Paint, Make, Create: Learn How to Mix Painting with Other Crafts to Create 20 Fun Seasonal Projects

by Becki Clark

Paint, Make, Create showcases seasonal, multi-craft projects all woven together by painting. Designed for all abilities, the 20 engaging activities will guide you through the seasons and include working with clay, printing, collaging, sewing and embroidery with a fun and modern painterly twist.

Including a comprehensive guide to getting started with painting, Paint, Make, Create will help you develop an understanding of types of paints, surfaces, color palettes and mixing your own colors while also arming you with the tools and confidence to create your own original pieces. Drawing on author Becki’s vast experience in the creative world, alongside each project's step by step guide are helpful hints and tips, perfect for beginners wanting to experiment with paints.

Your creativity will flourish with each contemporary craft project, from creating painterly table settings for Summer gatherings right through to painting Christmas gifts and decorations.

176 pages, Paperback

Published August 2, 2021

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Paint, Make, Create is an ideal book for beginners to try their hand at creative projects using painting.
There are 20 small projects within this book with simple ideas to create and step by step instructions which are easy to follow.
Each project can be adapted and doesn't have to be exactly like the one shown.
The book is divided into seasonal areas - Spring, summer, Autumn and Winter and centres the crafts around these seasons.
Overall I did expect a little more from this book but it would be great for beginners to get ideas and try their hand at more than just painting as some of the crafts use clay, cloth materials, leaves etc.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely little book that walks you through a variety of craft projects that involve painting. Many of them involve "painting" with a paint pen, which I don't tend to use, but that Clark is fond of. They tend towards botanical and pretty crafts like canvas bags and vases. I was actually hoping for more painting as in paintings, but this is more of a craft book. There are many steps illustrated to make it simple for even beginners to replicate her looks. Patterns are provided in the end as well.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Paint, Make, Create is a tutorial and crafting guide by Becki Clark. Due out 31st March 2021 from Pen & Sword Books, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is a whimsical, feminine, and sweetly nostalgia-filled book of mixed-media beginner friendly projects which are appealing and beautiful. The author has an encouraging and inclusive voice throughout (you can do it even if you don't think you can!) The tools and supplies can be acquired easily and inexpensively and most are kid-friendly (with some adult help).

The introductory chapters include tools and supplies along with some simple exercises to give familiarity and confidence working with the supplies. The exercises are specific, contain instructions, step by step explanations (including the purpose of the exercise), and are *very* well photographed in colour and easy to follow.

The project tutorials are grouped by season: spring, summer, autumn, winter with 5 projects in each seasonal chapter. Each of the projects includes tools and supplies in a bullet list sidebar, tips from the artist, color photos and a step-by-step tutorial photo series with progress photos. Templates are included in the back of the book. There are numerous techniques including clay, painting on ceramic, collage, fabric painting, and surface embroidery. The projects themselves are folksy and cheerful.

Well written and fun. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Amy Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, the aesthetic of this book is gorgeous, I was initially attracted by the front cover, and the kitsch, girly style continues throughout.

This book contains 20 projects, split up into the four seasons. The projects were nice, but very simple. I have dabbled with any different crafts over the years, so was hoping for something a little more complex, but this book would be great for a beginner.

Each project has simple steps to follow and pictures to illustrate each step. I really like how this book starts with a run down of the different materials needed, followed by exercises that allow to gain confidence in using each of these.

Overall a nice enough book, with easy to follow steps, however more suited to beginner than an avid crafter.

ARC kindly received from Net Galley and White Owl in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is such a plethora of books for making any amount of crafts that you could not possibly read them all in a lifetime. That being said, I was disappointed in the type of crafts within. I do all types of crafts: decoupage, painting, embroidery, jewelry, and sewing. Always hoping to pick up a few ideas, or at least appreciating what others do even if it is not for me. Many of the projects are similar to ones that can be found on Pinterest. This book will appeal to some people but probably not enough to make a profit. Photography is well done and does help to visually see how the craft is made. This is just not a book I would purchase.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[IdleEmma · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Was provided a free ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

The 20 projects selected for this book, divided up by the seasons, are simple enough that a beginner won’t be intimidated by the idea of it or the materials list but are also versatile enough that even if you don’t like the particular design shown in the book you can easily customise the item and change a few things up so it suits you perfectly.

This book might be nice for painters who want to explore the crafting world a bit more or crafters who want to incorporate a bit more paint into their makes but because of the simplicity of a lot of the projects, I think it’s perfect for absolute beginners who want to have more creativity in their lives but don’t necessarily know where to start. The overviews at the start of the book for materials, painting exercises and colour theory are quite basic and definitely aimed at introducing beginners to the concepts and practices without overwhelming them with information.

Overall, a lovely book that would make for a wonderful gift to spark some creativity.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book with lots of inspiring projects. The projects are divided into four groups linked to a season. The basis of each project is painting but each project incorporates other crafts to produce unique multimedia objects. Everything is kept nice and simple, the projects do not require lots of expensive materials. There are clear explanations for each project along with plenty of photographs. Becki Clark's decorative style is dainty and mostly incorporates botanical themes. This is an ideal book for a beginner looking to get started crafting or for the more experienced crafted looking for fresh inspiration.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun, beginner-ish craft book to help those new to painting and paint crafts, like myself. Becki Clark's encouraging tone walks you through learning about the basics of mixing painting into other craft projects, resulting in a book that will teach you exercises to experiment with acrylic paint, watercolors, and paint pens, gives you a basic guide to color theory, and guides you through 20 projects inspired by the seasons of the year. The book is well put together; the first three chapters introduce you to the materials needed, which are inexpensive and easily obtainable, include exercises to help you explore what you can do with the different paints used, and give an overview of the color wheel and how to put together a color palette. The next four chapters are devoted to the seasons, offering five projects for each- the projects are easily adaptable to your own tastes by changing the color scheme, materials used, or even what the end product will be; for instance, I really like the fabric painted and embroidered hoop art project, but I'm thinking the idea would be great on a t-shirt. And the white painted pumpkins? When I saw the small pic of the project at the beginning of the book, I thought they were vases, and I like my vase idea better! Each project is illustrated and explained very well, and none are difficult to do. The book concludes with templates, some FAQs, and a list of specific materials used, i.e. brand names and where to get them. This is a good book for beginners to painting and mixed media crafts, and well help spark more creative ideas for other projects.

#PaintMakeandCreate #NetGalley

[Josephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of cool projects. I never heard of posca paint markers before and now I really want to try them! There are good sections on what supplies you need to get started, and there aren't so many that it's daunting. Also, there are some sections on how to use the supplies, like posca markers, acrylic, and watercolor. Then she takes you through the projects. They are well documented with photos and descriptions of how to do them step-by-step. I love the abstract collage and abstract canvas bag! The cake toppers are really cool. There's even painting on embroidery cloth and how to make a clay jewelry dish. These projects would be good for artists and non-artists. Lots of ideas here to try out soon!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Witch-at-Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely blown away by the creativity in this book it is a treasure trove of fun and inventive projects! The projects in this book are absolutely fantastic and some are so fun and easy that even children could help do them. So fun inspiring and beautiful. I would have never thought of half of these projects they are so inventive. What an amazing book I highly recommend it for any artist.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review..

[Lizbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Paint, Make and Create is a great collection of easy, yet modern craft ideas for the beginner and experienced crafter alike. The book is easy to read and beautifully illustrated.

5 out of 5 stars. A good addition to your cradt library.