A concise and accessible introduction to throwing, with step-by-step instructions and tips. Throwing is an important skill for any potter to master, using only a few tools, the guidance of their hands, and the momentum of a wheel. This book is an essential companion for anyone attempting to master the art of forming pots on the wheel. Having spent his life making pots and teaching others to make them, Richard Phethean describes essential techniques for working on the wheel with an eye for the practical. Learn about a range of forms, from simple domestic pots such as mugs, jugs, bowls and teapots to more complex vessels with oval shapes or cut edges, with the aim of building your confidence in throwing techniques. The book features clearly illustrated step-by-step instructions and diagrams for creating each type of vessel. Finally, get some inspiration from the work of contemporary potters discussing their techniques and featuring some of their stunning pieces.

Featuring exquisite photos of more than 800 contemporary and historic works, this first-of-its-kind book reveals how the process of casting-pouring material into a mold-has transformed our world through its history and omnipresence. In these image-rich pages, craft, fine art, design, and everyday objects offer us perspectives on casting's unique possibilities, its place in history, and its role in contemporary object creation. Comprehensive and insightful, the book includes writings on casting as it relates to Art History (by Suzanne Ramljak), Large-Scale Metal (by Joseph Becherer), Ceramics (by Ezra Shales), Glass (by Susie J. Silbert), Jewelry (by Jen Townsend), and Alternative Materials (by Elaine A. King). A multi-disciplinary approach-including everything from traditional lost wax casting in non-ferrous metals to casting rubber, glass, porcelain, plaster, and some very unexpected materials-makes this an essential resource for artists, craftspeople, historians, designers, and everyone interested in the objects that populate our world.

Impressionism, an art movement pioneered by a handful of avant-garde painters based in Paris in the 1870s, gave academic oil painting a vivacity and spontaneity it had previously lacked, and remains to this day the single most popular style of art for gallery-goers and amateur painters alike. This elegantly-written book, by a professional artist and scholar, is both an instructional guide to incorporating Impressionist techniques into your own painting, and an illuminating investigation into how those first Impressionists actually painted their pictures. As such, it will fascinate both the painter and the art historian. This new book provides detailed advice on paints, brushes and canvas, as used by the original Impressionists and still widely available today. It discusses the process of making an Impressionist painting from initial vision to final completion and analyses the role of composition, light and tone, colour and paint handling. Finally, it gives an overview of the subject matter most closely associated with the Impressionists.

Art has always been inspired by the wildlife around us. Since earliest times we have been continually fascinated by both wildlife and the challenge of representing it. This book sets the scene of how wildlife has been portrayed in art and guides the reader through the principles of practical drawing and painting wildlife. It covers recommended equipment, techniques, fieldcraft, composition and anatomy, and offers help for those wishing to exhibit their work.

Create your own chibi world with fun and adorable step-by-step drawing exercises, including over 60 fantasy creatures and characters featuring different accessories, clothing, facial expressions, and poses. These fantasy creatures and animals will make you squeal with delight! Chibi is Japanese slang for "short," and the characters in Cute Chibi Mythical Beasts & Magical Monsters live up to this description with their cute roly-poly bodies that make them extremely lovable and huggable. Phoebe Im, creator of Bobblejot, has a cute and easy drawing style that is made accessible through this how-to book for artists of all levels. Cute Chibi Mythical Beasts & Magical Monsters features easy-to-follow instructions to help you enjoy the world of chibi, incorporating dynamic expressions and poses to challenge your skills. Along with the step-by-step instructions, there are inspiration pages with fun accessories and clothing, facial expressions, and different poses as well as a digital workshop to guide you on how to make quick drawings on your phone or tablet. Learn how to draw these fantasy creatures in cute chibi style: Gnome Troll Mermaid Fairy Golem Cyclops Big Foot Unicorn Dragons (various species) Vampire Zombie Chimera Pegasus Phoenix Loch Ness Monster Griffon Cerberus Sphinx Werewolf Practice and expand your drawing skills as you create adorable chibi beasts and creatures with this fun and accessible book.

There’s no doubt about it: whether you’re a newbie or a dab hand, drawing can often be daunting. That’s why cartoons are the best place to start! From the co-creator of the best-selling Hirameki: Draw What You See comes a stylish yet playful approach to drawing cartoons, designed to excite even the most tentative artists. Over several decades teaching in schools and art colleges, Austrian cartoonist Peng has developed expert knowledge of the building blocks of drawing and sketching. As he shows, creativity can come from anywhere. Entire sketches can spring up from the simplest lines or curves. Even found objects can spark brilliance – who knows, maybe a stone or leaf could provide the next flash of inspiration!

Peng’s easy-to-follow guide inspires confidence and creativity by showing how even complete novices can quickly learn how to draw characters and develop their own individual style. Starting with the basics of figure construction and moving through to expression, movement and animals, the artist conjures up delightful cartoons with wicked humour and a lightness of touch. Simple tips and exercises reveal how anyone and everyone can master the art of drawing, encouraging the reader to experiment with a variety of techniques executed through brush, pencil and pen. Don’t be afraid of drawing, concludes Peng, in this enjoyable and addictive starter book – you make the rules.

Videogames are firmly enmeshed in modern culture. Acknowledging the increasing cultural impact of this rapidly changing industry on artistic and creative practices, "Videogames and Art" features in-depth essays that offer an unparalleled overview of the field.
Together, the contributions position videogame art as an interdisciplinary mix of digital technologies and the traditional art forms. Of particular interest in this volume are machinima, game console artwork, politically oriented videogame art, and the production of digital art. This new and revised edition features an extended critical introduction from the editors and updated interviews with the foremost artists in the field. Rounding out the book is a critique of the commercial videogame industry comprising essays on the current quality and originality of videogames.

With this high-quality sketchbook, experienced and aspiring manga artists can take what they've learned about drawing manga and create their own manga graphic novels. The opening pages of this sketchbook include information on filling the panels, creating drama with angles, using speech balloons, and creating special effects. After that, the book is divided into six sections, each with a cover template and blank, black-framed panels that allow artists to create different manga stories from start to finish. The possibilities are endless!

In Cute Chibi Animals, popular Instagram artist Phoebe Im (@bobblejot) teaches you the art of chibi, step by adorable step. Learn how to master this popular anime and manga drawing style with this book that focuses on drawing 75 animals, including an anteater, chinchilla, manatee, dolphin, sloth, axolotl, pangolin, owl, narwhal, and much more. Chibi is Japanese slang for "short," and the characters in Cute Chibi Animals live up to this description with their cute roly-poly bodies that make them extremely lovable and huggable. Learn how to draw adorable: Mammals Birds Fish Reptiles Amphibians Along with the step-by-step tutorials, Phoebe shares her tips and tricks for drawing the animals with either pen and pencil or digitally; coloring, shading, and highlighting your characters; and giving them accessories for added cuteness. There are also coloring pages in the back of the book for some extra fun. So, get out your drawing supplies and start creating your animal kingdom!

Mastering Silhouettes explains all the techniques for creating both modern and period-style silhouette portraits, drawing on traditional approaches some of which date as far back as the eighteenth century, along with advice on poses and materials. Throughout, special features on the work of notable silhouette artists provide inspiration for the projects that follow. The techniques used in antique silhouettes will appeal to those who love vintage style, while projects using mixed media collage and digital photography show how the art is relevant today. The book examines silhouette art for every occasion, teaches readers the skills to make silhouettes for themselves, and provides help for those who want to commission an artist to cut silhouettes for a special occasion such as a wedding, anniversary party, festival or corporate event.

This fourth book in the 'Kawaii' series is packed with adorable creatures from a range of cultures and mythologies. In the hands of author-teacher Angela Nguyen, even a three-headed dog is drawn in a style that will have any young artist cooing! This book teaches young readers what kawaii is all about and how to draw any mythical animal in an adorable style. There are clear step-by-step diagrams that are great for visual learners and make it super-easy to follow the instructions. The wonderful beasts are organized by the terrain in which they are found: air, water and land. There is also a section devoted to how young readers can create their own creatures: elephants with tiny wings, bunnies with unfeasibly large ears, and 'mash-ups' like giant bats. Angela has created 'feature spreads' showing imagined landscapes where some of these creatures might safely graze. Taking cuteness to the next level, this wonderful resource makes drawing instantly achievable and great fun!

Open this book as an absolute beginner, and come away as a proud portrait artist

Mark and Mary Willenbrink's"Absolute Beginner" books have helped thousands of novices tap into their inner artists. In this book, Mark and Mary help the beginning artist take on portraits, showing that absolutely anyone can draw faces. Their encouraging, easy-to-follow instruction style makes learning fun--you'll be amazed by how quickly you achieve impressive results.

You may be a beginner now, but not for long "Drawing Portraits for the Absolute Beginner" covers everything from warming up with sketches, and capturing facial expressions, to framing your finished work. Page by page, you'll build the skills and confidence you need to draw lifelike portraits of your friends and family.

What's Inside:

• A simple two-stage approach to drawing portraits: sketch a likeness, then build up values to bring it to life
• Step-by-step instruction for drawing eyes, noses, mouths, hairstyles, hands, glasses and other tricky elements
• 13 complete demonstrations featuring a range of ages and ethnicities
• Tips for evoking more personality in your portraits by using props, costumes and accessories

This beautifully illustrated book is the first practical step-by-step guide to using coloured pencils in botanical painting and is written by Ann Swan, one of the top exponents of the genre. Water-soluble and oil-based coloured pencils are becoming increasingly popular for botanical painting as they are easier to use than traditional watercolour and are more forgiving, yet they produce the same stunning effects. They are especially suitable for the accuracy needed to paint in the botanical style of illustration. In this book Ann Swan gives helpful advice on all aspects of working with coloured pencils, including the techniques you will have to master - underpainting, layering and burnishing. She also demontrates how to mix and build up colour, and how to add those finishing touches that will complete your painting successfully. Several full step-by-step demonstrations are included to show how these techniques are put into practice. The book concludes with a gallery of coloured pencil works by the author, students of botanical painting and other professional botanical painters, providing a wonderful source of reference and inspiration.