Discover the creative processes and intriguing inspirations behind the work of leading fantasy artist John Howe - conceptual designer on The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy - in this comprehensive practical art book. Brings together Fantasy Art Workshop and Fantasy Drawing Workshop into a combined volume, fully updated and with new art. Examines in fascinating detail over 150 of the artist's outstanding sketches, drawings and paintings, plus the techniques and stories behind each. Leads you step-by-step through a range of specially commissioned drawing and painting demonstrations that reveal John's renowned artistic approach in action. Discusses the rewarding journey into fantasy art, from the first steps of building a compelling portfolio to book illustration, graphic novels and the big screen. This book will appeal to artists and fans of John Howe's work by leading you step-by-step through a range of specially commissioned demonstrations, sketches and finished paintings, some designed specifically for this book, that reveal John's renowned artistic approach in action, plus the techniques and stories behind each. It covers a wide range of subjects, beginning with the creative process, exploring where inspiration comes from, looking at narratives and themes, gathering reference materials, organizing your working environment, and protecting and storing artwork. Howe covers drawing materials and explores drawing and painting fantasy beings from initial inspiration and approaches to characters, symbolism and accoutrements. He begins by showing how to create different types of male and female archetypes, humans in action, armour and weapons, faces, expressions and hands, hair and costumes, and goes on to explain how to create different types of fantasy beasts: talons, wings, fangs and fire, and noble animals, interspersed throughout with exciting case studies. The book also explores fantasy landscapes and architecture and balancing light and dark atmospheres. The final section of the book provides further inspiration and guidance on presenting work in various forms, including film work, book covers and advertising, all areas John Howe has vast experience in. The foreword is written by groundbreaking film director Terry Gilliam, with an afterword by Alan Lee, John's partner on the conceptual design for The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and Oscar-winning illustrator.

This volume brings together performance texts from nine productions by the experimental theatre company Lightwork and one playtext from Lightwork's precursor company Academy Productions, presented between 1997 and 2011. Lightwork specialized in collaboratively created and multimedia performance. The company also experimented with several performance forms that emerged at the turn of the twenty-first century, including verbatim and site-specific approaches. Because of this, the texts cover a range of forms and formats - scripted plays such as Here's What I Did With My Body One Day by Dan Rebellato and Blavatsky by Clare Bayley; multimedia adaptations of classical myths such as Back At You (based on the story of Echo and Narcissus) and Once I was Dead (based on the story of Daedalus and Icarus); site-specific experiments such as The Good Actor, which took place in various spaces across Hoxton Hall, a Victorian theatre in London's East End; and the use of verbatim witness testimony from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, War Crimes section in Sarajevo Story. The defining aspect of the Lightwork aesthetic is that multimedia and scenographic experimentation does not come at the expense of the mainstays of dramatic theatre: character, story and emotional resonance. What lies at the heart of the Lightwork shows you will encounter here are human-scale stories: relationships between lovers or family members, confrontations with the past (both as personal and as cultural history) and, in many cases, matters of life or death that entail wrestling with causality, consequence and fate. The twelve-year span covered by this work reflects a period in British performance practice when the interrelation of page and stage, process and production, text and 'non-text', were being radically rethought. In the collaborative and processual theatre making that Lightwork exemplifies, the text may be one element among many and is more likely to be the outcome of the process than its precursor. How do such playtexts (or performance texts) differ from those that are conceived and scripted by a single desk-based playwright in advance of the rehearsal? What gaps are left when the work of many hands is channelled through the pen (or keyboard) of one among them? The texts featured in this volume represent a number of answers to these questions about the nature of writing for the stage. The performance texts are each preceded (and sometime followed) by short essays written by some of the many people who have been involved in productions by Lightwork, including established academics and theatre practitioners: David Annen, Clare Bayley, Gregg Fisher, Sarah Gorman, Andy Lavender, Aneta Mancewicz, Bella Merlin, Alex Mermikides, Jo Parker, Dan Rebellato, and Ayse Tashkiran. Their contributions reflect the collaborative nature of the company and the respect that it accorded the various disciplinary perspectives that make up a theatre company. There are sections on scenography, sound design and technical operation, as well as on those crafts that might more usually draw attention: directing, writing and acting. These contributions offer an insight into the collaborative, multi-layered and sometimes messy business of their creation from an individual maker's or spectator's point of view. This book will be invaluable for those who are making, studying or researching performance in the twenty-first century, and an essential resource for the rehearsal room. Primary readership will include researchers, educators, students and practitioners interested in creative practice, theatre-making, integrated design and performance, and contemporary theatre. It will be an important resource for those on theatre and performance courses at all levels, as well as acting, theatre and performance design, dramaturgy and direction courses, creative writing courses and media arts programmes. It will have appeal for general readers interested in new texts and processes in theatre and performance, and individual texts are likely to be of interest to specialist researchers working in related fields - for example performance and the occult (Blavatsky), performance and conflict (Sarajevo Story).

The whys and hows of the various aspects of landscape painting: angles and consequent values, aerial and linear perspective, painting of trees, emotional properties of line and mass in composition, light, unity of tone, plus information on canvas, palette, brushes and other materials and techniques. 34 reproductions of paintings by John Carlson. 58 explanatory diagrams. Index.

This inspiring sketchbook is part of the new "20 Ways "series from Quarry Books, designed to offer artists, designers, and doodlers a fun and sophisticated collection of illustration fun. Each spread features 20 inspiring illustrated examples of 45 themes-cat, giraffe, seal, elephant, whale and much, much more-over 900 drawings, with blank space for you to draw your take on" 20 Ways to Draw a Cat."This is not a step-by-step technique book--rather, the stylized animals are simplified, modernized, and reduced to the most basic elements, showing you how simple abstract shapes and forms meld to create the building blocks of any item that you want to draw. Each of the 20 interpretations provides a different, interesting approach to drawing a single item, providing loads of inspiration for your own drawing. Presented in the author's uniquely creative style, this engaging and motivational practice book provides a new take on the world of sketching, doodling, and designing.

This compilation of lessons brings together the simplest characters from the' Master Guide to Drawing Anime' series for beginning anime artists. Readers will learn how to use simple templates to draw the head from different angles, bodies of characters from different age groups and authentic anime hairstyles and fashions. Next, they'll see, step by step, how to draw dozens of the most popular character types and the emotions and attitudes that make them compelling.

Learn dynamic sketching and watercolor techniques for creating cityscapes, landscapes, figures and faces, still lifes, and more, enhancing the story you want to tell with form, line, and color. Discover incredible methods and tips for creating dramatic street scenes and vivid landscapes, and capturing dynamic figures and graphic architectural details. Artist Alex Hillkurtz-a top Hollywood storyboard artist, international workshop instructor, and Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society-presents fundamental concepts of sketching with pencil and pen for a number of popular genres. Discover simple ways to jot down spontaneous ideas in pencil, capture rough details in ink, and add watercolor for extra depth and interest. Make sketching more enjoyable by adopting innovative techniques that will make a difference in your practice, and your artwork. No matter your experience or skill level, you'll benefit from learning: Compositions that draw the eye How to avoid common sketching mistakes Ways to create light and shadow to define shapes and add interest Successful ways to use negative space The importance of perspective in creating depth Easy color washes that create drama Get started today, and fill your sketchbooks with unique drawings and paintings you will be proud of. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.

Learn how to draw your favorite feathered friends! *Named One of the 54 Best Colored Pencil Drawing Books of All Time by BookAuthority* Drawing Cute Birds in Colored Pencil offers simple step-by-step drawing instructions that help you to learn how to draw your favorite birds. Adorable birds like robins, owls, penguins, and bluebirds come alive with vibrant color and beautiful detail on the paper, thanks to the how-to guide in this clever book. Sharpen your best colored pencils because you'll be using them to add loads of colored feathers, little beaks, and fine details in your drawings. Before you know it, you'll be surrounded by a wide array of beautiful feathered friends. Make learning to draw easy-and make all your drawings cute-with the Drawing Cute series from Quarry Books.

Selecting perfect colour combinations has never been easier! By popular demand, Joen Wolfrom has designed a durable, colour-accurate, double-sided, multi-purpose colour wheel that is perfectly sized for use in your studio, workroom, office, or sewing room. It's easily transportable! One side of the wheel features 24 pure colours with 4 essential colour-plan wheels for each colour. The opposite side shows a range of each pure colour's tints, shades, and tones. Pure-colour wedges are slotted so you can audition colours (fabrics, paint swatches, etc.) alongside them to ensure a perfect match.

Fine Art Screenprinting explains the thrilling process of pushing ink through a mesh to produce large areas of vibrant colour. With step-by-step examples, it explains the many and varied ways of creating your designs as prints. It also encourages you to experiment, to achieve exciting and unexpected results. Written for beginners and enthusiasts, it will inspire and stretch artists to try new techniques and ideas. This new book covers the equipment and materials found in the printmaking studio and explains the screenprinting process and how to use positives with photo-sensitive emulsion. There is advice on printing techniques such as making prints from paper stencils and mono-printing and it also gives full guidance on screenprinting kits for use at home.

An exciting new approach to flower painting with step-by-step demonstrations for creating contemporary flower portraits and landscapes that are truly unique.This is more than a 'how-to' on flower painting. It is a guide encouraging artists to explore new and exciting ways to create flower paintings bursting with individuality and moving towards a contemporary and impressionist style.Mixed-media artist Soraya French, well known for her gloriously vibrant flower paintings, shares the secrets of her work, with expert advice on all aspects of this endlessly rewarding subject. The book covers: *Colours, shapes, patterns and textures particular to various flowers through the seasons, from fresh green foliage in the spring to rich red and gold hues in the autumn. *How to incorporate flowers in both still life and landscape paintings, pictured in woodlands, seascapes, meadows and hedgerows as well as vases. *How to assemble the perfect palette for flower painting and how to mix vibrant secondary colours, subtle tints and natural greens. *The huge range of painting materials available today, from traditional watercolour to vividly coloured wax pastels to innovative textural mediums such as crackle paste and glass bead gel. *The secrets of good composition and how to lead the eye around a painting, giving a sense of rhythm and movement while maintaining unity and harmony.Packed with exciting new ideas and illustrated with stunning examples of Soraya's own work, this book will take your flower painting to a new level and help you find your unique visual voice.

""Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw with some degree of proficiency," Bert Dodson proclaims."

In this book he shares a complete drawing system that you can use for any subject or type of drawing-even if you doubt your ability to draw. It's based on fifty-five "keys to drawing," which are introduced at a comfortable pace. The keys are interspersed with dozens of practice exercises that help you learn by doing.

You'll learn how to: Restate, focus, map and intensify.Free your hand action, and then learn to control it.Convey the illusions of light, depth and texture.Stimulate your imagination through "creative play"

Claire Waite Brown provides all the key techniques such as mixing, blending, scumbling, sgraffito, hatching, and feathering in over 100 visual sequences. There is advice on composing your painting, using colour, adding highlights and shadows and creating textured effects. The step-by-step demonstrations range from landscapes and flowers to portraits and still life. You'll find plenty to inspire you with this captivating medium with beautiful examples in full-colour photography.

A stunningly illustrated, project-based book on drawing and painting for the beginner. Divided into three sections: drawing, watercolour, and oil painting, it includes more than 30 original projects for you to try, such as a vase of flowers in pencils, a stormy scene using watercolours, and a Tuscan terrace in oils. It presents practical and easy-to-follow text with over 475 step-by-step photographs clearly showing the creation of each picture.

This is a hands-on guide to learning to draw in perspective. It is partly about learning to draw a set of straight lines that meet at a point. And it's partly about learning to look at what is around you, and spot where those invisible straight lines might be located. It's a book for anyone who wants to draw or paint-in any genre and in any medium. And it's not weighed down with theory - although everything you will need to know is explained. Most of all, it gives you exercises to play with. You can put your observational skills to the test with the "image quiz" features-where you take a pen and draw in all the vanishing points onto the book itself. Or use the special "perspective chambers" to draw objects onto an existing scene, keeping it all in the right perspective: think of it as a kind of 3D doodling. By the time you get to the end of the book, you will understand how perspective works and be able to apply it intuitively without a ruler or drafting table. The whole concept will feel like a sixth sense. And you can get on with being creative. There is also a 30-page workbook to put your skills to the test!

These 90 magnificent designs--from elaborately detailed elephants to skulls, dragons, and eagles--just beg to be colored in. Use them for meditative downtime . . . or to inspire a real tattoo!

Clay-sculpting royalty 'The Shiflett Brothers' offer unique insight into their practices and the techniques used to create their stunning fantasy characters. Learning from the biggest and best creators in any industry is a rare and sought after opportunity. In this book, clay-sculpting royalty "The Shiflett Brothers" guide us through their creative journey as well as sharing in-depth insight into the processes they use to create their dynamic and captivating fantasy sculpts. Joined by fellow esteemed sculptors Simon Lee, Aris Kolokontes, and Forest Rogers, the Shifletts bring together a collection of visually led step-by-step tutorials that are sure to broaden your creative horizons and add an expansive set of practical skills to your sculpting arsenal. With studio-quality photography and a how-to section on creating the Shiflett's very own tools, this book is a prize possession for any member of the brothers' huge and loyal fan base and as an exhilarating follow-on from the popular Beginner's Guide to Sculpting Characters in Clay.