, this book includes 25 different tutorials for woven projects, as well as 15 pages of tool guides and weaving technique instructions.

This book appears to be great for both beginners (me!!) and more advanced weavers looking for new techniques and project ideas.

Laura even shows you how to make your own DIY loom if you don’t already have one to work on.

The projects in this book are all lovely, but what I like best is the super detailed technique tutorials at the beginning of the book, as well as the handy color charts for each project.

Have you taken up the weaving trend yet? If you’re interested in it, I do recommend this book.
You can find the book Modern Weaving here.