Book Review: The Joy of Watercolor by Emma Block

Back in 2019, I had an itching to be more creative and to try out new art supplies. I’ve always loved watercolor but I never really knew where to start. We are so lucky to have digital resources for learning, like Youtube or Skillshare. However, I wanted a book, something tangible and familiar to help me learn watercolor… a simple Book Depository search led me to this little gem, The Joy of Watercolor (40 Lessons For Painting the World Around You) by Emma Block. It is one of the top three books that come up when you search on Amazon or Book Depository with a 4.26 out of 5 star rating on Goodreads. Is it worth the hype? Did I learn anything? I’ve gone through all of its 40 happy lessons to find out.

Emma Block prefaces the book with great information about watercolor. Compellingly, she shares how it has brought mindfulness and joy to her life. She breaks everything down on how to get started, which she illustrates beautifully. From brushes, types of watercolors, paper recommendations, watercolor techniques and even some useful color theory. Emma is thorough and yet concise with her explanations.

Actually, thorough yet concise perfectly sums up this book. Each lesson gives you just enough information to finish a painting. Her concise and straightforward instruction never feels convoluted or rigid. The inclusion of her process in pictures is extremely helpful. There are some lessons where I just look at the pictures, and it gives me enough information to recreate her process.

I especially love how she rates each lesson by skill, from Beginner to Intermediate and Advanced. It allows you to pick any lesson from the book in any order. Whatever you skill level you feel like for the day, this book has you covered.

Emma Block’s philosophy on art and mindfulness through watercolor is infectious. I had a great time going through her lessons, allowing me to learn valuable techniques along the way. I do believe that beginners and casual users would benefit more from this book rather than the advanced artist, who I believe wouldn’t need a book like this in the first place. Also, I really love Emma’s work and is a continuous source of inspiration, even after finishing all of the lessons. If you are new to watercolor, I highly recommend this book. On bookdepository.com you can pick one up for HKD $128 and on amazon.com for just HKD$88, excluding shipping fees.