Mastering light in watercolor

Illuminate the world around you...

Light the world through watercolor with 25 step-by-step projects exploring glowing sunsets, dazzling night skies, dancing shadows, and more!

...one stroke at a time.

Mastering light in watercolor

Trust me: You have everything you need to capture the mystery and magic of light, color, and shadow...

Yes please

...and maybe you could use an adventure buddy?

Hello, my friend!
I'm Kolbie, a self-taught watercolor artist...

...and I'm on a mission to get you painting!

Growing up, I wasn't one of those kids who loved crafts and sketched everything in sight -- far from it, I thought making visual art of any kind was not in the cards for me!

So, believe me when I say that I know how you feel when you claim to be "not an artist" -- that's how I know there might be more to your creative talents than you know right now. I'd be honored to help you explore!

 

More about me

"Stunning."

 "Effervescent, engaging and abundant, Kolbie’s new book exploring landscapes and light is stunning, with so many engaging projects to entertain and educate!” 

Sarah Simon
best-selling author of Watercolor Workbook, artist, and creator of The Mint Gardener

"Creating art without the expectation of perfection"

What makes Kolbie truly something special as a teacher is her ability to communicate that knowledge in a way that’s understandable and encouraging. Her philosophy of creating art without the expectation of perfection will free you to create without self-doubt, putting you on the path to greater confidence in your art and some really beautiful paintings!

Andrea Nelson
artist and educator

“You will be delighted"

"With this book, Kolbie masterfully instructs students through the tricky terrain of bringing light to watercolor. You will be delighted at every turn of the page!”

Cara Rosalie Olsen
artist and author of
Botanical Watercoloring for Beginners

"Direct and lyrical, imaginative and straightforward"

"Kolbie’s ability to express the step by step of painting is both direct and lyrical, imaginative and straightforward. Before Kolbie, I was terrified of clouds and water, and now I’m drawn to them confidently."

Kristy Rice,
artist, teacher, and author

Mastering light in watercolor

DO YOU LIKE FREE STUFF?

Preorder today, and you'll get some great bonuses!

Preorders are SO important for book sales, which is why I'm offering some amazing bonuses! Check out all the bonuses below, and submit your proof of purchase to qualify. 

what are the bonuses?
submit my preorder!

Here's what to expect

FIRST, THE BASICS

The first chapter is all about watercolor and light basics, so you can prep for the adventures to come!

THEN, THE PROJECTS

Six whole chapters of step-by-step projects and clear instructions, so you'll always know exactly what comes next and why

and THEN, THE PRACTICE

This part is up to you! All I can do is show you the way, but it's up to you to actually show up, my friend. But I know this to be true -- you can do hard things!

psst...want a peek inside?

Mastering light in watercolor

Breaking down the basics

Need a little help getting started? Chapter One is all about breaking down watercolor supplies and basic techniques (for both watercolor in general and painting light specifically) so you can dive into the projects with confidence -- even if you're a complete beginner. 

daylight

We'll spend a few projects exploring the world with bright contrast and vibrant colors -- daylight! Learn how to use light, shadow, and color theory to capture the brightness of a midday sun. 

Night

The "Night" projects help you explore a desaturated world. Not many colors to see, but still so much light to capture through shadow, subtle contrasts, and movement in the dark!

the breathtaking
in-between

Between Night and Day, we have Blue Hour, Twilight, and Golden Hour. Each with their own color palette and unique features, we'll spend plenty of projects discovering the vast array of color combinations you can find depending on the location of the sun. 

mini course

I filmed myself painting THREE of the projects in the book -- if you submit your proof of preorder, you'll get this mini course totally free! 

bonus e-book

Mastering Light in Watercolor has 25 step-by-step projects -- but I have a little secret...

...when I first wrote the book, I actually designed 30 projects, 5 of which I had to cut for printing reasons. 

The good news is that we decided to turn those cut projects into a little e-book! Anyone who preorders will get access to the bonus projects, totally free. Just submit your proof of purchase in the form, and you'll receive the bonus lessons after publication!

Mastering light in watercolor

"But what if my projects don't look like yours? There's no way I can paint like that..."

- me, 5 years ago

Look, when it comes to loud inner critics, mine comes with a megaphone and a foghorn -- I know what it's like to have a voice constantly reminding you how much you're not doing.

The truth is that your projects probably won't look like mine -- because they're yours. And that's exactly what makes them so special.

Creativity isn't about results, making masterpieces -- it's about celebrating how magical this moment can be, right here, exactly as you are. It's about the tiny moments of wonder that happen when colors blend and ideas flow. Creativity is for you, not for anyone else.

YOU ARE WORTHY OF CELEBRATION, EXACTLY AS YOU ARE.

follow along

@thiswritingdesk

For a more up-close-and-personal view of my work and musings, check me out on Instagram!