This richly illustrated book celebrates in words and pictures the beautiful work that award-winning artist Alan Lee produced for J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, and includes dozens of brand-new paintings and pencil drawings exploring the world of Bilbo Baggins. Since The Hobbit was first published in 1937, generations of readers have fallen under its spell. That magic was reignited sixty years later, when Alan Lee was commissioned to produce a special illustrated edition, and his delicate pencil drawings and beautiful watercolour paintings have become for many the definitive vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. In this sumptuous, large-format hardback Alan Lee reveals in pictures and in words how he created these images, which would prove so powerful, matching perfectly with Tolkien's own vision, that they would eventually define the look of Peter Jackson's film adaptations and earn Alan a coveted Academy Award. The Hobbit Sketchbook is filled with more than 100 of his sketches and early conceptual pieces that reveal how the project progressed from idea to finished art. It also contains a wealth of brand-new full-colour paintings and sketches drawn specially for this book, which unlock the secrets of how Alan creates his own magic and provide a fascinating insight into the imagination of the man who breathed new life into Tolkien's vision.

An indispensable guide to painting 40 popular flowers in acrylics, perfect for flower artists. This beautiful book is a illustrated directory for acrylic flower artists, revealing how to paint 40 floral subjects, from agapanthus to zinnia, with plant-specific instructions for capturing the unique beauty of each species. All the techniques you will need are clearly explained and demonstrated, from analyzing the shape and structure of flowers to mixing and blending rich luminous colours, laying washes, creating textured effects, and adding highlights. Each featured flower includes information about its distinguishing characteristics, detailed step-by-step instructions, a complete colour palette, mini demonstrations showing special techniques and a stunning full-colour image of a finished painting.

Self-portraiture shows no sign of losing its ability to capture the public imagination. Given our current proclivity to snap and share 'selfies' in seconds, it is unsurprising to find a renewed interest in the genre among general audiences and students. Self-portraits have the power to illuminate a range of universal concerns, from identity, purpose and authenticity, to frailty, futility and mortality. In this volume, curator Natalie Rudd expertly casts fresh light on the self-portrait and its international appeal, exploring the historical contexts within which self-portraits have proliferated and considering the meanings they hold today. With commentaries on works by artists ranging from Jan van Eyck and Artemisia Gentileschi to Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Jenny Saville, the book explores the emotive and expressive potential of self-portraiture, and its capacities to distance or to demystify. Can self-portraits offer windows into artistic process? Is there ever a singular identity to be captured? Is it necessary for a self-portrait to depict the human form? In her vibrant and timely discussion, Rudd dissects these and other important questions, revealing the shifting faces of individuality and selfhood in an age where we are interrogating notions of personal identity more than ever before. With 97 illustrations in colour

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.

Learn to create detailed female characters to include in your own comic strip or graphic novel! Professional manga and anime artist Kyachi offers aspiring artists an easy-to-follow approach to drawing manga women. For beginners, it can be intimidating to know where to start when drawing the human form. This book is meant to dispel those fears and wipe away any hesitation, so you can begin with a blank page or empty screen and start populating it with people. Soon your simple forms will take on greater detail and 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 this all-in-one, how-to guide you'll: Create compelling characters and eye-catching action poses Learn about contrapposto (a specialized art term, meaning that most of the body's weight rests on either the left or right leg, achieving an angular or asymmetrical stance) Master traditional freehand, as well as digital techniques Follow along with the step-by-step progressions, before it's time to try it on your own Consult the cartoon guide who pops up and chimes in when expert tips are needed most A series of detailed lessons shows you how to draw the female form in every possible position. Individual chapters cover standing, sitting, reclining, walking, running and jumping. Essential details are then added--such as realistic creases to clothing and colorizing with brightness, contrast and saturation effects. Lovers of action manga and those hoping to create original, complex female characters will find this book absolutely indispensable! *Recommended for artists 16 & up*

Many people would love to learn to draw for pleasure, but don't know where to start. Being faced with a blank page can be daunting - even for a professional artist. In Sketchbook Challenge, illustrator Molly Egan shares prompts and ideas to get you started, encouraging risk-taking and experimentation. The book is split into three sections: Warm Up, for 5- to 10-minute exercises designed to stretch your muscles; Weekday, for guided creative drawing prompts for limited time; and Weekend, for open-ended, in-depth creative explorations. In addition to the exercises, Molly provides details on how to build an art kit and encourages artistic exploration beyond the pages of the book. Sketching is fun and therapeutic, and Sketchbook Challenge will be the springboard to unleash your creativity and discover your own style.

Arthur L. Guptill's classic Rendering in Pen and Ink has long been regarded as the most comprehensive book ever published on the subject of ink drawing. This is a book designed to delight and instruct anyone who draws with pen and ink, from the professional artist to the amateur and hobbyist. It is of particular interest to architects, interior designers, landscape architects, industrial designers, illustrators, and renderers. Contents include a review of materials and tools of rendering; handling the pen and building tones; value studies; kinds of outline and their uses; drawing objects in light and shade; handling groups of objects; basic principles of composition; using photographs, study of the work of well-known artists; on-the-spot sketching; representing trees and other landscape features; drawing architectural details; methods of architectural rendering; examination of outstanding examples of architectural rendering; solving perspective and other rendering problems; handling interiors and their accessories; and finally, special methods of working with pen including its use in combination with other media. The book is profusely illustrated with over 300 drawings that include the work of famous illustrators and renderers of architectural subjects such as Rockwell Kent, Charles Dana Gibson, James Montgomery Flagg, Willy Pogany, Reginald Birch, Harry Clarke, Edward Penfield, Joseph Clement Coll, F.L. Griggs, Samuel V. Chamberlain, Louis C. Rosenberg, John Floyd Yewell, Chester B. Price, Robert Lockwood, Ernest C. Peixotto, Harry C. Wilkinson, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, and Birch Burdette Long. Best of all, Arthur Guptill enriches the text with drawings of his own.

Hungry for a new drawing challenge? Well, get ready to enter planet cute! In her new collection, artist-author Angela Nguyen turns even the most mundane foods into living, breathing, adorable characters that you will want to draw yourself. As well as cute food-creature fusions such as blueberry kittens and sausage dog hotdogs, in Angela's captivating world, sleeping cats lounge atop sushi, curl inside donuts, or peek out from pizza crusts. Including beautifully clear and straightforward step-by-step instructions and minimal text, How to Draw Really Cute Food is great for both visual learners and those interested in learning the essential techniques of kawaii. With chapters on appetizers, entrees, desserts, snacks and drinks, these inventive designs are sure to delight and amuse.

How to work with a limited palette, with step-by-step demonstrations. One of the world's best art teachers shows you how to give spontaneity and lightness to your work with a limited palette. Using only three colours (up to five at the very most), is the most effective way to give your art a fresh feel. With an array of paintings, techniques and step-by-step demonstrations, renowned artist Hazel Soan goes through a range of specific colour combinations that work. Each chapter looks at a different combination, guided by a principal hue or pigment property. For landscapes she discusses cool blue and warm yellow, for gardens transparent reds and complimentary green, and for seascapes warm blue, cool yellow and granulation. The author explores the almost inexhaustible three-colour combinations but also discusses when four- or five-colour combinations would enhance or work more efficiently. This ensures your work is more cohesive, light and brings out the beauty of the watercolour medium. This extensive guide is packed with demonstrations, work in progress and finished paintings - and every single painting will have the colours itemized, making this not only a great technique book but great resource for colour combinations. Ideal for all painters, new or experienced.

Experience the soothing power of adult coloring with these intricate animal tangles created by New York Times bestselling illustrator and master of the abstract Zen style Angela Porter! Zentangle, a fun and relaxing art form that emerged in the last decade, is often referred to as a meditative practice. Its free-form style, abstract images, and repetitive patterns unite to form elaborate illustrations. This method has been said to increase mindfulness and aid in relaxation, while simultaneously expressing creativity-an ideal remedy for stress. Recently, the form has inevitably made its way into the adult coloring book world and has been helping colorists unwind ever since. Based loosely on the Zentangle method, Angela Porter's Zen Doodle Designs embraces this style in both the creation of the designs and the coloring of the finished illustrations-only the latter is up to you! Bestselling author and master Zen illustrator Angela Porter takes you on a relaxing journey with this beautiful collection. Featured are forty-nine soothing designs for you to color, each incorporating intricate florals, beautiful swirling and circular patterns, and other aesthetically pleasing, geometric shapes. The pages are perforated and printed on one side, making it simple for you to remove and display your finished works. So sit down, relax, and break out your colored pencil box along with Angela Porter's Zen Doodle Designs-it's the perfect way to have some fun and decompress!

Draw, narrate, and create your own manga adventure with this interactive workbook featuring blank fill-in panels so you can set up your very own comic.

What’s behind those big, bright eyes? Why is the student attacking the master? What’s inside that box? That’s up for you to decide with Make Your Own Manga!

Featuring six fully illustrated stories from two acclaimed artists along with blank template panels to create your own drawings and dialogue, Make Your Own Manga will inspire you to inject your own imagination into the storyline of each manga comic. Now you can create your own heroes and villains, heartbreaks and desires instead of just reading about them on the page. All you need is a healthy imagination to complete the manga within these pages. The power to create is in your hands!

The third title in Christopher Hart's bestselling Master Guide to Drawing Anime series is essential for all anime artists who want to fine-tune their skills. This is the guide that all anime and manga artists--of any level--need! Chris Hart delves deep into the specifics of drawing anime characters and scenes and explores every aspect of anime forms. He reveals his secrets for composing a complete picture, and discusses rarely covered topics. Entirely new tutorials include instruction on drawing hands and feet in different gestures or positions, arranging characters within the action, and creating nuanced expressions. Fans of The Master Guide books will find this title to be invaluable in strengthening their drawing skills, while newcomers will see this as a perfect introduction to the series.

Fall in love with watercolours and create beautiful flower paintings that you can be proud of! Fresh and delicate, flowers are the perfect subject for expressive watercolour art. This skill-building portfolio book for absolute beginners will teach you everything you need to know to get started with watercolour painting. Talented artist Robin Pickens introduces you to all the basics of paint, brushes, palette and water, with easy-to-follow advice on opacity, blending, shading and mixing colours. She then guides you step-by-step through eight complete floral watercolour projects. Each project features soft, muted patterns printed on real 90# thick and tactile watercolour paper. The pages are perforated so you can easily remove your art for gifting or display. Just Add Watercolor Flowers also provides gorgeous fully coloured finished examples to inspire your work on each design.

Developing Creative Talent in Art is a guide for parents, teachers and others interested in developing creative art talent of young people. Visual art has its own language system by which the artist communicates to others thoughts, ideas and feelings about the world as they see them. First experienced as images and then codified in art language form, information about the world in this dual form is processed by creative imagination to produce original art works. Both the language of visual art and creative processing techniques are presented by example and instructional application so that students can compose art not only intuitively but also at will. The book is based on the assumptions that: (1) being able to recognize and know how to identify creative individuals with special talent in art, guidance can be given to maximize the achievement of their potential; (2) understanding creative imagination as process and skill will provide tools to talented individuals for their development in art; (3) mental images constitute the earliest informational source prior to their symbolization in one language form or another; (4) visual art has its own language, derived at first from mental imagery, and just as someone learns and uses the language of words, the artist learns and uses the language of art in productive expression; (5) individuals can be taught to use creative imagination to process all kinds of information and its art language-imagery correlates to produce original works; and (6) feedback in terms of appraisal of student art is essential to foster and guide developing art talent. We provide information about the nature of creativity and talent approaches to identify individuals possessing these potentials generally and art specifically , the nature of creative imagination and its significance and relevance in art imagery as the language of discovery, and the language of art design as order and composition in art, creative imagination as process and teachable skills, instruction in how they may be used to produce art works with relevant practical exercises, the nature of color and its role in art production, and approaches that can be used to evaluate student art.

During his career as one of America's most sought-after illustrators, Andrew Loomis (1889-1959) taught at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and in 1939 he codified his lessons in his first manual, "Fun with a Pencil." Four years later it had already been through six printings, and he followed up over the next two decades with a series of even more successful how-to books that remain the gold standard for artists to this day.
"Creative Illustration" is considered Loomis's magnum opus, which was aimed primarily at the professional-level illustrator. Divided into seven sections: Line, Tone, Color, Telling the Story, Creating Ideas, Fields of Illustration, and Experimenting and Studies, this book is filled with instructions, tips, insider experiences, and incredible illustrations.

Each book in the 'Essential Guide to Drawing' series provides an accessible introduction to the subject, backed up by clear examples.

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.

Groovy Abstract is a colouring book for adults that contains 30 amazing art activities involving patterning, shading and colouring. Each vibrantly detailed illustration offers an easy way to de-stress, while allowing you to unleash the artist within.Thaneeya McArdle's transcendental art explores a visual language of shape, form, line and colour, and can be easily personalised with felt- tips, coloured pencils, crayons, gel pens or watercolours.Beautifully coloured finished examples are provided, along with a handy guide to basic art techniques, from patterning and combinations to shading and colour theory.This therapeutic colouring book is printed on high-quality, extra-thick paper that won't bleed through, and all of the pages are perforated for easy removal and display.

Zentangle(R) 11 is a colouring activity book for adults that contains 30original tangles, complete with inspirational quotes, sentiments and uplifting words to help you unwind and de-stress. You don't need to be a calligrapher to create your own extraordinary art using coloured pencils, felt-tips, crayons, gel pens, water colours, marker pens and more.Allow your drawings to express themselves by combining letters with inspirational Zentangle art. Text-inspired tangling can be anything you desire it to be, from classic tiles to expressive words and shapes. You can make your letters fun and casual, or formal and flowery, with messages that are personal, social, reverential or whimsical.This inspirational colouring activity book is printed on high-quality, extra-thick paper that won't bleed through, and all of the pages are perforated for easy removal and display. Let your creativity flow as you produce wonderfully motivating note cards, bookmarks, gifts, fine art and more!

In Tangle-inspired Botanicals, author and artist Sharla Hicks guides you in exploring and developing your own style of botanical, landscapes, lush foliage, and mixed-media color enhancers. It's not hard to see why drawing tangles continues to grow years after tangles first hit the scene. These types of drawings are easy to pick up, and can be drawn on just about anything. With a focus on simple mark making as well as drawing with the intention to relax and be creative, tangle drawing is a powerful tool for people looking to tap into their inner artist. Tangle-Inspired Botanicals guides you in exploring and developing your own personal style of tangle-inspired botanicals, land and seascapes, leafy foliage, and mixed-media color enhancers. Artist Sharla Hicks uses nature photographs and monoprints embossed with flowers, leaves, and grasses for her inspiration. Tangle-Inspired Botanicals includes more than 200 illustrations, including many finished artworks, along with written instruction.

At first glance, contemporary popular culture, filled with bleak images of the future, seems to have given up on the possibility of positive collective change. Below the surface, however, alternative culture is rife with artist-led projects, activist movements, and subcultural communities of interest that seek to spark the collective imagination and to encourage hunger for alternatives. More playfully self-conscious than past utopian movements, today's are often whimsical or ironic, but are still entirely earnest. Artists invite us to re-author city maps, or archive individual ideas for the future, while maker collectives urge us to rethink our relationship to consumer goods. All seem to have grown out of a similar do-it-yourself ethos and alternative culture. One of the central conflicts informing these case studies is that while it remains immensely difficult to envision anything outside of the current system of consumer capitalism, there is nevertheless a powerful desire to take it apart in piecemeal ways. We see the longing for new social and political narratives, new forms of communion and sociability, and new imaginings of the possible, longings that are currently unmet by mainstream culture, but that are taking expression in myriad ways at the local level. Taken as a whole, this collection examines what our grand ideals and playful daydreams tell us about ourselves.