Birds & Words is a true reflection of Charley Harper, that rare species of a man with twinkling eyes and smile, with wit as infectiously keen and light-hearted as his paintings. Harper the humorist is as captivating in the self composed stories that accompany his serigraphs as Harper the artist. This boxed reissue of the highly collectible 1974 classic is perfect for every bird lover, art collector and Charley Harper fan alike. Specially made cloth wrapped boxes open to reveal a numbered cloth bound book and one of four beautiful silk-screen prints, each estate stamped and hand numbered. A perfect gift for any occasion.

This title inspires readers to use their sketchbooks as a launch pad to exciting new works of art. Sketchbooks are one of the most valuable tools an artist can have. They offer a place to dream, explore, think visually, and express new ideas. Mixed-media artist Slue Bleiweiss has the solution. She offers 12 different themes to help artists stay focused and provides tips, tutorials, and insight into how 23 artists approach their sketchbooks. Sharing vibrant exceprts from the artists' personal notebooks as well as the completed artwork the pages inspired, the book illustrates the creative process from start to finish. The artists showcase a range of techniques while exploring themes such as Everyday Objects, Rhythm, and Weathered Beauty. "The Sketchbook Challenge" inspires readers to use their sketchbooks as a launch pad to exciting new works of art.

Pioneer of chaos mathematics, Edward Lorenz posited in his 1988 paper Unventions what the hell? the now accepted theory that unventions were a necessary reaction to humans getting all uppity with their big ideas. So what is an unvention? Some say unventions are simply everyday objects that are familiar to all. They are correct. But they are also wrong. Unventions tell new stories about the things around you releasing them from the mundane trudge of daily routine to take on epic new roles. When you begin to see them you are set free, and soon you will discover your own. Your mind has been in chains for too long! Unventionswill change your world forever.* *Largely in utterly useless ways

Art students aspiring to diverse careers that range from book illustration to creating animated films will value this book as a solid, practical tutorial. The author instructs in methods for creating imaginative and atmospheric fairy habitats in watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and other media. She offers a wealth of creative ideas that include step-by-step instruction for transforming familiar objects into magical things. For instance, she demonstrates ways to change toadstools into homes, rocks into goblins, and leaves into carriages. She gives special attention to texture and detail in illustrations of tree bark, stones and rocks, water ripples and reflections, flowers and leaves, mushroom villages, fairy groves, and rainforest scenes. After giving detailed instruction in basic techniques, she guides students through an advanced project, "A Midsummer Eve." This complex mixed-media scene depicts characters and animals in a fairyland setting. The book concludes with a gallery selection of fairyland images that include moonlight scenes, fairy celebrations, and seasonal landscape scenes. The instructive text is supplemented with more than 350 full-color illustrations.

Create your own floral and plant illustrations, with no previous artistic experience necessary! Each project in this beautiful book is broken into easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, making how to draw leaves and flowers (including poppies, pansies, and cherry blossoms!) as easy as 1-2-3. You'll also learn the process of creating patterns and digitising your illustrations!

In this superb guidebook, a master of figure drawing shows readers in precise detail how to render human anatomy convincingly. Over 460 illustrations reveal the structure of the body by presenting careful, knowledgeable articulation of the muscles and bones lying beneath the skin.

Learn how to make the most of nature in on-location drawings and paintings with artists and Urban Sketcher educators Gail L. Wong and Virginia Hein. In The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature, Gail and Virginia share their secrets for getting beyond basic greenery. Presenting a variety of approaches, including detailed step-by-step examples and quick, insightful tips, this book explains and clarifies important fundamentals for composition and color and inspires unique treatments and points of view. Whatever your skill level, you can bring nature to life on the page for urban parks as well as expansive landscapes with The Urban Sketching Handbook: Spotlight on Nature. The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers 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.

Silverpoint, and metalpoint more generally, is the practice of marking with soft metal on a specifically prepared drawing surface. Practiced for centuries, the artform is experiencing a resurgence in recent years, with contemporary work exploring abstract as well as realist, conceptual as well as traditional. Silverpoint and Metalpoint Drawing is the essential manual of metalpoint technique, written by Susan Schwalb and Tom Mazzullo, contemporary masters of the medium. This book is the first treatise on the subject for artists and art teachers with chapters on early history, materials including grounds, supports, metals, and tools, techniques for working in metalpoint as well as mixed media, and finally, the care of metalpoint works. Not only beautifully illustrated, this book also demonstrates how to photograph and exhibit metalpoint art. Featuring a gallery of drawings by contemporary artists, along with their tips and insight, Silverpoint and Metalpoint Drawing is a perfect introduction for students of the medium and an inspiration for those already more familiar with it.

This is an essential book for anyone learning to draw, or wishing to improve their drawing. Starting with the basics of drawing techniques, Civardi gives expert advice on drawing portraits, the clothed figure, hands and feet and scenery, finishing with a section on the importance of light and shade. Civardi's technical advice and practical tips, accompanied by his own outstanding drawings, make this an invaluable resource for any artist. Previously published as Giovanni Civardi's Complete Guide to Drawing (9781844482061) and now includes The Nude (9781844482443).

The follow-up title to the hit title, Drawing Cutting Edge Comics which has been translated into 7 languages, this drawing tutorial shows artists how to draw the exaggerated musculature of super-sized figures in action poses. The guesswork is taken out of figuring out which muscles show through to the surface and how muscles appear through clothing. This instructional manual even gives both the Latin and the common term for particular body parts such as scapula/shoulder blade. Hart covers all aspects of extreme anatomy. The book opens by providing detailed diagrams of all of the various muscle groups, including chest, back, shoulder, arm, and leg muscles. Then he covers many of the various extreme comic book types including good guy, bad guy, insane guy, punk, genius, and brute for men; and the heroine, bad gal, trashy gal, seductress, fighter babe, and cyber chick for women. As an added bonus, this book closes with two invaluable sections to all aspiring comic book artists. One provides a roadmap of all the steps an artist must take if he or she is going to get started in the comic book business, and advice on how the comic book business works. The second section features interviews with people from two of the most significant companies in the world of comics, Marvel Comics and Dark Horse!

An exquisitely illustrated volume that emphasizes the importance of drawing in Fragonard's creative process One of the most forward-looking artists in 18th-century France, Jean-Honore Fragonard (1732-1806) is considered the preeminent draftsman of his time. This fresh assessment of the artist focuses on the role of drawing in his creative process and showcases Fragonard's mastery and experimentation with drawing in a range of media, from vivid red chalk to luminous brown wash, as well as etching, watercolor, and gouache. Unlike many old master painters, Fragonard explored the potential of drawings as works of art in their own right, ones that permitted him to work with great freedom and allowed his genius to shine. The drawings featured here come from public and private collections in New York, balancing a mix of well-loved masterpieces, new discoveries, and works that have long been out of the public eye. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Distributed by Yale University Press Exhibition Schedule: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (10/06/16-01/08/17)

Very few artists can claim such lasting and worldwide fame and importance as Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). The nickname il divino ("the divine one") has been applied to him since the 1530s right through to today: his achievements as a sculptor, painter, and architect remain unparalleled and his creations are among the best-known artworks in the world. This Bibliotheca Universalis edition is devoted to the artist's graphic work, a testimony to his masterly command of line, form, and detail, from architectural studies to anatomically perfect figures. The book brings together some of the artist's finest drawings from museums and collections around the world as well as some of his own notes and revisions, offering stunning proximity not only to the ambition and scope of Michelangelo's practice but also his working process. A chapter with a compilation of newly attributed and reattributed drawings provides further insights into Michelangelo's varied graphic oeuvre and the ongoing exploration of his genius. About the series Bibliotheca Universalis - Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe!

Design creative characters inspired by real people. Let Mike Mattesi show you how to use life drawing to discover the poses, features and personalities which form the basis of character and then build, develop and 'PUSH' your drawings to new heights of dramatic and visual impact for believable characters audiences can relate to. Packed with color illustrations and photographs of the models who inspired them. With step-by-step explanation of how the characters were developed and exercises for you to sharpen your skills this is everything you need to bring your characters to life.

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.

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.

Celebrating the best drawings by contemporary artists, the Strokes of Genius series follows the beautiful, ongoing story of contemporary drawing through the work and words of some of today's top artists. Focusing on the theme "Inspiring Subjects," this thoughtfully curated 10th edition features the artists' most compelling subject matter. Artists and art lovers alike are sure to be inspired by the resulting energy and expressiveness showcased on these pages.

- 127 modern-day masterpieces in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, scratchboard, pen and ink, and more

- A breathtaking diversity of styles and approaches

- Comments from the artists offer fresh-from-the-studio advice, insights, and anecdotes not found anywhere else

Conjure creatures and characters from your imagination! To generate fantasy characters and inhabitants that populate an imaginary world, sometimes you need a little creative fuel...and a 20-sided die. Fantasy Genesis Characters is a choose-your-own-adventure game where a roll of the dice decides what type of creature you create. Each chapter expands on mimicking the observable world to engineer original populations by mashing up unrelated quirks and concepts--think "vegetarian zombie," "Byzantine goth" or "gangster sheep." Roll the dice to combine traits from word lists. Mix random emotions, behaviors, costumes, cultures and anthropomorphic attributes to create infinite and unexpected characters. Short lessons supply the building blocks to develop character components--expressions, gestures, posture, etc.--while mini demos, creative challenges and RPG-like activities help you bring them to life. 30+ challenges and demonstrations illustrate how to conceptualize and create fully developed fantasy characters Use free-association word games to jump-start your brain into forming original ideas, crazy-cool mash-ups and visual solutions Includes a crash course in anatomy, plus tips for drawing from life and reference photos Learn to sketch facial expressions and modify classic archetypes

The definitive anatomical coloring book is now back and freshened up with a new cover. Each year, thousands of students studying to be doctors, physical therapists, and medical technicians have to master the art of anatomy--and prospective artists also want to capture realistic movement and posture. What better way to remember each bone, muscle, and organ than by coloring a picture? The very act of drawing entices students to spend more time with the image, and to examine the body's structure more closely. That's why this one-of-a-kind coloring book, with its concisely written text and easy-to-color-in medical illustrations, has always been such a huge seller--and why it's now revised into this new user-friendly format. Arranged according to body systems, the color-key organization links anatomical terminology to the more than 1,000 precise and detailed black-and-white illustrations.

An icon of 1980s New York, Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) first made his name under the graffiti tag "SAMO," before establishing his studio practice and catapulting to fast fame at the age of 20. Although his career lasted barely a decade, he remains a cult figure of artistic social commentary, and a trailblazer in the mediation of graffiti and gallery art. Basquiat's work drew upon diverse sources and media to create an original and urgent artistic vocabulary, biting with critique against structures of power and racism. His practice merged abstraction and figuration, poetry and painting, while his influences spanned Greek, Roman, and African art, French poetry, jazz,and the work of artistic contemporaries such as Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly. The results are vivid, visceral mixtures of words, African emblems, cartoonish figures, daubs of bold color, and beyond. This book presents Basquiat's short but prolific career, his unique style, and his profound engagement with ever-relevant issues of integration and segregation, poverty and wealth. About the series Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions