Book Review: Creative Acrylics by Carla Co Chua

Title: Creative Acrylics
Author: Carla Co Chua
Publisher: Quarry Books - Quarto Publishing Group
Release Date: January 11, 2022
Genre: Arts & Crafts

Discover how easy, satisfying, and fun it is to create with acrylic paints and mediums in Creative Acrylics.

Acrylics are one of the most versatile, affordable, and accessible art mediums, and you’ll learn all the tips, tricks, and techniques for blending colors and building texture, plus excellent instruction on how to paint a range of different subjects.

Confused about which types of paints to use, and how to use them? 
Creative Acrylics cuts through the clutter and offers clear fundamentals for working with a variety of paints and mediums to produce beautiful results. Acrylic paint is water-soluble, dries quickly, and is forgiving, making it perfect for those starting out. Begin your acrylic painting journey with an expert who will guide you through enjoyable techniques and projects as you build confidence and ramp up your skills.

Step-by-step techniques, lessons, and projects cover a wide range of styles and genres, including color mixingbrushworkglazing, and how to paint easy floralsstill lifeslandscapes, and animals. Take your new skills even further and paint on different surfaces to create an apron, painted shells, a paintbrush rest, clay pot, and more.

In 
Creative Acrylics you’ll find: 

  • How to set up your workspace to make painting more enjoyable
  • A guide to the different types of acrylic paint
  • Basic techniques such as understanding color and value, and how to add texture and other effects using paint and mediums
  • Lessons and projects that build skills: creating still lifes, florals, landscapes and skies, and painting on fabric, wood, shells, clay, and more

With all these ideas and inspiration, your acrylic painting journey can begin today!

Perfect for all skill levels, the books in the 
Art for Modern Makers series take a fun, practical approach to learning about and working with paints and other art mediums to create beautiful DIY projects and crafts.

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | B&NGoodreads | Bookbub


My Review

I have always admired those artistic souls that can take a blank canvas and create something out of nothing.  I myself found my creative side with writing and card making, but have always wanted to dabble in paints.  Something about that blank canvas just speaks to me, but there is so much I don’t know about this medium, and I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t intimidated.  So my hopes were high when I picked up Creative Acrylics.


All in all this isn’t a bad resource, it’s just not what I was expecting.  Being a complete beginner, I was hoping for more information.  There is quite a bit that is touched on, but I feel like so much could’ve been expounded on more.


I had hoped to follow along with the projects and create some art of my own, and I don’t know if it’s something wrong with me, but I struggled, and ended up feeling so overwhelmed that I gave up, and haven’t picked up a brush since.  I think it’s because I didn’t feel too excited about the projects themselves, and let the fear of doing something wrong overtake me.  With a title like Creative Acrylics I was expecting more creativity and would’ve liked to have had more clarity as to which type of acrylic paints I should be using, instead of me standing dumbfounded in the art section at Michael’s.


The overall aesthetics of the book are pleasing, and I did enjoy flipping through the pages, but what I appreciated the most is the author’s focus on using painting to care for one’s mental health, as well as a family activity that can bring families together, and spark creativity in minds young and old.  It definitely got me thinking and, if anything, it has sparked my imaginative embers, and makes me want to learn even more about painting.


So, though I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for in Creative Acrylics, I do not regret picking up this book one bit, and could see this being a good starting place for many like myself.

My Rating: ★★★

About the Author


Carla Chua has loved drawing and painting since childhood, and her earliest influences include popular anime and cartoon shows on Philippine television. She graduated cum laude in information and communication technology management from De LaSalle University in Manila and, after several years of navigating the corporate world, she decided to reignite her passion for painting. Through her consistent social media postings on Instagram and YouTube and interactions with her audience, Carla found another calling: teaching. She has hosted several public and private art workshops since 2017 and has collaborated with art supply brands to teach acrylic and watercolor and painting at art events around Metro Manila. Carla continues to inspire artists with her beautiful artwork that includes florals, animals, portraits, landscapes, and still life. Carla lives in Manila, Philippines.


Connect with Carla: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube


*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from Quarry Books through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

No comments

Thank you for visiting! :)