The humble sketch is the foundation of great art, where thoughts and concepts first come to life as an image-but rarely are sketches celebrated like they deserve to be for their power to explore, inspire, and entertain. In Sketching from the Imagination: Sci-fi, a selection of fifty talented traditional and digital artists, ranging from industry legends to talented up-and-comers, have been chosen to share their sketches and reveal the ideas, inspirations, and techniques behind their creative processes. Continuing the high-quality format of 3dtotal Publishing's previous successes, Sketching from the Imagination: An Insight into Creative Drawing and Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy, this new title is dedicated to fantasy's sibling genre, sci-fi, in all its forms. From doodles of robots and aliens to concept designs for spaceships and speculative life-forms, including rendered drawings of invented worlds, Sketching from the Imagination: Sci-fi presents a handpicked collection of the best sketches and drawings by sci-fi artists from across the globe-each with their own unique style and approach to the genre. Each artist presents an impressive showcase of images from their sketchbooks, accompanied by their own enlightening commentary, and page upon page of useful tips, techniques, creative insights, and invaluable advice for getting your ideas out of your brain and onto the page. Sketching from the Imagination: Sci-fi is not only a must-have resource for any concept designer's shelf, but a stunning compilation of drawings that will delight sci-fi fans and any admirer of beautiful artwork.

The possibilities for creation are endless with 3D printing, sculpting, scanning, and milling, and new opportunities are popping up faster than artists can keep up with them. 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft takes the mystery out of these exciting new processes by demonstrating how to navigate their digital components and showing their real world applications. Artists will learn to incorporate these new technologies into their studio work and see their creations come to life in a physical form never before possible. Featuring a primer on 3D basics for beginners,interviews, tutorials, and artwork from over 80 artists, intellectual property rights information, and a comprehensive companion website, this book is your field guide to exploring the exhilarating new world of 3D. Follow step-by-step photos and tutorials outlining the techniques, methodologies, and finished products of master artists who have employed 3D technology in new and inventive ways Learn how to enlarge, reduce, and repurpose existing artwork and create virtual pieces in physical forms through a variety of mediums Research your options with an accessible list of pros and cons of the various software, 3D printers, scanners, milling machines, and vendors that provide services in 3D technology Listen to podcasts with the artists and learn more tips and tricks through the book's website at www.digitalsculpting.net

Both experienced and aspiring artists can benefit from this practical instruction book, which shows how to portray rustic settings from rural England to the American Southwest. More than 400 detailed illustrations trace the steps from composition drawings to final sketches. Author Frank J. Lohan introduces his guide:
Artist and author Eric Sloane (1905-85) portrayed bygone rural America and its tools, structures, and way of life. He shared his honest appraisals and overwhelming affection for our rural heritage in more than 20 books and thousands of drawings and paintings.
Some of the things he wrote about still exist, although each year sees the further decay and destruction of many such relics. Since my teen years, I've enjoyed drawing the textures of old barns and farm buildings and their settings in the landscape. I know I'm not alone in this delight, so the primary purpose of this book is to show "how" to draw such subjects (including artifacts from other countries).Many historic outdoor museums maintain early buildings -- Williamsburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are just two -- where you can still see and feel and savor things of the past.

A companion volume to Lessons in Classical Drawing that breaks down the foundational skills and techniques of painting in a format that is accessible and manageable for all readers. With the same direct, easy-to-follow approach of Juliette Aristides's previous books, Lessons in Classical Painting presents aspiring artists with the fundamental skills and tools needed to master painting in the atelier style. With more than 15 years of experience in ateliers and as an art instructor, Aristides pairs personal examples and insights with theory, assignments and demonstrations for readers, discussions of technical issues and inspirational quotes. After taking a bird's eye look at painting as a whole, Aristides breaks down painting into big-picture topics like grisaille, temperature, colour and composition, demonstrating how these key subjects can be applied by all painters.

As major universities and professional organizations like the Poynter Institute have begun to examine graphic nonfiction from a critical perspective, new courses are emerging that give student writers and artists the tools to tell their own nonfiction stories in comics form. Nonfiction Comics is the first textbook to bring these tools and techniques together in a single volume. Most novices who first attempt the form arrive at it from a background of journalism or art, meaning they arrive with at least one deficit in the required skill set. Journalists, for example, typically have had little training in illustration. Artists and designers may not know how to conduct interviews or to avoid the potential legal pitfalls of telling the personal stories of real people. This book aims to fill in the gaps providing student journalists, artists, designers, creative writers, web producers and others the tools they need to tell stories visually and graphically.

Based on the authors' popular team-taught nonfiction comics course, Nonfiction Comics teaches readers how to create a graphic nonfiction story from start to finish, providing guidance on:

• how to find the story and how to find and utilize appropriate facts and visuals;
• nonfiction narrative techniques
• artist's tools and techniques
• print, digital, and multimedia production
• legal and ethical considerations

Interviews with well-known nonfiction comics creators--showcased in the book and on the book's companion website--will discuss best practice and offer readers inspiration to begin creating their own work.

With Watercolor the Easy Way, your watercoloring creativity is about to be released!

Quickly learn the fundamentals of color mixing, brushstrokes, and more. Then move right ahead to success, thanks to a selection of 50 stunning pictures to paint. Best of all, the projects can be completed in 30 minutes! From beautiful botanicals and fabulous florals to animals and trendy designs, the projects are approachable and fun, and there's something for every style.

Each of the 50 simple tutorials is broken down into key steps so you can clearly see how to begin your painting, layer color, and add detail. Also included are hand-drawn patterns you can trace onto your watercolor pad, brush recommendations, helpful tips, and color palettes to try. The lessons here introduce you to the magic of watercolor, spark your creativity, and provide you with a place to explore and discover your inner artist.

Notebooks made for creatives by creatives. Introducing the Go-To Notebook: the only notebook you'll ever need. When Chronicle Books and Mohawk teamed up to create their ideal notebook, the Go-To was born, made with the highest quality of materials and designed with productivity in mind. Features include: * Superfine paper by Mohawk-the finest printing paper made today, milled in the USA for more than 80 years * Project planning/tracking pages, as well as dotted or lined pages * A pocket for storage * A silk ribbon marker * Lay-flat binding * Tactile cloth case The Go-To is the ultimate notebook for getting things done, and is sure to help makers, thinkers, and dreamers do their best work.

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.

Whether your character is jumping for joy or grappling with an opponent, this book provides all the essential techniques to draw more lifelike action figures in the classic Japanese manga style. The comprehensive introduction first shows the reader the physical anatomy of male vs. female figures and gives important tips on proportions, perspective and small but often-overlooked details such as the relative differences between male and female hands, fingers and feet. Five subsequent chapters cover over 40 action poses in the following categories: Chapter 1: Action (e.g. running and jumping) Chapter 2: Martial Arts (e.g. punching and kicking) Chapter 3: Interacting (e.g. judo holds and high fives) Chapter 4: Weapons (e.g. swords and knives) Chapter 5: Reacting (e.g. dodging a punch or taking a punch) Each pose and movement is illustrated with a rough sketch outline followed by a highlighted manga drawing containing detailed annotations by the author. After studying the sketches, you practice the drawing techniques in a tracing section at the end of each chapter. Each chapter also provides professional tips on the use of color and shading for greater realism. Special sections contain information and tips on particular topics of interest, such as how to draw clothes, hair and facial expressions or how to create special effects. At the end of the book, an actual 6-page comic strip gives readers the opportunity to practice what they have learned by filling in the missing elements.

Beautiful results every time when you follow the color-coded pattern! ColorMaps activity books are the hot new way to enjoy adult coloring without the mental stress and strain of selecting colors and deciding where to put them. With the ColorMaps series, you will create beautiful masterpieces in only three steps: 1) pick a design, 2) match your pencils, 3) follow the map to fill-in with color. It's that easy! ; A totally new concept in adult coloring! ; No more stressing and straining over selecting colors and deciding where to put them! ; Color-coded patterns make filling in the pages easy and stress-free. ; Color swatches for every pattern.; 60 patterns to color inside the book. ; Deluxe format! Full flaps on front and back with easy tear-out pages. ; Full-sized colored examples provided for every pattern! Unlike traditional "by-number" products, the ColorMaps series features coordinated colored lines and numbered patterns to help you create with ease. No more guessing, squinting and stressing. And, the best part? No more ugly black numbers and lines showing through to the finished art! Each ColorMaps activity book is printed on high-quality art paper and is presented in a deluxe padfolio format! From flowers and butterflies to happy words-and-phrases, the designs are fresh, modern, and easy to color.

Be inspired by this fun compilation sketchbook of four favorite volumes from Quarry Books' 20 Ways series! Designed to offer artists, designers, and doodlers a fun and sophisticated collection of illustration fun, each spread features 20 inspiring illustrated examples of 135 themes, over 3600 drawings total! From trees and flowers to animals and sea creatures and everything in between. Don't worry, there's tons of room for you to draw your own versions of these amazing doodles right on the pages. This is not a step-by-step technique book - within the pages you'll find drawings simplified, modernized, and reduced to the most basic elements, showing you how simple abstract shapes and forms 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. These four artists each have a uniquely creative style, resulting in an engaging and motivational practice book that provides a new take on the world of sketching, doodling, and designing.

This first-ever portrait of Linda Berger's work invites you to discover the artist's detailed drawings, especially her latest graphic works and exhibitions. Thematically and visually, the book reveals Berger's artistic concepts and the processes of creating her drawings. In addition to numerous, mostly large-format illustrations - drawings, spatial interventions, and views of the most important exhibitions - the texts by renowned authors and experts on Berger's oeuvre contribute to the understanding and mediation of her art. This book connects artistic work and design in a special way: Its graphic concept vividly renders the intensity of the artist's drawing process and the unusually large dimensions in which she worked comprehensible.

Giles Knox examines how El Greco, Velaizquez, and Rembrandt, though a disparate group of artists, were connected by a new self-consciousness with respect to artistic tradition. In particular, Knox considers the relationship of these artists to the art of Renaissance Italy, and sets aside nationalist art histories in order to see the period as one of fruitful exchange. Across Europe during the seventeenth century, artists read Italian-inspired writings on art and these texts informed how they contemplated their practice. Knox demonstrates how these three artists engaged dynamically with these writings, incorporating or rejecting the theoretical premises to which they were exposed. Additionally, this study significantly expands our understanding of how paintings can activate the sense of touch. Knox discusses how Velaizquez and Rembrandt, though in quite different ways, sought to conjure for viewers thoughts about touching that resonated directly with the subject matter they depicted.

This book is a mosaic or quilt of folk art around the world, from polychrome clay figures made in Izucar de Matamoros, Puebla (Mexico) to the baskets Maori women create in New Zealand, from Japanese lacquer work and decorated paddles to black dolls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The creative impulse found in three continents, four countries, and four geographical regions are juxtaposed to make up a harmonious whole. The book carries out a detailed dissection of a variety of ethnic, racialized, and gender representations in their contemporary forms.

During the latter half of the eighteenth century, especially the period around and just after the French Revolution, what was happening in France in the field of painting restoration influenced all of Europe. In 1750, the museum in the Luxembourg Palace in Paris was opened to the public, and it became necessary to display to the public paintings which had been in storage for years. In the following decades, King Louis XVI and his advisor, the Comte d'Angiviller, developed and enlarged the national collection of paintings. And with this came the need for painting restorers doing quality work - more than just the quick repairs as done by painters in the past - and several full-time painting restorers were employed. By the time the museum in the Louvre was opened to the public in 1793, in the midst of the French Revolution, the profession had been established. During the latter half of the eighteenth century, painting restoration techniques improved and French restorers began to travel to England and to other European countries more frequently, spreading their practical knowledge - especially about the lining and transfer of paintings. In Paris, a national concours was prepared to choose the most capable from a growing group of candidates, and in 1802 plans were drafted for a school of restoration. In this book, the lives and careers of several of the more well-documented painting restorers for the French Royal Collection are traced one-by-one - including as much as possible about their restoration techniques.

Dealing with forces is part of the basic inventory of artistic processes. In giving shape and movement to material, such forces are manifested in a specific form; as push and pull, for example, as heaviness and lightness, but also as attachment and dissolution. The articles in the book examine notions of formative and motive forces using examples from art, music, dance, theater, photography and literature. The questions posed not only cover how historical notions of force (such as energeia and vis from ancient rhetoric) are adopted, taken further, and correlated with mechanically, metaphysically and organologically based concepts of force, but also how, in the examination of form and movement, the inherent concepts of force are manifested or presented in a new light.

Secrets to Painting Beautiful Landscapes Painting the landscape can be fun and rewarding--if you make the right decisions as you paint. After all, it is the artist's greatest challenge to somehow capture a sense of it all--the grandness, the majesty, the splendor of nature--with just a few strokes of paint on a canvas. Popular art instructor Johannes Vloothuis makes the process a whole lot easier with the essential techniques, key concepts and expert advice he shares in this book. Learn straightforward strategies to make your paintings more interesting and dramatic, such as simplifying the foreground, composing with abstract shapes and harmonizing colors. Discover speci?c techniques for painting landscape elements including mountains, water, foliage, snow and more. 9 step-by-step demonstrations walk you through all the techniques necessary to create successful landscape paintings. Landscape Painting Essentials is packed with practical information. You'll make the critical shift from painting what you see to painting as an artist sees. You'll learn to strategically edit shapes, rearrange elements and enhance color. You'll gain a better understanding of what to include in your painting, what to change and what to leave out. Most importantly, you'll gain the skills necessary to turn nature's bounty of inspiration into original, stunning landscape paintings.

By the author of Foolproof Color Wheel Set, Katie Fowler shares how to plan and practise colour theory. Guided by her expert tips, your creative juices will flow as you develop a comprehensive understanding of colour theory and colour relationships by exploring hues, transparency, saturation, and more. So, go ahead, get colouring!

Beautiful results every time when you follow the color-coded pattern! ColorMaps activity books are the hot new way to enjoy adult coloring without the mental stress and strain of selecting colors and deciding where to put them. With the ColorMaps series, you will create beautiful masterpieces in only three steps: 1) pick a design, 2) match your pencils, 3) follow the map to fill-in with color. It's that easy! ; A totally new concept in adult coloring! ; No more stressing and straining over selecting colors and deciding where to put them! ; Color-coded patterns make filling in the pages easy and stress-free. ; Color swatches for every pattern.; 60 patterns to color inside the book. ; Deluxe format! Full flaps on front and back with easy tear-out pages. ; Full-sized colored examples provided for every pattern! Unlike traditional "by-number" products, the ColorMaps series features coordinated colored lines and numbered patterns to help you create with ease. No more guessing, squinting and stressing. And, the best part? No more ugly black numbers and lines showing through to the finished art! Each ColorMaps activity book is printed on high-quality art paper and is presented in a deluxe padfolio format! From flowers and butterflies to happy words-and-phrases, the designs are fresh, modern, and easy to color. Map your way to relaxation, enjoyment, and creative satisfaction with the new ColorMaps activity series from Better Day Books!