Capture your subjects on paper like never before. Look Closer, Draw Better will transform the way you see the subjects of your artwork, lighting the way with practical techniques in a range of mediums. Are you looking to make a leap in the quality of your artwork? Are you looking for new perspectives on the art of drawing? Or maybe you want to bring more poetry and presence to your work. Look Closer, Draw Better will help you reach your goals with projects that explore graphite, charcoal, ink, and watercolor wash, emphasizing techniques that Kateri Ewing has refined over years of practice and teaching. Ewing teaches by training your eye to see subjects clearly in contour, line, and shadow, while you learn to make marks with tools that are expressive of what we really see. Her focus is on nature-birds, flowers, and plants that can be closely observed. Discover the techniques for capturing the delicacy of feathers, the natural blemishes on a piece of fruit, the veins and velvety texture of a leaf-all the tiny details that enhance the realistic quality of a drawing. Ewing takes you carefully through every step. Let Look Closer, Draw Better inspire and transform your artistic eye.

Get nose to bloom with one of the most beloved subjects of painters for generations of artists with Expressive Flower Painting and master pedals, stems, colors, and more. It's almost always one of the first things someone tries to paint--center, petals, stem, voila! Expressive Flower Painting's exercises have a loose, free, contemporary style the likes of which you'd see in galleries, in shops, and even on clothing and home design goods. It's not intimidating, and yet the paintings are colorful, immediate, and joyful and speak to the artist's desire to play, be loose, and to create freely. Lynn Whipple paints wildly and in small to large formats with a combination of acrylic paint, charcoal, and colorful soft pastel. Expressive Flower Painting presents a range of creative painting exercises that help readers develop vibrant nature paintings. This exciting book is an in-depth expansion of Lynn's class called Big Bold Bloom Wild Painting, with additional content. Expressive Flower Painting covers mark making, layering techniques, how to do "spin drawings," color methods, painted backgrounds, working from life, and how to successfully combine a wide variety of media for the maximum effect.

Draw Like an Artist: 100 Flowers and Plants is a must-have visual reference for student artists, botanical illustrators, urban sketchers, and anyone seeking to improve their realistic drawing skills. This comprehensive book features 600-plus step-by-step sketches depicting a vast array of beautiful botanicals, florals, plant structures, and more. Each begins with simple shapes and lines and builds on those forms, adding details like flower centers, leaf veins, and petal shading, and ending with a finished drawing. Helpful drawing tips are also included. Designed as a contemporary guidebook for artists who want to draw botanical forms, Draw Like an Artist: 100 Flowers and Plants shows flower blossoms, leaves, and plants from a variety of perspectives. By following the guides, artists will become more skilled and confident in their ability to draw any flower or greenery. Among the botanicals featured are: Tropical florals such as plumeria, protea, and African violet Hanging and vine blooms, including wisteria and morning glory Birch, white oak, gingko, and maple leaves Plants with interesting shapes, such as cactus, zebra grass, and bamboo Author Melissa Washburn is a skilled illustrator whose clear and elegant drawing style will make this a go-to sourcebook for years to come. The books in the Draw Like an Artist series are richly visual references for learning how to draw classic subjects realistically through hundreds of step-by-step images created by expert artists and illustrators.

A Beginner's Guide to Chinese Brush Painting teaches this ancient art form in an easy-to-understand way--no prior experience necessary! As one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world, Chinese brush painting has been used for thousands of years to create images that harness the imagination, and capture the inner spirit of a subject--be it an animal, landscape or tree. All you need for this simple, but beautiful, art form is black watercolor paint, white paper, a brush and some creativity! An introduction tells you about the history of brush painting, and also gives tips for holding your brush, achieving different shades and collecting your materials. After that, the book takes you step-by-step through more than 35 hands-on activities--including basic strokes, putting them together to create an object or scene, the importance of leaving open space and even writing some Chinese calligraphy. With the help of this book, artists of all ages can learn to paint: Bamboo stalks, branches and leaf clusters A knotted pine tree and its delicate needles A snail with a spiral shell and little body peeking out from underneath A waterfall gliding down the side of a mountain And much more! You'll find that this activity will help you learn to center your mind and thoughts, and your masterpieces will be inspiring decorations or great gifts for friends and family. Get started learning this "soft martial art!"

50 of Donna's favorite projects in one gorgeous book

Donna Dewberry flowers are beautiful to behold, and they are beautifully simple to create. You can achieve the same loveliness using her easy-to-master One-Stroke painting techniques. Inside, you'll see how--step by simple step. Pages are abloom with Donna's favorite flowers (soon to be your favorites, too ), fabulous landscapes, and garden projects to make your outside space a happier place.

An intro chapter covers all the basics, from selecting your tools and loading your brush, to fundamental brushstrokes, palette knife painting techniques, and instructions for painting a variety of beautiful backgrounds. Then follow along step by step to create:

• 38 flowers--cottage garden blooms, spring bulb flowers, wildflowers, herbs, exotics, floral motifs and more.
• 7 beautiful outdoor projects, including an address sign, a trio of butterfly houses, and a patio clock.
• 5 fast and fabulous landscapes, from wildflower fields to a tropical paradise.

Assembled from three of Donna's top-selling books, this collection has everything you need to fill your every day with painted sunshine

Featuring over 100 images, including step-by-step examples illustrating how to improve costume renderings. This is an invaluable resource for students in Costume Rendering and Costume Design courses, along with professional costume designers looking to improve their rendering skills. Written to complement any rendering style.

Perfect for kids and crafters, this fun guide will teach you how to paint flowers, cottages, houses, and towns on stones! New painters wanted! No experience necessary! With Lin Wellford's instruction, thousands have discovered the thrill of turning rocks into works of art. Her bestselling books have helped to awaken interest in modern rock painting. It's the perfect hobby-fast, fun, and inexpensive. Rock Painting Flowers, Cottages, Houses, and Towns offers a variety of easy projects designed to introduce basic painting techniques yet still appeal to seasoned painters. Learn to paint your favorite scenery elements, including: Daisies Tulips Petunias Daffodils Pansies Mums Wreaths of Roses Flower Baskets Cottages A-Frames Chalets Gnome Homes Barns Country Church Small Town Shops Farmhouses Produce Markets Colonial Style Buildings Tudor-Style Homes Victorian Mansions Rock Villages With tips on proper proportion and perspective, these projects will brighten any home or garden. Grab a brush, find a stone, and get ready to rock! Experience the magic of this fun and exciting art activity.

In The Urban Sketching Handbook: Drawing Expressive People, urban sketcher and workshop instructor Roisin Cure shows how to make your figures more than just anonymous bystanders by sharing the basics of drawing people on the go as well as how to successfully render poses, faces, and expressions. Following an essential section on proportion, you'll find tips, tricks, and examples for surmounting the intimidating prospect of capturing ever-shifting subjects, plus techniques for portraying poses accurately and distilling details that convey personality and emotion, whether individually, in small groups, or in crowds. Bring figures and people to life on the page and tell an authentic visual story with The Urban Sketching Handbook: Drawing Expressive People. The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers location artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format-perfect to toss in your backpack or artist's tote.

Discover a world filled with vibrant color and creative possibilities as you explore an array of painting, drawing, printing, and lettering techniques and styles using vivid colors of artist's ink. In Brilliant Inks, artist, illustrator, and top Skillshare teacher Anna Sokolova shares her own unique methods that get the most out of this versatile medium. With her guidance, create beginner-friendly florals and foliage, animals, still lifes, figures and portraits, and hand lettering. Learn about the various types of inks and the best tools and surfaces to use with them. Then, try basic techniques such as color mixing, creating visual texture, negative painting, and splattering. Work with a variety of brushes, dip pens, and droppers to get different looks, and see how adding common household supplies such as salt and bleach can create the most amazing effects. Use these methods in lessons designed to improve skills and boost confidence. Be inspired to make projects such as a bracelet, paper art dolls, a tote bag, and a decorated book. Full instructions and templates make projects fun and stress free. This incredible material offers so much that's waiting to be discovered: Vivid monotypes made in minutes using a combination of painting and printmaking methods Custom palettes created with unique blended colors Watercolor-like translucent washes and opaque silhouettes Techniques for creating beautiful motifs using simple brushstrokes and patterns. Begin your colorful journey today with Brilliant Inks and see how far your creativity can go! 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.

The unparalleled competition showcase for outstanding acrylic artists!

There's an old saying among artists that "value does all the work, while color gets all the credit." AcrylicWorks 5 gives value its due, showing how--in the hands of today's top artists--it brings drama to everyday subjects, conveys emotion and commands the eye.

The 5th competition book in the AcrylicWorks series, this volume delivers another bold and breathtaking show of the best in contemporary acrylic painting, selected from an international call for entries. A rousing blend of instruction and inspiration, these pages feature:

- 127 stunning acrylic and mixed-media paintings by 100+ accomplished artists

- Fascinating insights from the artists themselves, revealing the hows and whys behind each piece

- Focus on the power of value--creative solutions, effective approaches and bold techniques

- A rich variety of subjects--from still life and abstracts to people, animals and landscapes--portrayed in an equally glorious range of styles

A treat for artists and art lovers alike, AcrylicWorks 5 invites you to study these modern-day masterpieces, analyze them...or simply sit back and wonder at their incredible skill and artistry.

Bestselling author and drawing master Catherine V. Holmes distills a lifetime of drawing knowledge into 101 easy-to-grasp tips for artists who want to improve their drawing. Artist extraordinaire Catherine V. Holmes has written numerous successful step-by-step drawing books.101 Drawing Secrets takes a different spin on the traditional how-to-draw book. Busy artists who are short on time or just want to learn something new easily can dip into the book at any point and pick up a tip or trick they can immediately apply to their own artwork. From quick written tips, to illustrated examples, to simple step-by-step tutorials, the tips provide valuable insight into drawing for anyone wanting to take their art to the next level. Tips include: Draw from different points of view; Draw what you see, not what you think, by drawing upside down; Use a grid system to improve accuracy; Look at negative space to check accuracy; Break the subject down into simple shapes; Sketch daily to improve more quickly; Create an eye-catching focal point; Draw on unusual surfaces; Convert your reference image to black and white to simplify; Draw with one continuous line to strengthen your brain, eye, and hand coordination; Develop your signature style; Draw more realistic teeth; Focus on the process, not the product; Avoid smudging that can ruin your drawings; Crop your artwork to create a more compelling piece.

In The Urban Sketching Handbook: Techniques for Beginners, artist and Urban Sketcher correspondent Suhita Shirodkar shares essential skills for sketching architecture, people, and everyday objects on location. You'll learn the basics of value, color mixing, and perspective through helpful studies and exercises, whether at home, in studio, and on location. The Urban Sketching Handbook: Techniques for Beginners is perfect for anyone who's just getting started in this fascinating art form, or who wants to develop their observational and drawing aptitude by reinforcing basic concepts. TheUrban Sketching Handbook series offers location artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format-perfect to toss in your backpack or artist's tote.

Self-portraiture shows no sign of losing its ability to capture the public imagination. Given our current proclivity to snap and share 'selfies' in seconds, it is unsurprising to find a renewed interest in the genre among general audiences and students. Self-portraits have the power to illuminate a range of universal concerns, from identity, purpose and authenticity, to frailty, futility and mortality. In this volume, curator Natalie Rudd expertly casts fresh light on the self-portrait and its international appeal, exploring the historical contexts within which self-portraits have proliferated and considering the meanings they hold today. With commentaries on works by artists ranging from Jan van Eyck and Artemisia Gentileschi to Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Jenny Saville, the book explores the emotive and expressive potential of self-portraiture, and its capacities to distance or to demystify. Can self-portraits offer windows into artistic process? Is there ever a singular identity to be captured? Is it necessary for a self-portrait to depict the human form? In her vibrant and timely discussion, Rudd dissects these and other important questions, revealing the shifting faces of individuality and selfhood in an age where we are interrogating notions of personal identity more than ever before. With 97 illustrations in colour

Beneath the original Venetian glass and rosewood case at La Specola in Florence lies Clemente Susini's Anatomical Venus (c. 1790), a perfect object whose luxuriously bizarre existence challenges belief. It - or, better, she - was conceived of as a means to teach human anatomy without need for constant dissection, which was messy, ethically fraught and subject to quick decay. This life-sized wax woman is adorned with glass eyes and human hair and can be dismembered into dozens of parts revealing, at the final remove, a beatific foetus curled in her womb. Sister models soon appeared throughout Europe, where they not only instructed the specialist students, but also delighted the general public. Deftly crafted dissectable female wax models and slashed beauties of the world's anatomy museums and fairgrounds of the 18th and 19th centuries take centre stage in this disquieting volume. Since their creation in late 18th-century Florence, these wax women have seduced, intrigued and amazed. Today, they also confound, troubling the edges of our neat categorical divides: life and death, science and art, body and soul, effigy and pedagogy, spectacle and education, kitsch and art. Incisive commentary and captivating imagery reveal the evolution of these enigmatic sculptures from wax effigy to fetish figure and the embodiment of the uncanny.

Learn to draw any animal and turn it into a sweet, delightful creature that always inspires a smile. You Can Draw Cute Animals features easy techniques for turning up the charm on 30 animals that run, fly, swim, slither, and waddle. Discover how to create sparkling eyes, blushing cheeks, joyful smiles, and button noses, transforming even the most ferocious beasts into delightful, appealing characters. This comprehensive guide to understanding the secrets of cute begins with basic drawing techniques and exercises and a rundown of what factors make things adorable. Yasmina Mattson of Yasmina Creates (Instagram: @yasminacreates) has devised a unique, easy, three-step drawing method that includes observation, simplification and exaggeration using simple shapes, and refining and adding details. Those techniques are incorporated in creating a diverse array of animals, including a panda, monkey, kangaroo, tiger, cat, goat, hedgehog, owl, crow, fox, deer, snail, butterfly, seal, duck, flamingo, and more. Even complete beginners will feel confident in their skills to draw any animal in a cute style. Explore ways to add vivid color with watercolor, pencils, and markers, to add even more personality and style. Play and experiment for a creatively satisfying experience. You Can Draw Cute Animals also features: An exploration of basic supplies and techniques Ideas and examples for fun variations Tips for adding accessories and backgrounds to create complete scenes Techniques for drawing animals in a variety of expressive poses Start creating your own menagerie of delightful creatures today!

'The hardest part of being creative lies in simply deciding to do so. And, after you've done that, Roya's astonishingly useful book is a great place to begin.' Seth Godin, author of The Practice How to Be a Creative Thinker is a map to your creative mind, the places your creative potential resides, and the allies and enemies along the way. It's a practical guide to the science and the psychology of creativity and the conditions required for cultivating it. We think creativity is for those lucky enough to be born with it - something you either have or you don't. But this is untrue. Creativity is more than God-given talent, and it's more than artistic flair. It's the ability to come up with a new idea in any area or setting. And most importantly, it can be learned by anyone. In How to Be a Creative Thinker, professional creative and strategic designer Roya Azadi teaches you techniques to encourage creative thinking and shows how you can unlock your creative potential. She reveals that technology is inhibiting our ability to daydream and explains why this headspace is so important if you want to 'catch a live one'. You'll learn to not fear failure by understanding that it's actually fertile ground for creativity. Throughout the book there are interviews, quotes, explainers and activities to inspire creative thought along the way. By the end of the book, you'll be bubbling with creative force to take out into the world and make real change. The Survive the Modern World series tackles big subjects in a fun and digestible way. The tone is frank and chatty, but the content is comprehensive. Upskill and expand your knowledge with these accessible pocket guides.

Focusing on the dramatic character friendships (and sometimes rivalries) that are central to any manga narrative, Best Friends Forever teaches readers how to draw characters at slumber parties, school, and parties together, as well as combining character types that complement each other. After an introduction to these elements, readers will have a chance to follow along Hart's in-depth step-by-steps, and will even be invited to draw on their own, right in the book's pages.

Believe in magic, trust your intuition and find your individual artistic style! In this book, you're the storyteller and the artist and you're on a quest to bring the soulful characters, mythical creatures and magical landscapes of your imagination to life through mixed-media art. You'll tap into your creative voice to fuse together lush dreamscapes, imaginary characters and found objects to build enchanting scenes, whimsical figures and expressive faces out of layers of acrylic, collage, watercolor and more. Learn the techniques necessary to create one-of-a-kind mixed-media masterpieces. On your journey, you'll discover: Five skills to uncover your unique creative voice. A magical drawing method. Easily find your characters' bodies and faces hidden in random shapes on painted backgrounds; it's like seeing animals in the clouds. Imaginative warm-up exercises. Learn tips for creating a character reference library, secrets for drawing unusual faces, how to develop a color palette and advice on how to play with proportion, light and shading. More than 30 exciting mixed-media projects using watercolor, vintage photographs, gouache, pencil, fabric, ink and much more to bring your imaginary characters to life on everything from woodblocks and paintings to fabric collages and paper dolls. How to paint without a plan. Trust your intuition to create something out of nothing. Inspirational quotes about creativity from famous artists and thinkers. Embrace your curiosity and see what happens!

Award-winning artist Harriet de Winton shows you how to create contemporary watercolour artworks to treasure and share. Through more than 30 step-by-step projects, discover how to paint individual flowers and foliage, as well as beautiful botanical compositions. Use your new skills to make art for your wall, unique cards, invitations, or simply paint for pleasure.

Babies bring their parents a tremendous amount of joy... and sometimes a little bit of stress. WELCOME TO BABY LAND to the rescue! This coloring book will relax and entertain new and expectant parents as they navigate the always exciting, sometimes stressful months from birth through babyhood. Tiny shoes, cozy onesies, patterned swaddle blankets and colorful rattles-this book has it all! WELCOME TO BABY LAND is the perfect de-stress activity for new and expecting parents and makes a wonderful gift for baby showers, or for anyone who just loves babies! So next time you drop the pacifier or can't figure out why your baby is crying, take a deep breath, grab your pens and pencils, and color your way to calm.

For beginners up, everything you need to know. Includes 28 teaching videos to view online. This combined book and video-guide to drawing manga will allow artists of ANY ability to master this hugely popular drawing style. The 256 page book is packed with step-by-step tutorials on every aspect of manga drawing, basing the instructions around traditional sketching and colouring techniques, and including digital tools for rendering and finishing artwork. The author is highly accomplished professional artist Sonia Leong, who is also creating 28 two-minute video demonstrations designed to link specifically to the content of this book. These video clips are hosted online, and accessed from the book's pages using QR codes (or URLs), making this one of the most user-friendly manga tutor books on the market. Readers will learn how to build up characters from basic shapes and measurements, get the anatomy and poses absolutely right, add crucial design elements to enhance drawings and stories, render artwork in different styles and mediums (including digital), and even start to create comic pages and sequences- for publication in print or online.

The secrets and techniques of shoujo manga, the popular style of Japanese animation that is based on stories related to peer pressure, friendship, and romance, are revealed in a guide that includes information on the unique stylistic characteristics of the style and tips on drawing different character types.