Today, I'm sharing a post from my own blog about an art book that my daughter and I have been enjoying. Check it out!

My daughter and I are always looking for fun and easy ways to get creative together. She is a five year old with a vision, so teaching her new ways to experiment and blossom is extra rewarding. We YouTube a lot, but there is no better inspiration than words and pictures right in front of us to sound-out and emulate.

Today, we cracked open the beautifully designed, inspiration of a book, Water Paper Paint by Heather Smith Jones. Her eyes lit up with possibility page after page until she finally landed on our exciting quick project, creating an abstract painting using straws to blow watercolor around the paper. This was also an opportunity to teach some basic color theory, as the watercolor inevitably streamed into previous colors. This is the equivalent of magic to a kid, "Blue and red made purple, Mama!"

If you are looking to begin painting with watercolor, this book is a great place to start. I have been painting quite awhile, and even found it to be enjoyable. It reminds me how fun it can be to just sit down and play with a medium. The author's written voice was knowledgeable and approachable. The images are a trove of colors and variety, teaching confidence building techniques with simple instruction. This book would be especially interesting for those who are into art journaling. It is not a serious book with overwhelming words and in depth information. It is a book of watercolor exercises, encouraging success through practice and repetition.