Kelly Klapstein

As the title implies, this is all about brush lettering, not lettering in general. It has very detailed instructions, the design is very pretty (just like the cover) and it has good amount of pictures. It explains all the basic strokes, drills, lower and upper case alphabets, practice worksheets plus a bit of faux calligraphy, freestyle lettering and special effects (dimension, blending and flourishes are covered in easy and clear step-by-step instructions). The special “flavor” of this book is that it shows brush lettering from a holistic perspective, as a way to be present and relax your mind and body.

“Use your critical eye” areas provide even more help for when basic instructions are not enough. I found this section of great value, as it can fix many issues that arise at the beginning, the type you only realize once you start doing. These tips are the ones that would make me buy this book right away because, when I learn at home, I feel easily insecure and wonder if I’m actually doing things the right way or if there is any progress made at all. This section helps with that, it is meant to give you tips and tricks so that you can self-assess and correct (if necessary) your own work.

The most appealing thing about this book is that it contains a lot of in depth information that usually gets omitted in printed instructional books. In this case, I’m not just referring to the “use your critical eye” section, but also the information about correct posture and body exercises (hands, neck and shoulders). With those, you wont only learn brush lettering, you can also learn how to keep your practice stress free and avoid muscle strain and tension.

I got my eArc from Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry via NetGalley… (mehr)

The Art of Watercolor Lettering by Kelly Klapstein
A Beginner’s Guide to Painting Modern Calligraphy and Lettered Art

There are some interesting ideas in this book that tell novices and more advanced artists how to create beautiful letters with watercolor and a round tip brush. The book is set up with an introduction followed by materials that will be needed then moves on to how to use color/paint in a variety of different ways. Types of letters are discussed before creating letters using color is presented. After the basics of letters are shown the fun begins with designs to showcase words, quotes and as art projects. Wreaths, use of masking tape and masking fluid to preserve space that can be filled in in various ways was something new I had not thought of before.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Did I get new ideas to use in the future? Yes
Who do I believe would enjoy this book? Anyone interested in creating beautiful letters and words in watercolor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 – 5 Stars… (mehr)

Kelly Klapstein's "The Art of Watercolor Lettering" is a delight. She starts off with the basics - what kinds of brushes, paints and papers are best - and then dives into the good stuff. I've always loved the look of watercolors and sporadically experiment with them, and the beautiful color photos in this book had me hooked. Starting with suggested exercises, she progresses to block letters, scripts and then how to embellish from there. Spoiler alert - my creations never came out anything close to her examples, but the experimenting alone is fun!

The traceable practice pages at the back make this one of those options that's better as a "real" book than an e-book!… (mehr)