Drawing and drawings Books

Book SynopsisBuilding on the foundation established with the first book in the series, Framed Perspective 2 guides artists through the challenging tasks of projecting shadows in proper perspective on a variety of environments and working with characters in perspective set in particular situation or setting. Author and artist Marcos Mateu-Mestre reveals the many techniques and mechanics he has used to become proficient in such endeavors, including using anatomy, shadows, and clothing folds to define the shape and volume of characters within an environment. He also shares how to effectively observe a model or object to extract the right amount of information to then translate it into an impactful graphic and visual image, the goal of every visual storyteller.

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Book SynopsisThe must-have guide for all artists who draw the human figure!

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Book SynopsisAndrew Loomis (1892-1959) is revered amongst artists - including comics superstar Alex Ross - for his mastery of  drawing. His first book, Fun With a Pencil, published in 1939 is a wonderfully crafted and engaging introduction to drawing, cartooning, and capturing the essence of a subject all while having fun. With delightful step-by-step instruction from Professor Blook, Loomis's charming alter ego on the page.

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Book Synopsis Explore new ways to capture nature in your on-location drawings and paintings through insightful tips and inspiring artwork from 40+ artists from around the world.In The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature, Gail L. Wong and Virginia Heinshare their secrets for getting beyond basic greenery. Presenting a variety of approaches, including detailed examples,quick tips, and “workshop” ideas for practicing the concepts, this book reviews important fundamentals for composition and color and inspires unique treatments and points of view.There is a story to be told about nature wherever we are. Pack this handbook with your art supplies as you set out to tell your own stories of nature, and discover:  Different ways you can use nature to compose your story and your sketch, whether nature is the main character, the setting, or a frame for your composiTrade Review"The book fairly overflows with an abundance of artwork." * Artists Magazine *Table of ContentsAbout This Series Introduction KEYS I How We See Nature II How We Draw Nature III Finding the Character of a Place IV Finding Nature in the City V More Ways to Represent Nature GALLERY Challenges Contributors Acknowledgments About the Authors

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Book SynopsisThe Art of the Travel Journal offers all the techniques, ideas, inspiration, and step-by-step instructions needed to create artful, one-of-a-kind journals filled with drawings, ephemera, lettering, and more that document our lives traveling around the world—or around the corner. Trade Review“The Art of the Travel Journal is an instructional art book whose cheerful aesthetic and accessible instructions are sure to kindle a creative spark.” * Foreword Reviews *"All facets of journaling are covered, from start to finish: pre-trip planning, setting intentions, gathering supplies, staying motivated, and how to archive completed journals. A comprehensive, methodical, profusely illustrated, and inspiring 'how to' guide." * Midwest Book Review *“This beautiful book will help you discover (or rediscover) how to journal creatively and beautifully, sharing techniques for sketching, lettering and decorating with meaningful mementos like tickets and maps. The result will be a wonderful souvenir documenting your travels and will be a wonderful thing to look back on, maybe even passing down through your family’s generations.” * Johnny Jet *Table of ContentsCONTENTS INTRODUCTION How I Started Travel Journaling How to Use This Book 1 Getting Started Definition of Journaling Terms | A Brief History of Travel Journaling | Writing About Travel | Journaling | Starting a Travel Journal | The Benefits of Keeping a Travel Journal | 2 Materials Essential Supplies | Other Tools | Creating a Travel Art Kit | LESSON: Create Your Own Washi Tape Sampler | LESSON: Make Your Own Watercolor Tin | 3 Telling Stories Pre-trip Planning | Ways to Document Your Travels | 4 Collecting and Composition Ephemera | Staying Organized | LESSON: Making Ephemera Envelopes and Pockets | LESSON: Creating Artful Postcards | Collage Tips and Ideas | LESSON: Make a Collaged Travel Zine | 5 Journal Spread Ideas Journaling Formats | Themed Journal Spreads | Hand Lettering | LESSON: Lettering with Brush Pens | Using Color Palettes to Tell a Story | 6 Honing Your Habit Finding Your Journaling Style | Staying Committed | Tips and Advice to Live By | 7 Guest Artists

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Book SynopsisExplore the macabre mind of Japan's master of horror, Junji Ito, in this chilling adult coloring book. The Junji Ito Collection Coloring Book is the perfect gift for fans of manga's master of the macabre. This officially licensed compendium features dozens of terrifying scenes from Junji Ito Collection to color, showcasing Ito's uniquely twisted brand of horror. Ghosts, demons, monsters and more await your pencils inside!

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Book SynopsisDoodling for Cat People is designed to appeal to seasoned artists and doodle enthusiasts alike. Packed with more than 50 fun and inspirational prompts, doodling exercises, and feline-related factoids, professional illustrator Gemma Correll sparks the imagination and spurs cat lovers to explore, experiment, and brainstorm ways to draw and doodle their favorite furry friends with her cute and clever art style. The artist's simple, unique, and whimsical approach is sure to inspire, entertain, and guide artists of any skill level. Doodlers will find inspiration for drawing different types of cats, cats in outfits, cats in action, and even kitty accessories. An interactive book, Doodling for Cat People demonstrates how to draw whimsical kitty doodles, while encouraging artists and doodle enthusiasts to develop their own style and techniques. With its portable format and plenty of open doodling pages, this quirky doodle book is perfect for on-the-go creative types.

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Book Synopsis"Charming book for creative types who find a blank page a little too overwhelming." - The Guardian"In her charming journal-cum sketchbook, Matilda Tristram inspires us to look at the everyday things in life in a new way. As well as encouraging us to explore the extraordinary in the ordinary, she also provides guidance, insights, tips and inspiration." - Flow Magazine "Whether you're on the train to work, in the park on your lunch break or people watching at your local coffee shop, Matilda's book will help you see the world through fresh eyes!" - The Big Draw. Explore the extraordinary in the simple and ordinary with with My Year in Small Drawings: a charming visual diary like no other! Learn to see everyday things in a new way by creating and collecting the small details around you. Build up dozens of dinky drawings, from tangles of cables, to window frames and tree buds, and notice the simple - and sometimes surprising - beauty of every day scenes and objects by drawing them. With 365 daily prompts and space to explore each, expert advice on how to simplify what you see; which pens and pencils to use; colour; and using perspective, plus suggestions for drawing every day of the year, this beautiful little book will help you embrace your creativity, and build up a unique and delightful collection of personal sketches for you to cherish, forever. Whether you're an experienced artist, someone looking to get back into sketching, or you can't draw at all, this book is for you!If you like this book, you might also be interested in I Can't Draw. . . Trade Review"This charming journal will encourage you to pay more attention to your surroundings and help record moments, objects or scenes you want to remember." * The Simple Things *""This gorgeous little book can accompany you everywhere and really does help you appreciate the little things that you might otherwise miss. The illustrations are perfect for inspiring your own creativity – even if you're someone who doesn't usually draw." * Oh Comely *"This is a beguiling small journal that provides an easy framework for anyone who might not know quite where to start with their mark making." * Slow Muse *"It's both a visual diary presenting some sweet, energetic sketches and a guide to drawing itself: each page offers her valuable insights on abstract things, like how to see the world anew by drawing it, as well as more technical aspects of drawing like which pens and pencils to use for different tasks and how best to use colour. It's like one of those ubiquitous colouring books, but better." * Creative Boom *"Matilda shows you how to easily copy the objects all around you. You’ll find it’s very calming." * Daphne's Diary *"This book encourages you to draw, draw lots, and make the most of each day, as she evidently does. Who could argue with that?" * Urban Sketchers London *"Inspiring and fun, the book examines how to draw with purpose and look outwards to find the stories of the places and things around you. The more you draw, the more it may feel natural and flow like writing. The book provides guidance, tips and inspiration throughout." * Psychologies *"Cleverly designed to be carried around, My Year In Small Drawings invites you to notice and draw the simplest details in life, from your daily commute to curious travels around the world. Plus, Matilda Tristram offers her expert advice on colour and tools so you can observe, sketch and enjoy!" * Papercrafter *"This charming paperback inspires everyone to sketch daily life; the underlying purpose is drawing as mindfulness, but it could be just for fun!" * Daily Mail *"By actively encouraging us to slow down and look at the world around us, books like these enable us to take time out of our busy lives and just enjoy the present moment." * The Book Bag *"Like draw-it-yourself Instagram. The book is a route to mindfulness and a way to get more creative, which has been shown to benefit health." * Clearly Magazine *"If you've ever struggled with the enormous pressure that a blank page or canvas demands of you, then Matilda's 'My Year in Small Drawings' is just the ticket to ease you back into the joys of drawing or help you have a go for the very first time! "Whether you're on the train to work, in the park on your lunch break or people watching at your local coffee shop, Matilda's book will help you see the world through fresh eyes!" * The Big Draw *"Perfectly sized for travelling or a daily commute, this small journal is for drawing the things that surround you." * Art Sharp *

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Book SynopsisWilliam Morris's patterns are enduringly popular for their originality and colour, and have captured the imagination of countless designers and artists. This colouring book explores the intricate work of William Morris and his Arts & Crafts contemporaries and allows you to invent your own colourways to complete their patterns. - 45 patterns to color, interspersed by full-colour reproductions of the original designs - Organized into four sections Nature, Colour, Pattern, and Craft to highlight different aspects of the designs, and the crafts and skills behind them - Explores Morris's love of nature, his artistry, mastery of colour, and innovation in pattern design in concise introductory texts

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Book SynopsisCreate beautiful cards using stencils and the relaxing art of Zentangle! Brass stencils are the perfect medium for Zentangle—their small designs are just the right size for embellishing with fun tangle patterns in black & white or glorious color. This book offers fascinating ideas for using Dreamweaver Stencils© to make memorable personalized greeting cards.Zentangle adds a fun new dimension to stencils. Inside you’ll find dozens of fabulous ideas for using stencils and templates with tangle art. Learn to create 40 new original tangles with step-by-step illustrations. Use the bonus workbook section to play, experiment, and create, as you master tangling and shading for your Zentangle-inspired masterpieces.

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Book Synopsis'You will quickly amaze and delight yourself. Hands down the best and most life-enhancing thing I've done in lockdown' India Knight, Sunday Times, about Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook accompanies the world's most widely used drawing instruction book by Betty Edwards. This workbook reinforces the five basic skills of drawing and includes: - 40 exercises to practice your drawing abilities - A range of subject matters from portrait drawing and still life, to landscapes and imaginative drawing - Advice for a variety of mediums such as pen and ink, charcoal and graphite - A pull-out viewfinder tool The original Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain helps artists to nurture the creative right side of the brain, dramatically improving your ability to draw, whether you are a professional, an artist in training or someone who draws for a hobby. This workbook will help you practise that knowledge with success at every step.Trade ReviewA guide to enhancing creativity and artistic confidence * Independent *The workbook contains just enough of Edwards' theory - along with dozens of illustrations - that one need have no qualms about giving it as a gift... does a pretty good job of breaking down the technique of drawing into easily-digested pieces. * Artists & Illustrators *The first edition of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain... was a landmark in drawing tuition... The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook has been written as a supplement... (The viewfinder) is an ingenious way to understand and overcome the problem of foreshortening and to grasp the fundamentals of form and relationships. * Leisure Painter *Think you can't draw? You absolutely can . . . You will quickly amaze and delight yourself. Hands down the best and most life-enhancing thing I've done in lockdown -- India Knight, Sunday Times, about Drawing on the Right Side of the BrainA consciousness-expanding work -- LA Times about Drawing on the Right Side of the BrainA way to unleash our latent drawing abilities ... you'll be amazed at what a good artist you are -- Psychology Today about Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

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Book SynopsisWith Design Your Own Anime and Manga Characters, you’ll learn character design for these popular entertainment genres from renowned concept artist and teacher TB Choi.  Constructing a Character. Build a character right from the start with the basics of human anatomy and proportion. Simplifying Forms for Poses and Gestures. Streamline form to develop effective poses and gestures from a variety of angles. Drawing Hair, Clothing, and Accessories. Render authentic details that support your characters and enrich your stories. Conveying Dimension, Emotion, and Character. Refine your use of line, shadow, and form to create visual variety, depth, and emotion. Pets, Chibis, and Sidekicks. Create pets, chibis, anthros, and kemonomimi with personality. Exercise: Design and Draw a Character. Learn a simple method for developing an original character, from mind map to finishTrade Review"Design Your Own Anime and Manga Characters lives up to its title as an instructive and visual "how-to" guide for aspiring artists interested in drawing characters or comics in the style of Japanese manga. A wealth of black-and-white illustrations (color is primarily used as highlights to aid in focus, and only occasionally shown in finished examples) demonstrate how to incorporate the basics of human anatomy, portray poses and gestures, add details like hair and clothing, apply lines and shadows to give expression and emotion, and much more. Thoroughly accessible to budding artists of all ages, Design Your Own Anime and Manga Characters is an excellent supplementary resource to broaden artistic creativity." * Midwest Book Review *Table of Contents1 Constructing a Character The Basics of Line Human Skeleton Muscles Bone and Fat Basic Human Proportions Skull Mouth Eyes Ears Nose Arms Hands Legs Feet 2 Simplifying Forms for Gestures and Poses The Basics of Poses and Gestures Exploring Different Angles How a Pose Can Support a Story How to Draw Breasts (on Female and Male Characters) Adjusting Body Shape to Fit a Character Silhouettes 3 Drawing Hair, Clothing and Accesories Draping and Folds Folds and Movemen Proportion and Clothing for Youth How Hair Frames the Head and Face Drawing Hats Drawing Glasses 4 Putting It All Together Basic Facial Structures Face Shapes Drawing Faces from Different Angles Emotion and Expression Gestures That Enhance Emotion and Story Creating a Character’s Backstory 5 Pets, Chibis and Sidekicks Pets with Personality Chibi Characters Kemonomimi and Anthros 6 Exercise: Design and Draw a Character Drawing a Friend INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE AUTHOR INDEX

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Book SynopsisThe Bargue-Gerome Drawing Course is a complete reprint of a famous, late nineteenth-century drawing course. It contains a set of almost two hundred masterful lithographs of subjects for copying by drawing students before they attempt drawing from life or nature. Consequently it is a book that will interest artists, art students, art historians, and lovers and collectors of drawings. It also introduces us to the work and life of a hitherto neglected master: Charles Bargue. The Drawing Course consists of three sections. The first consists of plates drawn after casts, usually of antique examples. Different parts of the body are studied in order of difficulty, until full figures are presented. The second section pays homage to the western school of painting, with lithographs after exemplary drawings by Renaissance and modern masters. The third part contains almost 60 academies, or drawings after nude male models, all original inventions by Bargue, the lithographer. With great care, the student is introduced to continually more difficult problems in the close observing and recording of nature. Charles Bargue started his career as a lithographer of drawings by hack artists for a popular market in comic, sentimental and soft-porn subjects. By working with Gerome, and in preparing the plates for the course, Bargue was transformed into a spectacular painter of single figures and intimate scenes; a master of precious details that always remain observation and never became self-conscious virtuosity, and colour schemes that unified his composition in exquisite tonal harmonies. The last part of the book is a biography of Bargue, along with a preliminary catalogue of his paintings, accompanied by reproductions of all that have been found and of many of those lost.

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Book SynopsisDraw and paint beautiful, vibrant, and realistic birds and botanicals with The Art of Botanical & Bird Illustration. Take a sketch and transform it into fine art!The Art of Botanical & Bird Illustration is a guide for contemporary artists aspiring to master shape, color, and texture and render beautiful, realistic, and vibrant botanical artwork. Author Mindy Lighthipe, an expert botanical artist, educates you about the tools and materials traditionally used in botanical illustration, including pencils, colored pencils, watercolor, gouache, and pastels. This thorough yet easily digestible guide includes overviews of key illustration techniques and basic color theory and mixing, and it's loaded with exercises designed to help you learn to see shape, value, and form. By learning tounderstand plant life and anatomy, you can craft elegant flowers, leaves, trees, and much more in no time! To bring it all together, The Art of Botanical & Bird Illustration includes step-by-step demonstrations to follow along with as you practice taking sketches and transforming them into fully rendered, colorful pieces of fine art.

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Book SynopsisThe Art of Urban Sketching is both a comprehensive guide and a showcase of location drawings by artists around the world who draw the cities where they live and travel. This beautiful volume explains urban sketching within the context of a long historical tradition and how it is practiced today. It includes profiles of leading practitioners, a discussion of the benefits of working in this art form, and shows how one can participate and experience it through modern-day social networks and online activity. The book is illustrated with over 700 beautiful, contemporary illustrations, and includes artists' profiles and extended captions where these urban sketchers share their stories, tips and tools. With sketches and observations from more than 50 cities in more than 30 countries, the book offers a visually arresting, storytelling take on urban life from different cultures and artistic styles, as well as insight into various drawing techniques and mediums.

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Book SynopsisKawaii is a Japanese word meaning ‘super-cute’, and it’s a trend that’s sweeping the globe. Anything can be drawn in the kawaii style, from animals, people, vegetables and flowers to food, vehicles and household items. Here, expert comic book and manga artist Yishan Li shows you how to achieve amazingly adorable girls and boys from all walks of life in just a few simple steps - from waiters and doctors to princesses and fairies. There are 28 different drawings to choose from, all full of personality and bubbling over with charm. Each one is developed in 8 easy stages from a rough sketch of the basic shapes through to the finished, coloured drawing, making this book suitable for adults and children of all ages and abilities. Trade ReviewThis is a really charming guide on how to draw 28 kawaii girls and boys. Each drawing has an entire page devoted to it, with (typically) 7 black and white step-by-step images which show you how to draw the character. Finally there is a colour version of the finished article - to give inspiration on colour schemes if you need it. Simple enough for my 9 year old to use - he's really enjoying creating all these new characters. Hours of entertainment (and a bit of learning too) - what's not to love! -- Angela Paull * Amazon *

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Book SynopsisA sumptuous full colour art book containing the complete collection of more than 100 sketches, drawings, paintings and maps created by J.R.R. Tolkien for The Hobbit.When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, he was already an accomplished amateur artist, and drew illustrations for his book while it was still in manuscript. The Hobbit as first printed had ten black and white pictures, two maps, and binding and dust-jacket designs by its author. Later, Tolkien also painted five scenes for colour plates which are some of his best work. His illustrations for The Hobbit add an extra dimension to that remarkable book, and have long influenced how readers imagine Bilbo Baggins and his world.The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is the complete collection of the artwork created by the author for his story. Including related pictures, more than one hundred sketches, drawings, paintings, maps, and plans are presented here, preliminary and alternate versions and experimental designs as well as finisTrade Review‘How, given little over half a century of work, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’THE GUARDIAN ‘Demanding to be compared with English mythologies… at times rises to the greatness of true myth’FINANCIAL TIMES ‘A creation of singular beauty… magnificent in its best moments’WASHINGTON POST

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Book SynopsisA must-have resource for graphite and charcoal artists of all skill levels, 101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal is the artist's definitive art book. Accurately rendering surfaces and textures is one of the most challenging aspects of working with graphite pencil and charcoal. 101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal provides artists with step-by-step instructions for learning how to draw a wide variety of the most common textures and surfaces, including sand, water, metals, foliage, wood, fabrics, stone, grass, hair, and many more. Opening with a general introduction to basic drawing tools, materials, and drawing techniques, each page in this comprehensive resource features two to three easy-to-follow steps demonstrating how to create each specific texture. Readers will discover tips and techniques for working in both graphite and charcoal and how to manage their differences when hatching, stippling, scumbling, blending, and more. With its breadth of coverage, easy-to-follow instruction, and helpful tips, 101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal is a must-have resource for artists of all skill levels.

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Book SynopsisGold Medal, 2016 Foreword INDIES Book AwardsThe ultimate guide to nature drawing and journaling!A potent combination of art, science, and boundless enthusiasm, this art instruction book from John Muir Laws (author of The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds) is a how-to guide for becoming a better artist and a more attentive naturalist. In straightforward text complemented by step-by-step illustrations, dozens of exercises lead the hand and mind through creating accurate reproductions of plants and animals as well as landscapes, skies, and more. Laws provides clear, practical advice for every step of the process for artists at every level, from the basics of choosing supplies to advanced techniques. While the book’s advice will improve the skills of already accomplished artists, the emphasis on seeing, learning, and feeling will make this book valuable—even revelatory—to anyone interested in the natural world, no matter how rudimentary their artistic abilities.Trade Review“Holds strong crossover appeal among environmentalism, earth sciences, hiking, and art instruction.” —Library Journal“This beautiful art book will teach you how to be ‘still, quiet, and attentive . . . to organize your thoughts, piece together answers, and ask richer questions.’ The overall goal is to stimulate your curiosity, and you won't find a better guide.” —Foreword Reviews“More than anything a thorough instructional guide to thinking like a naturalist Laws is, after all, one of the world's foremost naturalists.” —Earth Island Journal“Those new to drawing and journaling will find it an amazing resource, while veteran creators will appreciate the depth and specificity of Laws tips and hacks. All, however, will find inspiration this book will elevate the wonder that lies in us all.” —Lake Tahoe News“☆☆☆☆☆” —Kids' BookBuzz“The definitive guide to nature journaling.” —The Blue Heron“An outstanding survey, highly recommended for aspiring nature artists who want details on how to use journaling and art to best advantage.” —Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisLearn to Draw Celtic Designs is a treasure trove of beautiful Celtic designs that are a constant source of fascination for people all over the world. It features more than 50 original, ready-to-use patterns that can be drawn and decorated in authentic Celtic style.These sinuous knots, mythical creatures, and ornate braids make fantastic adornments for a variety of arts and crafts, including woodworking, pyrography, leatherwork and needlecraft.Each intricate design can be easily altered to create dozens of additional patterns for your own artwork, giving you the potential to create hundreds of new designs.

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Book SynopsisAn indispensable guide for anyone keen to learn coloured pencil techniques, or for the experienced artist who would like to build on their existing skills. Filled with information on the basic characteristics and colour ranges of the main kinds of coloured pencil, and step-by-step visual demonstrations of key techniques from blending, blocking in and burning to sgraffito, stippling and impressing. The reader will not only discover how professional artists use imaginative and dynamic styles to interpret a wide range of subjects, but they will also be inspired by the 150-plus full-colour illustrations to create brilliant artworks of their own.Trade ReviewBeing a Lecturer of concept art one of the concepts I teach is how to use artists pencils. This book has given me many ideas and is ideal both for students and teachers (as well as want to be artists). I would highly recommend this book and was actually surprised how informative it was as well as giving drawn examples for the basic techniques in the first section. The second section covers a variety of different types of drawing such as portrait and movement. I would perhaps say this is not for the expert however we can all use a refresh whatever our stage and it could be a nice way for a seasoned professional to go over the basics. This is a book I'd highly recommend. * Marian Carr *This is a new edition of the old classic 'Coloured Pencil Techniques' with a brand new cover. It covers everything you need to know about using coloured pencils. From techniques, themes and ample examples from professional artists, you'll discover the many ways of using this medium. Techniques are explained with step-by-step visual demonstrations. Essential reading for artists wishing to master coloured pencil art. * YarnsandFabrics.co.uk *Anyone new to colour pencil will be nothing but impressed at the extensive range of materials that can be used with them along with the range of ideas and demonstrations given in this book. When beginning on any new journey or extending your knowledge, this book will guide you through. It is direct and easy to follow. I think it is important to read the first half of this book, to familiarize yourself with the different elements that colour pencil can achieve. If you are a beginner make sure you read the initial pages, so you understand that the type of pencil you use and the support it is on is of great importance. Also practise your blending (p.26). If you find the prospect of reading all the different ideas overwhelming, choose one and then experiment with it. Perhaps consider doing a colour chart with your pencils, layering colours ontop of one another to see what happens. The second half of the book then shows you the various subject matter, so you can see how these pencils work and what you can achieve. Colour pencils are one of my favourite materials, you can sketch loose and excitedly or you can produce a detailed piece of work. This book takes you on a colour pencil journey so you can see that you can produce the most beautiful works of art in pencil. * Carole Cawley *The pictures in this book made me stare. It was refreshing to have clear pictures showing so much detail and this applies for techniques, demonstrations and artist pictures. The book has given me ideas to use different coloured paper in the same picture for collage work, sketch using unusual colours and for line work. I liked the dialogue beside pictures by professional artists and the wide range of subjects and styles. Coloured pencils are accessible, convenient and easy to use. It is rewarding to see your art work improve and think this inspirational book will be a winner. * Moya tracey *What instantly strikes me about this book is how beautiful it is from front to back. It’s filled with inspirational and high quality printed photos of pencil colouring, plus absolutely jam-packed with tons of step by step guides on a multitude of techniques, which you can see for yourself on the contents page. The book is split into two main sections, “Techniques” and “Themes”. The “Techniques” section introduction contains a useful overview of extra materials that can be useful for coloured pencil work, such as blending sticks, craft knives, and masking tape, followed by guides on handling pencils and choosing paper types, all of which would be useful for beginners wondering where to start. This section also contains plenty of tutorials to use coloured pencils effectively in a range of manners, from commonly practiced methods like blending and hatching, to perhaps less tried techniques like stippling and burnishing. This is my favourite section of the book! Each tutorial is spread conveniently over one double page, so it can be easily referred to without having to flick back and forth. The book is perfect bound, but will lay flat with some pressing. The tutorials each offer an introduction to a colouring technique, a few examples of the technique and elaboration on how to create it, and lastly, in most cases, a beautiful final image that has been created using the technique. Some tutorials go over and above coloured pencil techniques, offering a more diverse range of possibilities, for example use of solvents for blending, and use of mixed media to create distinct work The “Themes” section comprises the latter half of the book. It’s essentially an art gallery in your hands, showcasing a range of coloured pencil art from a range of themes, from Light and Atmosphere, to Buildings, to Decorative Objects, to Nature. All artists whose images are used are credited by name, which means that whenever you find a piece of art you love (and you will in this title!) you can easily search the artists online to find more of their work. For each picture included, there is a step by step visual demonstration, a tip, or some snippet of information that sheds light on the artistic process that went into creating it. The range of artists, techniques, and subjects included makes this book a very well rounded and in depth introduction to coloured pencil techniques. I’d definitely recommend this to beginner colourists/artists and also to intermediate colourists/artists wanting to expand their knowledge base and try new techniques, mediums or subjects. http://blog.megcowley.com/2016/10/25/book-review-the-encyclopedia-of-coloured-pencil-techniques-video-walkthrough/ * Meg Cowley *The Encyclopedia of Coloured Pencil Techniques by Judy Martin lives up to its name. It is a comprehensive look at the various coloured pencil techniques and skills at an artist’s disposal and serves as a great teaching and reference book for both beginners and those who are more advanced alike. The Book is split into two halves – the first half is techniques and the second is themes. It covers a wide variety of techniques including how to handle pencils, using various types of paper, blending and shading, burnishing, overlaying colours, different ways of mark making such as hatching and pointillism, highlighting, eraser techniques, using solvents, frottage, masking, tracing, squaring up or down and fixing problems. the text is easy to follow and there are plenty of full colour illustrations of both finished artwork and in progress pictures to follow. The second part Themes is further split into Landscape and Townscape, Objects, Nature and People and Portraits. It then goes on to explore shapes and textures, light and atmosphere, groups of objects, table settings, fruit, full length portraits and expressions. If you are looking for a good text book that covers artistic techniques and talks about them from an artistic viewpoint this is a great book. * Creative Colouring With Hazel *This was originally published sufficiently long ago that I’ve never reviewed it here, so let’s have a go at it as a Search Press Classic. The Encyclopedia series, originated by the packager Quarto, was ground-breaking in its day. Innovation often looks stale after a few years, but this still has a vitality that won’t leave you feeling you’ve been left with cast-offs, and the information is still sound. Quarto productions are always design-led and usually work on a spread-by-spread basis, so you can open this more or less at random and find a topic covered as completely as it’s going to be – which is with surprising thoroughness, given the space allocated. Quarto are always good at conveying information efficiently. Information contained covers media, styles, subjects and techniques and there are plenty of illustrations to guide and inspire you. * www.artbookreview.net *Here's something a little different- it's not a colouring book but a coloured pencil bible! This expansive book tells you everything you need to know about coloured pencils in a clear and comprehensive manner, covering a range of techniques and approaches to get the best out of your colouring. Painter Judy Martin lives in Brighton and has written many art books since graduating from Reading University. This book showcases all the knowledge and expertise she has learned in her education and practice over the years, in a way that is accessible and approachable for beginners yet suitably elaborate and thorough for more intermediate artists. This encyclopedia features over 150 full-colour examples of artist's work which show as well as tell the reader which products to use and how to achieve skills. This book is suitable for both colourists and artists who draw & colour from scratch, and is in my opinion an invaluable resource for anyone who uses coloured pencils. I'd expect to pay around £25 for a textbook so exhaustive but surprisingly it's a little over £12 which is a bargain in my eyes! http://www.colourwithclaire.com/blog/the-encyclopedia-of-coloured-pencil-techniques * Colour with Claire *Firstly I must stress that this is a book for those who own the artist’s quality pencils rather than the cheaper alternatives. You can learn how to blend, shade, use with solvents, try out frottage and sgraffito and more but only if your pencils are capable of doing all of this. There is certainly room on the market for a book on how to get the best out of all the budget alternatives but until then the more serious colorist/artist can settle down with this classic. The book is in two halves, the first dealing with techniques and the second with themes. You can learn what you need to buy and the differences between the various types of pencils then get down to finding out what they are capable of. They are surprisingly versatile, and when used the right way can conjure up effects that are the equal of paint and have a special quality of their own too. Find out how they look on different types of paper, when used with other media and all the various effects they can do on their own. Brand names are not mentioned but any good art store or website will stock at least one. The themes section comprises of a gallery of all the many subjects you can choose to depict (from the actual physical world rather than fantasy) and each heading features artwork and descriptive captions explaining method. If you have a mental image of a typical colored pencil drawing think again, as the work here shows they can also resemble paint, ink, pastel or even photographs. This is not a book with staged projects – something else there is room for – but one that shows what you can do and explains how others have done it. I would recommend it for somebody who is either a colorist or an existing artist who wants to explore a new medium. * myshelf.com *

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Book SynopsisTake your art in a bold new direction—go gouache! In Creative Gouache, artist Ruth Wilshaw shares her step-by-step techniques for creating brilliantly vibrant effects with this easy-to-master medium, a perfect companion for transparent watercolor. In this comprehensive guide to gouache, you’ll: Get an overview of essential materials and surfaces. Learn basic handling and coloring-mixing techniques, including layering, creating blends, and adjusting opacity, plus troubleshooting tips for common challenges, such as dealing with shifts in color and value from wet to dry. Explore how to paint fun, simple motifs, flowers, butterflies, landscapes, and lettering. Discover fun gouache techniques, such as adding texture and painting gradients and blends. Learn how to incorporate other mediums with gouache, including paint pens, colored pencil, and watercolor. Use what you learn to create inspiring projects such as dimensional artwork, clay décor pieces, and cheerful banners. See what you can create with gorgeous, wall-to-wall color with Creative Gouache! Perfect for creative beginners, 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. Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES Types of gouache, paper, brushes, other materials, alternative surfaces, and protecting gouache 2 BASIC TECHNIQUES The unusual properties of gouache, layering, finding the perfect consistency, and blending 3 INSPIRED BY NATURE 4 LANDSCAPES 5 LETTERING 6 GOUACHE AND MIXED MEDIA 7 PROJECTS Bullet Journal Spread Wrapping Paper and Gift Tag Notebook Cover Leaf Triptych Night Garden Dimensional Painting Butterfly Case Campfire Panel Celebration Garland Painted Jewelry Dish TEMPLATES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR INDEX

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the best-selling art book, Pure Watercolour Painting and guest judge on Channel 5's Watercolour Challenge, Peter Cronin. Sketching is more than just drawing quickly. It is training your eye and hand to work together, to respond immediately and naturally to the scene before you. Starting from a clear, simple method to bring all the senses into play, successful author and acclaimed artist Peter Cronin shows the reader how to bring artistry and economy to their sketching; making for swift and impressive results. Whether sketching as the basis for painting, or simply for pleasure, this book teaches the reader all they need to know. Numerous simple step-by-step exercises as well as larger projects lead the complete beginner through the book, building towards more complex and rewarding artworks. The book teaches how to sketch with a range of media, starting from graphite pencil and including information and exercises on charcoal, pen and ink and others. In the best-selling Absolute Beginner series, this book is suitable for absolutely everybody who wants to take their sketching skills further and become an accomplished artist. Trade ReviewThis is one of the very best books on sketching I have seen. Starting from the basics, Peter introduces techniques, styles, subjects and media and the whole thing is as close to a complete course as you're likely to get. There's a very good chance you'll finish it and feel you don't need any further guides and are ready to strike out on your own. after a brief survey of materials and equipment and some thoughts on what to look for and how to see, you're straight into some reassuringly simple guidance that opens with How to Hold a Pencil and some simple scribbles. This quickly develops into line work and exercises in simple outlines based on real landscapes rather than asbtract shapes - in fact, if you fear pages of circles, rectangles and cones, you won't find them here, and hooray for that. As you progress, you'll be exploring pencil, ink, charcoal, watercolour and a refreshing amount of line & wash. You'll find subjects that include landscapes, buildings, trees, animals, boats and water, as well as different seasons and weather conditions. Techniques includes line work, shading and hatching, giving you an impressive armoury to work with. Everything is accompanied by examples, exercises and demonstrations and the book is every bit as practical as you could hope. The illustrations are clear and excellently reproduced and the while thing has an open and welcoming feel to it. -- Henry Malt * Paint SAA Magazine *Part of Search Press's best-selling Absolute Beginners series, Peter Cronin's Sketching for the Absolute Beginner shows you how to develop your sketching skills, from very first steps to accomplished drawings. Aimed at the complete beginner, Peter uses simple step-by-step exercises and larger projects in a range of media. * Leisure Painter *Peter Cronin tells us that he found drawing in “special” classes at school, having been diagnosed as dyslexic. For him, it was a release from the tyranny of the worded page and an introduction to a world that was all his. All of which is a roundabout way of saying that this book is, as much as anything else, a paean to the joy and freedom that Peter finds in working with drawing materials. Yes, it’s a book of instruction and, yes, it covers all the basic principles, but Peter also manages to convey throughout the joy he feels when working, and he’ll share it with you the reader. So, yes again, it’s a course, but it’s also a journey of discovery. Peter’s drawings are subtle and sensitive, and he works mostly with pencil but also pen & wash. With plenty of examples and short exercises, he introduces line, composition, perspective, form and hatching as well as ways to control the weight of the mark to create values, tone, and shading. There’s a huge amount to get to grips with here and this is a book that you can easily work through or just dip into for advice and inspiration. -- Henry Malt * Artbookreview.net *Although Peter Cronin starts from basics and includes plenty of demonstrations and explanations, this is one of the most complete surveys of drawing materials and practice I have seen. In many ways, it is the sheer clarity of the approach that makes the book so attractive. Within a deceptively simple exterior, there lies a wealth of practical, technical and creative information. Materials include pencil, charcoal, and ink as well as pen and wash and a dip into mixed media. Subjects range from landscapes and buildings to people, animals, boats and harbours. Peter also takes in rain, mist and sunshine as well as composition, hatching, recession and perspective in concise, simple sections that are easy to absorb. This is very much an overview, but all the better for that, as it never dwells too long on any area and carries the reader along, allowing them to work at a sensible pace. -- Henry Malt * The Artist *Table of ContentsIntroduction 6 Materials 8 The eye, the hand and the heart 18 Making a start 22 Farm in Sunlight – step-by-step 28 Seeing the world 30 Harbour Scene – step-by-step 46 S.E.T. in action 48 Churchyard Scene – step-by-step 56 Types of sketch 60 Beyond the pencil 64 Composition 84 Fixing the Farm – step-by-step 92 Handling complex subject matter 98 Boat Sheds – step-by-step 138 Afterword 142 Index 144

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Book SynopsisA bold new edition of the groundbreaking book by two of America's most prominent visual artists, James Gurney (Dinotopia, Color and Light), and Thomas Kinkade, freshly updated with a new introduction, archival photographs, and illuminating text to guide a new generation of illustrators. Since its release in 1982, The Artist’s Guide to Sketching has become a classic art guide for students and laypeople around the world. The book includes instruction and artwork by James Gurney and Thomas Kinkade—two students who would go on to fame with Dinotopia (Gurney) and as the “Painter of Light” (Kinkade). This new edition restores the classic text with updated visuals and a special section chronicling the book’s origins and the friendship, drawing on archives from Gurney and the Kinkade family estate. Chapters and topics include:  Chapter 1: THE EXPERIENCE OF SKETCHING (Coping with the Weather, Sketching at Night, Sitting or Standing?, Dealing with Curious Spectators, Being Inconspicuous, At Home Amid the Elements Chapter 2: MATERIALS (Sketchbooks, Pencils, Pens, Markers, Wash and Drybrush, Sketchboxes and Carrying Cases, Experiencing Your Materials) Chapter 3: ACHIEVING ACCURACY: (When to Use an Underdrawing, How Much Underdrawing is Necessary,  Establishing the Large Shapes, Measuring Lengths, Measuring Slopes, Using Perspective Guidelines, Constructing with Geometric Forms, Completed Underdrawing, The Final Execution) Chapter 4: CAPTURING MOTION (Freezing Motion: A New Way of Drawing, Learning to Observe Motion, Training Your Memory, Getting It Down Fast, The Scribble Approach, The Gestural Approach, The Mannikin Approach, The Tonal Mass Approach, When Your Subject Moves Unexpectedly, Places to Go for Motion Sketching) Chapter 5: CREATING MOOD (Choosing a Subject, Noting Impressions, Composing with Thumbnails, Selectivity, Center of Interest, Dramatic Opposition, Delicacy, Mystery, Structure and Expression) Chapter 6: USING IMAGINATION (Dare to be Creative, Being Imaginative On-the-Spot, Exaggeration, Changing Context and Scale, Using Anthropomorphism, Additions and Combinations, Feeding the Imagination, Becoming More Imaginative) Chapter 7: STUDYING NATURE (Nature: Your Personal Drawing Workshop, The Experience of Nature Sketching, Plants, Animals, Sketching at the Zoo, Natural History Museum, Clouds, Rocks and Landforms, The Benefits of Studying Nature) Chapter 8: SKETCHING PEOPLE (Finding Raw Material, Exaggerating Character Traits, The Cartoon Approach, Portraying People in Their Environment, Two Characters, Group Composition, The On-The-Spot Portrait, Making People Sketches Come Alive, Family and Friends: Your Free Models) Chapter 9: EXPLORING THE MAN-MADE WORLD (Begin with the Commonplace, Sketching the Home, Indicating Building Exteriors, Signs and Letterforms, A New Look at Machines, Using Clutter, On-The-Spot Spot Research, Using Written Notes, Thinking As a Documentary Artist, The Joy of Exploration) Chapter 10: SKETCHING IN YOUR LIFE (Keeping Specialized Sketchbooks, Developing Sketches into Paintings, Sharing Sketches With Others, Sketching Alone or With Others)  

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Book SynopsisAnyone with a little persistence and the desire can learn to draw well?this is the starting point of The Fundamentals of Drawing, a practical and comprehensive course for students of all abilities. Opportunities for practice and improvement are offered across a wide spectrum of subjects?still life, plants, landscapes, animals, figure drawing, and portraiture?and supported by the demonstration of a broad range of skills and techniques, including perspective and composition.

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Book SynopsisLearn to draw 28 adorable kawaii creatures using this simple step-by-step book. Kawaii artist Aria Wei teaches you to transform simple shapes into characterful kawaii animals, including a cat, bunny, hamster, owl and duck, plus several fantasy creatures, including a unicorn, dragon and phoenix. There are 28 different kawaii companions to create, in a variety of characterful poses. Each project starts with a few basic outlines and progresses into a finished drawing; a final coloured version shows you how to develop your artwork even further. Perfect for beginners, as well as budding artists, you’ll be amazed how easily you too can create a world of kawaii creatures with this inspiring guide. Table of ContentsUnicorn 5, Tiger 6, Rat 7, Phoenix 8, Penguin 9, Owl 10, Kitsune 11, Hamster with Nut 12, Peace Hamster 13, Frog 14, Duckling 15, Duck 16, Dragon 17, Dog with Collar 18, Waving Dog 19, Dog with Ball 20, Dinosaur 21, Crocodile 22, Chick 23, Bat Cat 24, Pumpkin Cat 25, Leaping Cat 26, Cactus Cat 27, Burger Bear 28, Cuddly Bunny 29, Bunny with Hat 30, Bird 31, Polar Bear 32

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Book SynopsisDiscover the ultimate collection of Ron Cobb's artwork from across his entire career (Alien, Star Wars, Back to the Future) in this comprehensive coffee table book. During his sixty-year career, Ron Cobb provided concept art for some of the biggest films in sci-fi cinema. From designing spaceships for Alien, Dark Star, and Firefly and Delorean from Back to the Future to character designs for Conan the Barbarian and creature concepts for Star Wars and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Ron has left a legacy of artwork behind to inspire future generations of concept artists. This beautiful coffee table book is full to the brim with Ron Cobb's artwork from throughout his career and includes exclusive insights from the talent he worked with along the way, including James Cameron, Joe Johnston, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and Nick Castle. Brought to you by Concept Art Association in collaboration with the Estate of Ron Cobb.

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Book SynopsisRETURN TO PLANET CUTE!!! Kawaii: How to Draw Really Cute Animals teaches you how to draw almost 100 different creatures in an adorable manner. Don't believe seagulls and stingrays can be cute? Think again! You don't need any specialist tools or materials to start drawing cute stuff: all you need is a biro or marker pen, then you're ready to go! In her latest book, artist and illustrator Angela Nguyen starts by teaching you the essential techniques of kawaii through quick and easy exercises on the basic shapes, effects and style. From there, jump straight into drawing the myriad beasts – small and big – you can find inside the book, from household pets to the exotic animals in the seas and skies. The clear and easy-to-follow step-by-step diagrams are great for visual learners, and make following the instructions for your kawaii critters a breeze. As a brand new addition to this series, interactive pages have been included to encourage you to get drawing straight away, and practice alongside Angela’s examples. A perfect book for beginners – add cute-appeal to your furry 'n' feathered companions in no time at all! Other title in the series is the incredibly popular Kawaii: How to Draw Really Cute Stuff Trade Review'Kawaii' is Japanese for cute, and here is the sequel to Kawaii: How To Draw Really Cute Stuff. In this book you can find out how to draw all kinds of animals in a cute manner and discover how to make your drawings look this way. You only need the minimum of drawing materials to draw anything in this book and you probably already own them. You also don’t need to be an artist as it is surprisingly simple to draw in this style; far more so than in the style associated with manga. The introduction explains quickly and simply with examples how to make your drawings look cute and appealing. The rest of the book contains the projects, which are divided into where the animals are found. There are pets and common wild animals, ones found in jungles, forest/grassland, water and on the farm. Choose from favourites like cats, dogs, penguins, owls and even dinosaurs or try a more unusual creature like a red panda, stingray, platypus or armadillo. Each animal is shown in several simple steps over two pages together with a fact about it and several poses to try. Unlike the first book this one is more of a workbook as the second page of each project has a drawing to finish and colour in yourself. This is a great way of practising and creating some scenes without having to wonder what to draw. Learn the cartoon shorthand of depicting moods, movement and more – it is surprisingly easy and fun, suitable for all ages and levels of art experience and rather addictive. It is also a great way of making original and personal greetings cards or any other decorative project and like its companion volume one for the keeper shelf. -- Rachel Hyde * myshelf.com *Table of ContentsEnter Planet Cute (Introduction) Chapter One: Getting Started Chapter Two: Close to Home - Learn to draw animals that we encounter every day in our immediate surroundings and homes Chapter Three: On the Farm - Get introduced to a whole barnyard of cute critters! Chapter Four: Forests and Grassland - From the bushlands of Australia to the foothills of the Andes, these animals can be found in forests and grasslands all over the world Chapter Five: Jungle and Safari - Meet the animals that inhabit our rainforests and the wilds of sub-Saharan Africa Chapter Six: On the Water - Discover how to draw a huge variety of water-based creatures, from deep-sea fish to coastal birds and aquatic mammals Index and Credits

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Book Synopsis642 drawing prompts with just as much clever, creative fun as the original bestselling 642 Things to Draw, but in miniature!

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Book SynopsisA selection of the most striking images taken from the bestselling 'Morphia' series have been gathered together along with a selection of coloured pieces to celebrate the talent of Kerby Rosanes and his fans.Containing a full-colour section displaying the most accomplished, completed artworks produced by Kerby’s fans, along with stylistic comments and opinions from Kerby. The beautiful artworks displayed in the colour section are also included in the black and white section of the book, so you can take inspiration from the colouristas and bring your own images to life.Trade ReviewA great collection of [Kerby Rosanes'] pieces to have * Colour with Claire Blog *Kerby's artwork is full of the weird and wonderful and although it can often be very tricky where to start, no matter what colour palette you choose, you're sure to create a masterpiece * Colouring in the Midst of Madness Blog *

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Book SynopsisLearn to create detailed, realistic portraits in graphite pencil from basic shapes. Successfully drawing the human face is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, artistic experiences. Faces & Features shows you how to capture the unique characteristics of the human face in graphite pencil, with tips on choosing materials, building with basic shapes, placing proportionate features, defining facial expression, and shading to develop form and realism. With a wealth of detailed step-by-step projects to both re-create and admire, Debra Kauffman Yaun teaches artists how to develop a portrait drawing to its fullest. She shares her personal methods for rendering the human face in all its expressiveness as she introduces tips and techniques for approaching babies, children, teenagers, and adults of all ages. This book includes in-depth information on specific facial features as well as detailed, step-by-step exercises that explore ways to develop complete portraits. And the wealth of beautiful, inspiring examples ensure that Faces & Features will be a welcome addition to any artist’s drawing reference library. Drawing faces can be a challenge, but with this step-by-step guide, you’ll be rendering realistic portraits in no time. The How to Draw & Paint series offers an easy-to-follow guide that introduces artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Faces & Features allows artists to develop their drawing skills, demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and shading techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for a realistic, completed drawing.

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Book SynopsisCharcoal drawing is timeless, stylish, atmospheric and arresting. In this easy-to-follow beginner's guide, readers are taken on a journey to explore the rich potential of monochrome using the medium of charcoal. Inexpensive and easy to source, charcoal is perfect for the beginner artist. To increase the variety of mark-making, or simply to make life easier, readers can choose to buy different types and sizes of charcoal, and tools such as blenders and brushes for different effects. This is all explained clearly so the reader can make informed choices. Following the section on tools and materials, the basic techniques are presented, showing how to exploit the medium to best effect. The fundamentals of drawing are also covered, including perspective, composition and observational drawing.

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Book SynopsisCapture the world as it lives and breathes in the pages of your sketchbook. Taria Dawson, creator of the popular blog Urban Sketching World, makes it easy to draw on location. Using the art form’s loose, colorful and spontaneous method, you’ll learn to create sentimental impressions of the places where you live and travel. And all with minimal supplies! Transform the everyday mundane into something magical as you work through focused lessons that build on each other to create full scenes of popular settings. Record your favourite dining experiences, covering everything from the restaurant’s atmosphere to your food’s mouthwatering textures. Chronicle the changing landscape of your home city as you illustrate the ornate architecture of old buildings next to budding skyscrapers. Or relax and unwind at the park as you practice introducing organic shapes and motion into your visual stories. Full of tips for drawing everything from simple road signs to iconic city skylines, this is the perfect guide to help you document all your sketchy adventures, no matter where you are or where you go.

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Book SynopsisThis extensive guide to figure drawing brings together seven books from the successful Art of Drawing series: Drawing Techniques, Heads and Faces, Sketching People, Understanding Human Form and Structure, The Nude, Drawing Hands and Feet and Clothing on Figures. This is an essential guide for anyone particularly interested in figure drawing, and includes in-depth studies of human anatomy by master artist Civardi. Civardi's technical advice and practical tips, accompanied by his own outstanding drawings, make this an invaluable resource for any portrait artist.Trade ReviewFantastic value for money. Giovanni always delivers with such detail and focus and offers tips and advice to achieve skill in drawing figures. A great resource for any artist with numerous examples of work. Includes anatomical drawing, form, hatching, proportion, structure, perspective, foreshortening, poses, drapery, parts of the body and step-by-step examples. The format is small, the type is small, everything is in black and white and the contents are superb. * YarnsandFabrics.co.uk *I’m not normally a fan of smaller-format bind-ups. The original books were the way they were for a reason and smaller pages and thick spines can make for difficult reading. All too often, they look like the sort of bumper value nonsense someone else would buy for you and which just sits on the shelf taking up space. So, it’s a pleasure to be able to welcome this one. The Giovanni Civardi drawing books are a valuable resource, and there are a lot of them. This compilation includes seven, which would cost you the wrong side of sixty quid to buy individually. £12.99 for a bulk deal is a real bargain, especially as the result is actually usable. I’d like to say that Search Press have taken my previous criticisms of this kind of thing on board, but it’s probably more to do with the happenstance of production. What seems to have happened is that thinner paper and cover card have been used, meaning that the book falls open easily and isn’t too heavy to hold. It’ll even, more or less, lay flat by itself without breaking the spine. The smaller format also adds to the manageability: 440 A4 pages would make for a coffee table book, which this emphatically isn’t. So, what do you get? Well, not Giovanni’s complete output, for sure. However, the selection is nicely thought-out and makes for a book that lives up to its own billing of being the complete guide. Drawing Techniques is a useful introduction. Further chapters are Understanding Human Form & Structure, The Nude, Sketching People, Heads & Faces, Drawing Hands & Feet and Clothing on Figures. It’s worth a complete list to show just how nicely this progresses. If you haven’t already got an extensive collection of the separate volumes, and you’re looking for a good primer on figure drawing, buy this. It’s very reasonably priced and so practical as to be ridiculously good value. * Artbookreview.net *Wow, what more can I say? This is the definitive guide to have with you at all times, regardless of what level you are at in your life drawing/figure drawing career. With hundreds of fantastic images by the artist, illustrating each point he makes-and rather excitingly I thought, there's a complete anatomical drawing section at the beginning of the book-detailing skeletal structure, muscule striations and even naming the areas and showing their thickness beneath the skin! As a former scientist and current art student, I found this blend of anatomy and drawing techniques to be incredibl pleasing. I've only had this book a few days but I have a feeling that I will be using this book again and again throughout my artistic life. I was impressed overall by the reader friendly writing, and the advice given throughout-I could hear my tutors at uni speaking as I read the words '' Get into the habit of always carring a pencil and small sketchbook around". I would recommend this book to other students and artists and anone who has an interest in form or anatomy. * Rachel Kelly * can honestly say, hand on heart, that this is one of the best, if not THE best book, I have ever read on figure drawing. I have just begun a fine art degree, and a big part of the course is figure drawing. Our tutors recommended some books for us to look up, but none of them were as good as this. This book is truly fascinating, it starts with the skeleton, and builds layer upon layer. It covers everything from the skeleton, to muscles, balance, hands and feet, it also has a section on heads and faces and the clothed figure too. With 100`s of illustrations, this book is cram packed with everything you need to know about drawing the human figure. There is a large section on drawing materials, and the different marks you can make using different mediums. This book is very informative, and very easy to understand. I would highly recommend it to anyone. * Sharon Douglas *Table of ContentsDrawing Techniques: Pencil, Charcoal and Ink Understanding Human Form and Structure The Nude: Understanding the elements of life drawing Sketching People: Faces and figures Heads and Faces with character and expression Drawing Hands & Feet: Form, proportions, gestures and actions Clothing on Figures: How to draw folds, fabrics and drapery

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Book SynopsisJake Spicer wants you to learn how to draw. This is his complete course in drawing, suitable for complete beginners as well as experienced artists, and designed to help you fit drawing into your lifestyle. Tried-and-tested exercises, ranging from five-minute sketches to dedicated sessions of an hour or longer, cover every subject and location you could wish for, while accessibly written drawing theory helps you relate the technical concepts to your practice, helping you to hone your craft. Whatever your goals are, expert art tutor Jake Spicer gives you the inspiration and encouragement to draw more - and keep improving.

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Book SynopsisWith Salvador Dalí as its figurehead, the great ship of Surrealism traversed the turbulent seas of the early 20th century with sails billowing with dreams and desires. Inspired by the psychoanalytical practice of Sigmund Freud, the Surrealists championed the unconscious as the domain of truth, uninhibited by the standards or expectations of society. With techniques ranging from hypnotism to nocturnal walks to automatic writing, the likes of André Breton, Max Ernst, Brassaï, and Meret Oppenheim produced paintings, drawings, texts, and films in which they sought to excavate their most intimate and primal instincts. The results abound with sexual fantasies, with mysterious, menacing creatures, and with the juxtaposition of seemingly contradictory objects or ideas. This book introduces the origins and the sensational legacy of the Surrealist movement, one of the most profound and enduring influences on film, theater, literature, art, and thought. Featured artists: Hans Arp, André Breton, Giorgio de Chirico, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, Alberto Giacometti, Paul Klee, René Magritte, André Masson, Matta, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Meret Oppenheim, Yves Tanguy

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