BOOK REVIEW: “Watercolor in 10 Minutes A Day” by Garima Srivastava

If you are new to watercolor, or are looking for a way to paint on a regular basis when time is precious, then Watercolor in 10 Minutes a Day by Garima Srivastava is the book for you. As the title suggests, it contains 45 painting projects that are quick and easy to do. Great for practice, or simply for the joy of creating for a few moments each day.

What is the Art Like?

Garima’s art is created with simple shapes and bright colors. It ranges from elegant landscapes to cartoon animals and fantasy subjects like mermaids. There are no backgrounds.

What Will You Need to Do the Exercises

Garima tells you what you’ll need, but doesn’t specify brands or demand you use the exact colors she does. She emphasizes that you can use whatever you have that is close. The photo above shows what I used for my painting examples.

She recommends 300 gsm/140 lb cold-press paper. Garima’s paintings are mostly done on 7 x 7 inch paper, but you can use any size.

Garima prefers tubes, and likes Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton, but again — use what you have. The colors she uses for the projects are:

• Cadmium-free Yellow
• Quinacridone Gold
• Opera Rose
• Quinacridone Magenta
• Permanent Rose
• Winsor Red
• Permanent Alizarin Crimson
• Transparent Orange
• Cobalt Blue
• French Ultramarine
• Phthalo Turquoise
• Indigo
• Burnt Umber
• Sepia
• Payne’s Gray
• Lamp Black
• Sap Green

Garima’s favorite brushes are Da Vinci, Princeton, and Escoda. Whatever brand you use, she recommends having a basic set. These are the brush sizes she uses throughout the book:

• Pointed Round No. 4
• Pointed Round No. 2
• Pointed Round No. 000/Detailing No. 000
• Flat No. 8
• Pointed Round No. 6

Other items you should have are:

• Pencil (optional) You can sketch your subject first or paint direct.
• Eraser (if you’re using the pencil)
• A palette for mixing paints
• Cardboard or something to tape down your paper
• Tape – something not tacky, like scotch tape, wash tape or artist’s tape
• White – gouache or acrylic or gel pen or opaque marker
• Cloth or paper-towel for blotting and cleaning
• Two Jars of Clear Water
• Geometric Tools for drawing circles and making lines and shapes
• Alcohol for texture-making

Basic Concepts and Techniques

The author starts out with the practical issues, telling you what supplies you need, the terms she uses throughout the book, and the techniques she uses. This includes basic supplies, mixing different paint consistencies, and mixing different colors. Then she gives you some basic theory

Don’t worry, though. She’s clear about it, but keeps it brief, so you can get right to the painting exercises. The steps are also well-illustrated so you see what she’s doing.

Then you have a few pages of brush and technique exercises.

Even if you are familiar with the basics of watercolor, I recommend at least skimming through this section of the book, so you’ll know what the author means in her project instructions.

The Structure of the Projects

The book does start with some of the easiest exercises, and none of them are hard to do, but they don’t build on one another and are not organized from easiest to most difficult. Instead, they are organized by type – abstract, landscape, floral, gardening, forest, food, home, and celebrations.

You can easily flip through the book and pick the exercises that appeal to you, or go page by page.

These are step-by-step projects, running from 3-6 steps each.

Each subject area begins with an introduction page about the subject and suggestions for other things you might paint on your own when you have finished the projects in the book.

Each project has:

• An introduction paragraph
• A line drawing, and brief instructions for drawing it
• A list of brushes needed
• The colors needed
• The colors that will be mixed
• 3-6 Steps that explain the order in which things should be painted, the consistency of the paint that you’ll use, which brush to use when, and the techniques you’ll use.

Beginners

I say, none of the exercises are hard to do, but I know anything can be hard for a beginner. Garima discusses the fact that you shouldn’t allow yourself to be frustrated. Don’t expect your work to compare to what is on the book page, if you don’t have experience. Getting experience is what the book is for!

If you are a total newbie, you probably will not complete these projects in 10 minutes when you begin. This is because you’ll trying to remember how to do the techniques and will most likely try to control the watercolor by going slower. That doesn’t work, but it seems instinctive for beginners.

You’ll speed up as you get used to the techniques and soon be whipping out these projects at speed.

For More Advanced Artists

The range of subject matter in this book can help you discover which subjects you most like to paint. If you already know your favorite subjects, the range can help get you out of your comfort zone.

The exercises will help hone your technique skill, and most of all, doing them will help you establish a regular creative routine.

My Examples

Garima states that you can use colors other than the ones she uses, and that you shouldn’t be afraid to add your own touch to her projects.

You may prefer to have the exact tools that she uses, but if you already have supplies you might want to save money by using them. You can also learn more about colors that are similar, and see how your work differs from Garima’s if you change things around.

So, for one of my examples, I followed her directions, and for the rest, I used a pan paint set that I happened to have in front of me of the time. I also added in some touches that made me happier simply because they are more my style.

I timed myself and actually came in a little early on a couple of these.

Cute Owl

You gotta love cute owls — it’s a thing!

I used the colors Garima suggested and followed her steps without adding any of my own flourishes. I did use more than one green — because I picked up some of the wrong color at one point. Oops.

Watering Can

This was actually the project I did first because it only uses two colors, and two brushes.

She suggested Indigo and Burnt Umber. I mixed Indigo and a color called Burned Sienna (yep — Burned, not Burnt).

Artists often get little obsessions where certain things must be done for a painting to seem finished. For me, that’s having a background (that’s one of the things I want. I am nothing, if not obsessive!).

So I added the suggestion of ground with a darker version of the mix created for the can. Some Phthalo Turquoise was added to imply spilled water.

I wanted to stay in the 10 minute range, and time was running out, so I splattered some French Ultramarine. There – some background without spending a lot of time on it!

It isn’t that I feel my way is better. It’s just an itch that wants to be scratched. Always feel free to scratch such an itch. That’s how you develop style.

Lavender Fields

I actually stayed true to Garima’s steps with this one, and didn’t add extra steps, but I used different colors.

She called for Cadmium-Free Yellow, Quinacridone Magenta, French Ultramarine, Phthalo Turquoise, Sap Green, and Burnt Umber.

I used Permanent Lemon Yellow, Madder Red, French Ultramarine, Phthalo Turquoise, Tree Green, and Burned Sienna.

Again, I didn’t do this from any sense that I was making better choices. Garima says you are free to make other choices and I wanted to show that you can.

Your result may look a bit different than hers — mine do — but you’ll still learn something, still be doing something creative, and still paint something wonderful. And you won’t have to hit your pocketbook just to get the exact colors that she uses.

Mermaid

Garima also encourages you to add your own touch. For this last example I decided I would follow Garima’s techniques and general drawing, but add details more consistent with my usual choices.

The same colors were the same as used for the Lavender Fields, with the addition of Indian Yellow to replace Transparent Orange. Two colors that aren’t all that close, but close enough. Because that’s what I had.

I added a little more detail to the face and belly, gave the mermaid longer hair, added some white gel pen here and there, and created some streaks to suggest swirls of water for a sense of background.

Over all, it took me maybe 5-7 minutes longer adding my touch.

So, you can follow Garima’s instructions exactly, and use exactly the same tools, or you can add your own flourishes and use what you have. It’s all good, and totally your choice

Overall

Watercolor in 10 Minutes A Day by Garima Srivastava contains clear, brief, well-illustrated instructions for 45 watercolor projects. You are told which supplies the author uses, but it is made clear that you can use other supplies as well.

This book is good for beginners, especially those who like a brief overview, and then want to jump right into painting. It will allow them to practice the basics, and give them what they need to know for simple paintings.

The book is good for more advanced painters who want to establish a regular habit of painting but have little time for it. It will help hone their skills and techniques.

The projects cover a wide range of subjects, and are grouped according to the subjects.

You can do the projects in order, or easily skip around and do them in the order you want. Following the instructions exactly will give you lovely paintings that are fun to do, but you are also encouraged to add your own touches if you want to do so.

What to Buy a Copy?

Buy on Amazon

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Art Supplies
• Color and Water Ratio
• Mixing Two Colors
• Color Theory
• Getting to Know Your Brushes
• Watercolor Techniques
• Inspiration & Imagination
• Making the Best of Your Creative Time
• ABSTRACTS
  • Abstract Landscape
  • Stripes
  • Colorful Loops
  • Concentric Rings
• RELAXING LANDSCAPES
  • Simple Grass Field
  • Tuscan Fields
  • Snowy Cabin
  • Lavender Fields
• ENCHANTING FLORALS
  • Cherry Blossom
  • Liliac
  • Poppies In a Vase
  • Floral Letter
  • Floral Bouquet
• GARDENING
  • Watering Can
  • Stack of Pots
  • Strawberry Twigs
  • Two Hens
  • Lavender in a Boot
  • Birdhouse
• IN THE WOODS
  • Lush Trees
  • Bird’s Nest
  • Acorns
  • A Little Fox
  • Cute Owl
  • Mushrooms
• DELICIOUS FOOD
  • Watermelon Slice
  • A Lemon on a Twig
  • A Bag of Baguettes
  • Glazed Donut
  • Macarons
  • Ice Cream Cone
• COZY HOME
  • Retro Lamp
  • Throw Pillow
  • House Plants
  • Cat on a Pillow
  • Puppy Portrait
• BY THE SEA
  • Beachwear
  • Tropical Drink
  • Seashells
  • Whale and Friends
  • Mermaid
• EVERYDAY CELEBRATIONS
  • Jar of Hearts
  • Champagne Bottle
  • Party Dress
  • Wedding Cake
• What’s Next
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author
• Index

Disclaimer:
I received one copy of Watercolor in 10 Minutes A Day by Garima Srivastava from Page Street Publishing for the purposes of this review. I received no other considerations, though this post may contain affiliate links which help support Doodlewash. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.