Have you ever had a great idea but didn’t know where to start? The rules of creativity are simple. Founder and CEO of creative network Zealous, Guy Armitage shows you how to unlock your creative potential with seven easy steps. Everyone is born creative (have you ever met a child who wasn’t creative? Neither have we). Our experiences directly impact our ability to stoke our imaginations and let that creativity flow – and that is what this book aims to unlock. Part manifesto, part how-to guide, using humour and simple, playful prompts and exercises, Guy Armitage arms you with the tools you need to unleash your creative spark. From making space for creativity in your life to creating your own inspiration, and from planning your project efficiently to seeking proper feedback that will spur you on, Armitage addresses so many of the restraints that hold us all back in one way or another. Change is never easy (and if you want effective change, neither should it be) but the invaluable lessons found within will help enable you to rediscover your creative self. Whatever type of creative you are, this is the only book you’ll need to get started, stay motivated, keep your creativity flowing and make your ideas happen.

A step-by-step guide on how to create personal and contemporary linocut prints. A linocut is a relief print created by carving a design into a printing block. It is the uncut surface, not the carved away areas, that gives you your image when you roll it with ink, lay paper on top then apply pressure to produce a print. With 18 easy-to-follow projects that can be adapted to suit your own ideas, experienced printmaker Sam Marshall guides you through the whole process - from the drawing to the carving to the inking to the printing - of creating your own beautiful prints and handmade cards whether you are working from your kitchen table or a more advanced studio set-up. By taking inspiration from everyday life, Sam helps you to build your confidence with observational drawing. Featuring step-by-step projects, the book demonstrates a range of skills with low-cost materials to produce simple linocuts, reduction linocuts and colourful multi-block prints. You will also learn more experimental techniques such as combining monoprint, chine colle, jigsaw linocuts and rainbow rolls and pick up handy tips on subjects such as 'noise' and editioning your prints. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of Sam's own drawings and linocuts, and featuring the work of 5 talented printmakers, Linocut is an essential guide to linocut printmaking. Packed with creative and practical advice to guide and encourage you, whether you're just starting out, returning to the craft or looking to expand your printmaking skills.

By the end of the eighteenth century London was the second largest city in the world, its relentless growth fuelled by Britain's expanding empire. Before the age of photography, the most widely used means of creating a visual record of the changing capital was through engravings and drawings, and those that survive today are invaluable in showing us what the capital was like in the century leading up to the Industrial Revolution. This book contains over one hundred images of the Greater London area before 1800 from maps, drawings, manuscripts, printed books and engravings, all from the Gough Collection at the Bodleian Library. Examples are drawn from the present Greater London to contrast town and countryside at the time. Panoramas of the river Thames were popular illustrations of the day, and the extraordinarily detailed engravings made by the Buck brothers are reproduced here. The construction, and destruction, of landmark bridges across the river are also shown in contemporary engravings. Prints made of London before and after the Great Fire show how artists and engravers responded to contemporary events such as executions, riots, fires and even the effects of a tornado. They also recorded public spectacles, creating beautiful images of firework displays and frost fairs on the river Thames. This book presents rare material from the most extensive collection on British topography assembled in this period by a private collector, providing a fascinating insight into life in Georgian London.

Learn to draw the cutest kawaii pictures in easy-to-follow steps! Kawaii is a Japanese term that means adorable or cute. In drawing, it describes a simplified style with rounded shapes, representing characters, animals, food, or any object that has a cute, childlike look. In this fun and colourful book, young (and young-at-heart) artists can unlock the secrets of kawaii drawing, from getting the right proportions to creating personality with different facial expressions and adding depth with layers of colour. Once you've learned the basic tips of how to draw kawaii style, there are 80 step-by-step sequences showing you exactly how to draw a wide range of cute pictures, starting with simple shapes and progressing to add details and colours. At each step, the part to be traced is indicated in blue. The part drawn in the previous step appears in black, while dotted lines mean you have to erase these parts for the final drawing. Each sequence is entirely visual, with no complicated instructions to read, so it really is easy to create your own kawaii drawings straight away. All you need is paper and some pens! Split into 4 sweet sections, the tutorials cover food and drink, cats and kittens, unicorns and other adorable animals, and cute characters, with simple step-by-steps. This adorable value-packed book will provide hours of fun, creativity and, of course, cuteness!

Get lost in your creativity with 365 Days of Drawing, a thoughtful and inspiring art journal designed to help you carve out moments of self-expression. Lorna shows you that drawing does not have to be scary - it can be done with any materials, in any colour, in any style and can be done anywhere. Each activity has been given a loose category: imagination, tutorial, relaxation, colour theory and observational, so that you can practice a broad range of drawing skills. Each 'theme' is designed to expand your creative skills and spark the artist within. With helpful prompts and pages that encourage you to try new materials to draw with, 365 Days of Drawing is guaranteed to stir your imagination and put a little creativity into every single day.

From young love to heartbreak, the fourth book in Christopher Hart's bestselling Master Guide to Drawing Anime series focuses on the hugely popular Romance genre. The newest addition to Christopher Hart's bestselling Master Guide to Drawing Anime series takes on one of the most popular styles in Japanese cartoons: Romance. It provides an overview of romance subgenres and teaches every aspect of drawing anime romance, from common male and female character types to the dramatic--and funny--situations they find themselves in. Hart covers the complete arc of romantic anime stories--bliss, arguing, breaking up, and getting back together--and explains how to draw the anime head and body, match poses to the characters' personalities, craft emotional expressions, design standout features, draw couples that click, and create a romantic setting. Fans will welcome this deep dive into the genre, and newcomers will be drawn in by the dynamic artwork that is a hallmark of Christopher Hart's anime and manga titles.

"Charming book for creative types who find a blank page a little too overwhelming." - The Guardian "In her charming journal-cum sketchbook, Matilda Tristram inspires us to look at the everyday things in life in a new way. As well as encouraging us to explore the extraordinary in the ordinary, she also provides guidance, insights, tips and inspiration." - Flow Magazine "Whether you're on the train to work, in the park on your lunch break or people watching at your local coffee shop, Matilda's book will help you see the world through fresh eyes!" - The Big Draw. Explore the extraordinary in the simple and ordinary with with My Year in Small Drawings: a charming visual diary like no other! Learn to see everyday things in a new way by creating and collecting the small details around you. Build up dozens of dinky drawings, from tangles of cables, to window frames and tree buds, and notice the simple - and sometimes surprising - beauty of every day scenes and objects by drawing them. With 365 daily prompts and space to explore each, expert advice on how to simplify what you see; which pens and pencils to use; colour; and using perspective, plus suggestions for drawing every day of the year, this beautiful little book will help you embrace your creativity, and build up a unique and delightful collection of personal sketches for you to cherish, forever. Whether you're an experienced artist, someone looking to get back into sketching, or you can't draw at all, this book is for you! If you like this book, you might also be interested in I Can't Draw. . .

The definitive, comprehensive guide to botanical painting, covering basic botany, plant groups and a scientific approach to the subject. Drawing on her experience as a botanical art teacher, Christina Brodie takes you on a holistic approach to botanical art and expertly covers botanical terminology, drawing and painting techniques in a wide range of media, dissection and examination of plants, fieldwork studies, microscope work and tips on presentation. Through step-by-step projects and with clearly explained techniques, learn to draw and paint flowers, fruit, leaves, stems and roots, trees, fungi, ferns and horsetails, seaweeds and other algae, mosses and lichens with remarkable precision and stunning detail.

The must-have guide for all artists who draw the human figure!

This small, portable book presents a unique perspective on the human body for artists to study and implement in their drawing work. In this book, artist and teacher Michel Lauricella simplifies the human body into basic shapes and forms, offering profound insight for artists of all kinds, sparking the imagination and improving one’s observational abilities. Rather than going the traditional route of memorizing a repertoire of poses, Lauricella instead stresses learning this small collection of forms, which can then be combined and shaped into the more complex and varied forms and postures we see in the living body.

Geared toward artists of all levels—from beginners through professionals—this handy, pocket-sized book will help spark your imagination and creativity. Whether your interest is in figure drawing, fine arts, fashion design, game design, or creating comic book or manga art, you will find this helpful book filled with actionable insights.

(Publisher's Note: This book features an “exposed” binding style. This is intentional, as it is designed to help the book lay flat as you draw.)

Over the past century, The Huntington has collected more than 12,000 drawings and watercolors by British artists from the late 16th to mid-20th century. Excursions of Imagination showcases 100 stunning works on paper from this "hidden museum", many of them never published before. This generously illustrated volume features landscape and figurative subjects by the acknowledged masters of the medium-J. M. W. Turner, Thomas Girtin, John Constable, and Henry Fuseli-as well as artists associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement and such modernists as David Bomberg and Paul Nash. An introduction by curator Melinda McCurdy discusses the formation of The Huntington's British drawings collection. An essay by Ann Bermingham, a historian of British art, places The Huntington's collection within the context of the historical practice of drawing in Britain.

Expand your exploration of the Zentangle process with Zentangle 2, Expanded Workbook Edition Inside you ll find more than 40 new tangle patterns and border designs to use in embellishing scrapbooks, sketchbooks, journals, cards, paintings, quilts, and more. Discover the possibilities of decorating words and turning simple line drawings like butterflies and animals into exquisite art. Use the new interactive workbook section to play, experiment, and create. Tantalizing color brings your art to life as the calming and reflective process of Zentangle brings your life into your art."

Discover a unique approach to creating art on location: start with a loose, colorful watercolor sketch, let that layer dry, then add details in ink. The result? Sketches that are more vibrant, dynamic, and fun! Designer, urban sketcher, and author of The Urban Sketching Handbook: Sketch Now, Think Later, Mike Daikubara is your guide to this exciting method in The Urban Sketching Handbook: Color First, Ink Later: Start with a detailed overview of the process, from optional light pencil sketch to finishing touches Follow along several step-by-step demonstrations that apply the approach to a range of subjects, from still life to figures to architecture Get inspired by an extensive gallery of on-location sketches You'll learn how to let watercolor do the hard work of urban sketching and enjoy the spontaneous effects and delightful surprises you'll see in your artwork. The Urban Sketching Handbooks 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. Also available from the Urban Sketching Handbooks series: Understanding Light; Panoramas and Vertical Vistas; Drawing Expressive People; Techniques for Beginners; Complete Urban Sketching Companion; Drawing with a Tablet; 101 Sketching Tips; Working with Color; Sketch Now, Think Later; Understanding Perspective; People and Motion; and Architecture and Cityscapes.

The male form is the focus here--twisting, leaping and tumbling in dramatic action sequences! Master manga and anime artist Kyachi shows you the secrets professional Japanese artists use to create dynamic motion on the page. A series of detailed tutorials show you how to draw the male form in every possible position. Individual lessons cover standing, sitting, reclining, walking, running, kicking, pitching, swimming, dribbling and sparring. A rogues' gallery is also presented, showing how to create dastardly villains, armed with weapons and ready to rumble. With the help of this complete guide, you'll be able to: Populate the page or screen with eye-catching movement and powerful action poses Master Kyachi's methods through step-by-step progressions--before it's time to try it on your own Follow along with charming caricature guides who offer essential tips and steer you clear of pitfalls It can be intimidating to draw people as a beginning artist, but Learn to Draw Manga Men is meant to dispel those exact fears and wipe away any hesitations you may have. Begin with a blank page or empty screen and start populating it with people. Before you know it, your characters will come to life before you! Kyachi has distilled her specialized knowledge of the skeleton, muscles and physical structures, explaining and analyzing the most difficult aspects of figure drawing and presenting it to you in a clear and simple way. With the help of this fantastic resource, you'll soon master detailed male characters to include in your own comic strip or graphic novel! *Recommended for artists 16 & up*

Explore Americas best-loved no work days through 380 beautiful and fun postcard images from the early 20th century. They portray specific animals, children, flowers, and symbols that have come to identify each holiday, and some pretty weird events as well. Fascinating histories of each holiday are included, and what diverse backgrounds they have! For an appreciation of the weirdness of holiday recognitions, think of the images of a kid in a diaper kicking out an old bearded man, turkeys dancing, chickens nodding to rabbits, and strange men dropping down chimneys to make children happy. The weird is integral to American holidays. All who celebrate them as well as artists, decorators, and postcard collectors will enjoy this book for the graphic styles it contains. Historians will marvel at the reasons these holidays are celebrated today.