Books

Easy-to-follow instructions for drawing a variety of creatures, from an Eastern dragon to a hairy troll The ever-increasing popularity of mythological and fantasy creatures in film, graphic novels, and television creates high demand for instruction books on drawing these fantastic beasts. In this newest addition to our Collector's series, aspiring artists will find 144 pages of clear, step-by-step instructions for drawing everything from fire-breathing dragons to seven-headed monsters and magical fairies. Information on the origin and history of mythological creatures gives this book an extra-special appeal. The author's helpful tips on shading and drawing techniques show readers everything they need to know to create their own impressive beasts. Although there are fantasy-themed drawing books on the market, this book is unique because it features a wide range of fantasy subjects rather than focusing on only one type of creature (such as dragons or fairies). It also sets itself apart from similar books with its helpful information on combining graphite pencil with other media, such as charcoal and black watercolor paint or ink. In addition, this extraordinary book features dragons and other mythological creatures from around the world, including those originating in Egyptian, Irish, Norse, and Greek mythology-whereas most other fantasy books include generic, non-regional subjects.

Learn to draw a collection of cute critters and pampered pets! Featuring an array of adorable pets and majestic wildlife, this exceptional 144-page book offers simple, step-by-step instructions for creating dozens of incredibly lifelike animal drawings. Inside, five talented artists reveal their professional secrets for drawing all the features that are unique to our furry and feathered friends—from wet noses and expressive eyes to thick fur and delicate whiskers. The book opens with essential information about drawing tools and materials, followed by instruction on how to approach a drawing––such as building up forms with basic shapes, transferring a reference, and using a projected photo image. Then the authors demonstrate their unique approaches to drawing through an array of inspiring projects, guiding readers from initial sketches through the detailed shading process to the finishing touches. As readers progress from project to project, they will find a range of helpful topics, such as portraying accurate proportions, creating dynamic compositions, and using colored pencils. Packed with convincing illustrations and expert instruction, The Art of Drawing Animals is

In a world saturated by computer-generated fonts, more and more artists and crafters are turning to the organic art of hand lettering. The Art of Calligraphy & Lettering offers a broad scope of instruction, starting with basic calligraphic alphabets and moving to unique modern characters. Creative step-by-step demonstrations introduce readers to illumination and word painting while inspirational projects teach beginners how to incorporate their new skills into a variety of crafts. From adding decorative flourishes to guilding, this book covers it all!

With instructions and step-by-step projects for creating an array of portaits, this all-inclusive book covers everything about portraiture in the most popular drawing and painting media. Ideal for beginning artists who would like to experiment with different media, The Art of Drawing & Painting Portraits teaches the artist how to create beautiful and realistic portraits in pencil, pastel, watercolor, oil, and acrylic.

Whether you are an accomplished artist desiring to learn a new medium or a beginning artist simply wanting to play with this colorful art form, The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing features all of the basic information you need to get started in this versatile and approachable medium. From selecting and handling pencils and choosing paper and supports to understanding color theory, learning pencil strokes, and layering color to create depth and form, The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing is brimming with valuable instruction and helpful tips and techniques for mastering working with colored pencil. Discover uses for a variety of colored-pencil techniques, such as hatching, crosshatching, stippling, burnishing, and blending. Learn valuable tips and tricks for drawing from photographs, setting up balanced compositions, and working with light sources, as well as capturing the beauty of the natural world by creating realistic textures and expressing time of day and mood. In The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing, artists Cynthia Knox, Eileen Sorg, and Debra Kauffman Yaun share their expertise and artistic insights for working with colored pencil to achieve lifelike results through inspiring subject matter and step-by-step demonstrations of still lifes, pets, wildlife, birds, garden and tropical flowers, landscapes, foliage, and more. In-depth, easy-to-follow instructions show aspiring artists how to develop and improve their drawing skills, guiding them from simple sketches to final flourishes. Filled with gorgeous, colorful artwork, The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing is sure to be a valuable and welcome addition to any artist’s reference library.

Artist Toolbox: Color explains how color captures mood and helps communicate meaning, as well as how to use color to create personal, expressive works of art. In Artist Toolbox: Color, painters will learn how to create impactful work with an understanding of basic color theory. Topics include the color wheel, hue, saturation, value, temperature, relativity, color relationships, and color mixing. You will learn how color captures mood and to communicate meaning with nothing more than color as you create personal, expressive works of art. Step-by-step projects and accessible technique demonstrations show color theory in action, making this book a useful reference for any beginning artist's library. The Artist Toolbox series provides easy-to-use reference guides for beginning and aspiring artists. While many instructional art books gloss over important concepts, focusing instead on how to replicate a piece of art, the Artist Toolboxseries breaks down the whats, whens, whys, and hows of each relevant tool or technique, clearly demonstrating its purpose and how to employ it to achieve the desired effects.

'The popular Color Mixing Recipe Cards by William F. Powell has served as a handy reference of essential color combinations for almost 10 years. And now this collection of recipes is available in an updated, convenient format developed with your needs in mind! Conveniently packaged in a concealed wire-o-bound book that lies flat when opened, the recipe cards will always stay in order with no risk of getting lost. The book also includes a Color Mixing Grid—the perfect guide for accurately measuring paints. With mixing recipes for more than 450 color combinations, along with instruction in a variety of painting techniques, Color Mixing Recipes is a valuable and practical resource for both oil and acrylic artists

In the latest addition to the Color Mixing Recipes family of books, artist William F. Powell provides instruction on color mixing as it relates to landscape painting in oil and acrylic. Following the format of the other books in the series, Color Mixing Recipes for Landscapes offers a robust index of landscape subjects that correspond to the featured color mixing swatches. This useful book also discusses how color is influenced by the time of day, the angle of the sun, and changing seasons, making it a must-have in every oil and acrylic artist's reference library.

Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits features master mixes for an array of skin colors in oil, acrylic, and watercolor—plus recipes for hair, eye, and lip colors. The concealed wire-o bound book also includes a plastic color-mixing grid for measuring out paints, as well as a handy conversion chart for finding acrylic equivalents of oil paints and vice versa. With recipes for more than 500 color combinations, this comprehensive guide is your ultimate source for painting realistic skin, mouths, ears, noses, eyes, and hair.