A 30-day masterclass in the art of using watercolor to tell your own stories

Unlike most watercolor instruction books on the market, which are based on rote copying of classic watercolor subjects (flowers, landscapes), in Thinking in Watercolor author and in-demand illustrator Jessie Kanelos Weiner encourages readers to use the art as a means of self-expression. With 30 days of prompts, she guides readers through foundational watercolor techniques and how to adapt them to share their personal experiences: On Day 10 they’ll illustrate a family recipe; on Day 14 they’ll go on a scavenger hunt through a local museum. The result is an inspiring, encouraging, and creatively challenging practice.

As both a commercial illustrator and professional art instructor, Jessie is uniquely poised to offer readers insider tips and tricks and clever visualizations of the creative process. And she brings each lesson to life with her vivid illustrations and stories from her life as an ex-pat in Paris. It all adds up to a volume that’s at once inspiring, charming, and informative—the perfect gift for anyone looking to begin or reignite a personal art practice.