The Organic Painter by Carne Griffiths

The Organic Painter by Carne Griffiths ISBN-13: 9781631596087 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Quarry Books Released: Feb. 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Bored with the same old paints? The Organic Painter introduces innovative techniques for using non-traditional "paint" derived from materials like coffee, tea, and alcohol, to encourage freedom and expression!

This inspiring book gives you all the techniques and ideas you'll need to boost your creativity, learn natural paint-making, and be more resourceful with your art materials. Imagine the unique things you'll make when you create natural paints from coffee, tea, and berries.

Each project in this guide book comes with instructions on how to make the paint, and also includes experiments and explorations for you to try. Plus, a simple painting accompanies each featured material and combines it with other materials or techniques, so you'll never lack inspiration.


My Review:
The Organic Painter is an art instruction book about using unusual (and sometimes homemade) "paints" in a somewhat abstract, watercolor style. The author explained how to make things like tea or coffee for use in painting and tips on what he's discovered about using them. He taught the process that he uses, not just how to replicate several of his paintings. Even with the projects in this book, he explained the process so you gain experience with the things he's teaching, but you end up with a unique piece of your own.

He talked about using ink that spreads when touched with water, tea, coffee, alcohol, salt, soot, adding thread (mixed media), unusual ways to apply the paint (spilling, blowing, stamping with your own rubber stamps, turning the paper while adding paint, using thread, etc.), using boiling water to erase, using metallic paints and gold leaf, and more. He did a good job of explaining how to do the different steps and how to make your own inks and paints. He empowers you to use your own creativity and inspiration using these paints. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in using unique, organic paints in your painting.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.