Discover the joy and versatility of watercolors with forty gorgeously illustrated lessons for any skill level. Watercolors are beautiful in their simplicity: a basic palette of paints, a few brushes, and nice thick paper will do the job. The medium is also beautiful, though, in its depths and complexities. Here, watercolor artist and instructor Emma Block focuses on techniques, materials, and lessons to help you explore new watercolor techniques, build creative confidence, and discover your unique style of painting. She'll show you—with clear, step-by-step instructions—how to paint everything from people, plants, and animals perfect for framing to patterns and washes perfect for stationery and housewares. The forty lessons cover useful topics like: Quality materials and how they can elevate your craft Color theory 101 to help you confidently create artwork all your own A techniques glossary full of exciting new skills to learn Tips for finding creative inspiration in your everyday life Note: For complete instructions on mixing hair colors (page 192), visit https://www.runningpress.com/articles/errata-note-watercolor-life/.

Imaginative. Innovative. Ingenious. These words describe the visionaries we all respect and admire. And they can describe you, too. Contrary to common belief, creativity is not a gift some of us are born with. It is a skill that all of us can learn. International bestselling author and award-winning Stanford University educator Tina Seelig has worked with some of the business world’s best and brightest, who are now among the decision-makers at companies such as Google, Genentech, IBM, and Cisco. In inGenius she expertly demystifies creativity, offering a set of tools and guidelines that anyone can use. A fantastic resource for everyone wanting to achieve their ambitions, and for readers of Jason Fried’s Rework, and Seth Godin’s Poke the Box.

The legendary comedian, actor, and writer of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda fame shares his key ideas about creativity: that it’s a learnable, improvable skill. “Many people have written about creativity, but although they were very, very clever, they weren't actually creative. I like to think I'm writing about it from the inside.”—John Cleese You might think that creativity is some mysterious, rare gift—one that only a few possess. But you’d be wrong. As John Cleese shows in this short, practical, and often amusing guide, creativity is a skill that anyone can acquire. Drawing on his lifelong experience as a writer, Cleese shares his insights into the nature of creativity and offers advice on how to get your own inventive juices flowing. What do you need to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind? When do you know that you’ve come up with an idea that might be worth pursuing? What should you do if you think you’ve hit a brick wall? We can all be more creative. John Cleese shows us how.

Many of us assume that our creative process is beyond our ability to influence, and pay attention to it only when it isn't working properly. For the most part, we go about our daily tasks and everything just "works." Until it doesn't. Adding to this lack of understanding is the rapidly accelerating pace of work. Each day we are face escalating expectations and a continual squeeze to do more with less. We are asked to produce an ever-increasing amount of brilliance in an ever-shrinking amount of time. There is an unspoken (or spoken!) expectation that we'll be accessible 24/7, and as a result we frequently feel like we're "always on." Now business creativity expert Todd Henry explains how to unleash your creative potential. Whether you're a creative by trade or an "accidental creative," this book will help you quickly and effectively integrate new ideas into your daily life.

Why this book will surely help building a sustainable Vocabulary? žIt’s a proven psychology that when we come across a word more than 3 times we never forget. The book helps to remember words as you read stories, žStories are entertaining and enriching. žRe –read words in a story form and you will imprint it, never forget. žSimple logic. žStories are from real CAT students and provides wide multiple arenas to think. žTo help you learn new words žEach List contains 7 main words žEvery list has more than one stories submitted by different learners žMore the stories, more opportunities to learn new words

Packed with joyful and educational art experiences for kids, Play, Make, Create offers fun and engaging imaginative activities focused on the fun and reward of creating, not just producing a final project. Founded in a process-based philosophy, this unique book includes more than 40 activities set up as invitations, or thoughtfully designed prompts to explore, create, and play. Author Meri Cherry has more than 20 years of teaching experience, and her blog (mericherry.com) has set the standard for meaningful and enriching process art experiences that are both manageable for parents, and appealing and fun for kids. Play, Make, Create begins with a guide for parents, teachers, and facilitators that discusses how to set up materials in an inviting way, how to present an activity and talk to kids about art, and how to stock the right materials for ongoing creativity. Also included are best-practice tips for clean-up, answers to frequently asked questions, and more. The book offers four types of creative invitations: Invitations to Explore (easy ideas for fun and play), Invitations to Create (open-ended, craft-based activities), Invitations to Play (sensory-based activities), and Big Projects (ongoing process-art activities). Most feature basic materials and tools (paper, inexpensive paints, pencils, glue) that require little setup. Among the projects and activities you’ll find: A collage project that takes a no-rules approach to creating with cut-out drawings and pictures. Ideas for building a science station that allow kids to experiment with kitchen cabinet supplies such as soap, measuring spoons, cotton balls, and baking soda. A prompt to draw a self-portrait, using a mirror (parents can draw themselves, too). Instructions for making homemade colored playdough. The activities in Play, Make, Create promote active, meaningful, and socially interactive learning. Children are encouraged to wonder, experiment, and use critical thinking—and most of all, enjoy the process. By following their own inclinations and making their own choices, children gain self-confidence and hone their problem-solving skills. Get Play, Make, Create and give children the gift of creativity!