Dana Fox Watercolor with Me in the Forest: A Guided Watercolor Book Worth Picking Up

Introduction

Some art books sit in the “seen it for a year, never bought it” pile before they finally make it home. Dana Fox’s Watercolor with Me in the Forest is exactly that kind of purchase: spotted repeatedly at Hobby Lobby, admired, put back, and finally picked up. At around $25 in store and roughly $17 at Amazon, Target, and Walmart, it is a modestly priced guided watercolor book with one big practical advantage: the pages are actual watercolor paper.

The book was published in 2018 and has been around long enough to build a following. Dana Fox also has other watercolor titles, including an ocean-themed version, if forest subjects are not your preference. But the forest edition is the one with the widest appeal, especially heading into autumn.

Who This Book Is For

This is a book for two very different kinds of painters, and it serves both well. Beginners get structured, step-by-step projects with light pencil sketches already on the page, so there is no blank-page paralysis. More experienced painters get something just as valuable: direction. If you have hit a stretch of artist block or keep painting the same subjects, working through guided prompts in a style you would not choose yourself is a reliable way out.

The artist’s style sits in a deliberate middle ground: not too realistic, not too cartoony. It is delicate and rustic, which suits the woodland theme and the season perfectly.

What the Book Contains

The book opens with practical front matter: a master color chart, a list of recommended watercolors, and a link to the artist’s preferred supplies such as brushes, paints, and paper. She uses Winsor and Newton paints, but the book makes clear that matching or mixing similar shades with whatever you own is all that matters.

There is also an introduction to technique and a practice page before the first project, so you are never thrown into a painting cold. Each project lists the colors you need, the supplies, and the steps to achieve the finished look.

Four Technique Chapters

The projects are divided into four chapters: wet on dry, wet on wet, painting fur, and ink and wash. Each technique chapter starts with a short explanation and a space to practice before moving into the projects themselves.

The paper deserves a mention here. It feels thick with a noticeable texture, which suggests cold press paper. That is the right surface for both wet-on-dry control and the looser, wetter wet-on-wet projects. The real test is how the pages handle water over multiple washes, and early impressions are that they should hold up well.

Painting Fur: The Chapter Many Riders Will Skip and Should Not

Painting fur is the chapter many watercolor painters approach with some nervousness, and that is precisely why it earns its place in the book. Animal fur is where most self-taught painters stall, and having a guided sequence of fur projects removes the guesswork of where to start.

The animal and wildlife subject matter runs throughout the book, with some architecture mixed in. For anyone whose sketchbook is full of the same three subjects, that variety is a quiet strength.

Ink and Wash: Where Drawing Meets Painting

The final chapter combines watercolor with fine liner pens such as a Sakura Pigma Micron or Tombow Fude, ideally waterproof ones. Paint first, then add definition and detail with ink on top. For anyone who considers themselves a stronger drawer than a painter, this chapter alone justifies the purchase.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The project difficulty is well balanced. Initial impressions are that nothing feels too difficult for a beginner, but the projects are not boring for someone with experience either. It is a genuine blend of challenge and simplicity, with a generous number of projects that will take a while to finish without dragging on forever.

Two caveats: the book encourages buying the author’s own brushes to work through it, which is optional rather than necessary, and the paper’s real-world performance under heavy water is still unproven until the projects are actually painted. The book also relies on a supplied link for the full supplies list, so you will want to check your paint collection against the recommended colors before starting.

Buying Advice

If you buy it, buy it smart. The same book runs about $17 at Amazon, Target, and Walmart versus roughly $25 at Hobby Lobby, so the retail channels outside the craft store are the better deal. At either price, you are getting bound watercolor paper, which is a meaningful step up from painting in a sketchbook not designed for wet media.

You do not need a full professional setup to start. Any watercolor set that can approximate the recommended shades, a round brush or two, and a waterproof fine liner for the last chapter will cover the entire book.

Conclusion

Watercolor with Me in the Forest is a well-structured, fairly priced guided watercolor book that works for complete beginners and experienced painters alike. Four technique chapters, light pencil sketches on real watercolor paper, and a rustic autumn-friendly art style make it easy to recommend, particularly if you want structure for your painting practice or a way out of an artist block. Just buy it from Amazon, Target, or Walmart rather than paying the higher craft store price.