Artist Appreciation Month

"With 10 step-by-step tutorials in Drawing, Christine helps beginners navigate a range of subject matters and drawing media, providing them with a thorough grounding in the basics of this satisfying art. In addition to the tutorials, Christine provides advice on tools, materials and techniques, gives plenty of tips throughout and presents ideas on how to take each tutorial a step further. There's also a special focus on noticing the things around you that can make interesting subject matters, practicing a drawing a day, and gathering a collection of reference material to inspire you--each explored in a feature spread, setting them apart from the tutorials."

"With Drawing Is for Everyone, you can learn how to build a daily drawing practice and how to set intentions and create, even if you have just 10 minutes a day. The projects draw inspiration from poetry, music, literature, and the natural world, and invite experimentation with a variety of sources. You'll pursue your personal passions through accessible projects as you build your drawing skills, confidence, and creativity."

"One of the most important gifts we can give children is to nurture their creativity and allow them to express themselves freely. There's no better way to express yourself than through creative art projects. This is especially true for children because it gives them an outlet to explore their developing interests and strengths. Art Lab for Kids: Express Yourself contains 52 brand-new original art projects that will draw out each young artist as they discover their style, document their thoughts, and build confidence in their unique perspective. Each lesson asks questions and offers personal choices while encouraging diverse approaches and creative thinking. The Colorful Beasts project, which incorporates discussion of endangered animals with the Blue Rider art movement, asks children to use torn colored tissue paper and glue to create an expressive representation of a favorite vulnerable animal. In I Built This City, children imagine and build their own cityscape using columns of newspaper text to make buildings on top of a watercolor painted background, and detailed with marker. Many projects include varying examples and executions of the activity to illustrate and reinforce the open-ended nature of the labs, inspiring children to embrace and share their own voice."

"A unique system for jump-starting artistic creativity, encouraging experimentation and growth, and increasing sales for artists of all levels, from novices to professionals. Too many artists find themselves in a frustrating rut: unable to sell paintings hanging in galleries, bogged down by projects they can't finish or abandon, and using any excuse to avoid working in the studio. Author Carol Marine was herself suffering from painter's block--until she discovered "daily painting." The idea is simple: do art (usually small) often (how often is up to the individual) and, if you desire, post it and sell it online. Today Marine is among the best and most celebrated daily painters and the curator of the popular online gallery dailypaintworks.com. In her debut, Daily Painting, Marine reveals the tips and tricks that helped her and other daily painters pick up the paintbrush and start creating beautiful, bountiful, marketable work."

"Planters, Vases, Dishes and More, Without a Pottery Studio! You'll be amazed by what you can create with polymer and air-dry clay. These affordable, easy-to-find clays present endless possibilities for artisan-quality home decor and gifts. The creator of the decor blog Fall For DIY presents simple step-by-step techniques for shaping and decorating clay with just a few household tools. All final pieces can be air-dried or baked in a standard home oven. Featuring a gorgeous, modern palette of natural colors, these projects are deceptively easy and effortlessly chic. Personalize your home with practical and beautiful items like the Terra-Cotta Jewelry Dish, Hanging Herb Garden Planter, and Salt-and-Pepper Pinch Pot. Get creative with color and geometric shapes in home accents such as the Color-Block Photo Holder and Abstract Floral Block Platter. This book is the perfect primer to start making beautiful clay pieces at home and get that handmade ceramic look without the expenses and challenges of traditional pottery."