There’s a Book for That…

By Tara Richter…

I consider myself to be a fairly crafty person, however working full time makes finding time to sit down and make crafts difficult. I was ecstatic to receive three new books from DK Canada: Step-By-Step Home Design & Decorating, The Beginner’s Photography Guide, and Botany for the Artist: The Beginner’s Guide to Drawing Plants. All three are quite different and I was very impressed with the vast variety of other craft titles available from DK Canada.

Botany for the Artist was a simple choice as I greatly enjoy sketching out nature, especially flowers. This book is the equivalent to an anatomy book for drawing humans. It provides a breakdown of the parts of the plant giving the artist a deeper understanding of its structure. It will definitely serve as a constant reference book when I’m stuck on the ‘how to draw that part’ of plants, grasses, leaves and flowers.

I recently moved to a new condo and have many blank walls starting back at me. The Step-by-Step Home Design and Decorating book is perfect for anyone who is décor-challenged like me. This great reference guide is colour coded by room in easy to find tabs. The visuals and step-by-step instructions are fantastic. One feature I like most about this book was the ‘why’ explanation on each of the designs or products. It’s more than just “design your room like this”, but instead gives a perspective on why certain elements, fabrics and textiles would work best in that particular space. When I put together my main bathroom, the book gave me a sense of how to start with a central piece (the artwork in this case) and build the décor around it including pattern, color, shape and texture.

The final book in my selection was The Beginner’s Photography Guide that serves as a great starting point for anyone new to photography or digital cameras. The first couple of pages detail what the reader can expect to get out of the book from the very basics of “photography lingo” to more detailed explanations, and finally the application section with a hands-on approach to learning. So far, I’m still only on the basics of understanding the different types of digital cameras and the anatomy of a camera to better understand the buttons and features. With a quick glace through the book however, I know it be a great way for me to understand the basics of photography including lighting, composition, and overall how to take great pictures.

Check out these books and more in the Craft Boutique at DK Canada.  We’ve got a giveaway for you today too!

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