Learn how to draw stylish manga characters with this fun workbook geared toward budding artists. Start out by tracing the sample illustrations, then practice drawing using the provided guidelines. Once you master the basics, you'll be freehanding your own awesome manga girls in no time!

Drawing is not a talent. It's a skill anyone can learn. This is the philosophy of drawing instructor Brent Eviston based on his more than twenty years of teaching. He has tested numerous types of drawing instruction from centuries old classical techniques to contemporary practices and designed an approach that combines tried and true techniques with innovative methods of his own. Now, he shares his secrets with this book that provides the most accessible, streamlined, and effective methods for learning to draw. Taking the reader through the entire process, beginning with the most basic skills to more advanced such as volumetric drawing, shading, and figure sketching, this book contains numerous projects and guidance on what and how to practice. It also features instructional images and diagrams as well as finished drawings that showcase Brent's creative work. With this book and a dedication to practice, anyone can learn to draw!

With nature as inspiration, embark on a colouring adventure that will have you colouring outside the lines of your imagination in 100 templates! Let your inner child explore hidden beaches with vast views of the ocean; unwind as you colour in soaring palm trees; and create your ideal sunset with any colours you choose. Colour inside the lines or make up your own - how you choose to relax and chill out is up to you! Learn to tap into your creativity and enjoy the experience of traveling to hidden paradise with your own two hands.

The fourth in a series of seasonal watercoloring books based on artist Kristy Rice's cutting gardens, this book celebrates winter's blossoms such as amaryllis, hollyberry, hellebores, and snowdrops. Her easy-to-learn, joy-driven approach includes simple tutorials on how to use watercolor and where to find affordable materials. A stationery-industry tastemaker, Kristy believes that making art, regardless of skill level, has the power to reconnect us to each other and ourselves. Touching brush to paper with water and color releases an inexplicable calm that so many of us long for, and making art, even in short bursts, brings us back to ourselves by slowing time.With 25 detailed, yet whimsical illustrations, artists are invited to continue the journey begun in her first watercoloring book series, Painterly Days.

Create Better Compositions by Design

The path to better painting begins with "Mastering Composition." This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet.

Composition is the key, and here you'll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you'll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you'll practice what you've learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations.

Once you understand the basic principles of design, you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking.

Whether you're a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, "Mastering Composition" gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject.

This book provides a thorough and expert guide to the subject of botanical drawing, through detailed text, examples of the author's own studies, short exercises and larger projects. Penny Brown produces traditional botanical drawings primarily rendered in pencil. The book touches on the history of botanical drawing, the rules and practicalities, and includes an accessible, basic study of botany for the absolute beginner. From creating an initial line drawing to adding tone and then creating more complex compositions, Botanical Drawing is a detailed study of the practice for anyone wishing to explore the subject in great depth, led by an expert artist.

This beautiful book combines the author's extensive ecological knowledge with art, and her passion for drawing with ink. It is packed with clear instruction and inspirational illustrations, and will be treasured by artists, illustrators, scientists and ecologists alike. Practical advice is given on using a range of materials and equipment for illustrating in pen and ink, as well as the collection and preservation of subject matter and reference material. Detailed instruction is given on how to create essential mark-making techniques that will enhance your illustrations through accurate depiction of shape, form, texture and pattern, and in the principles and elements of design. Subject-themed chapters include plants, strandline and marine specimens, fossils, invertebrates, and mammals. There are step-by-step exercises suitable for all skill levels, and case studies describing working practice as a professional illustrator.

Draw with Confidence and Creativity! New in paperback! Creativity occurs in action. It is not a trait; it is something you do. To be creative, you need to engage in the art-making process. When you are "in the flow," you shift out of the future and into the present, making connections, generating variations and surrendering to the process. This ten-year edition of Keys to Drawing With Imagination is a course for artists in how to take something, do something to it and make something new. Bert Dodson, author of the best-selling Keys to Drawing (more than 250,000 copies sold!) presents fun techniques and mind-stretching strategies to get you drawing better and more imaginatively than you ever have before. In every section, he offers you basic guidelines that help you channel your creative energies in the right direction. Before you know it, you'll lose yourself in the process, enjoying the experience as you create something gratifying and worthwhile. The subjects covered in this hands-on book are as vast as the imagination itself. Through 58 strategies, 36 exercises and 13 step-by-step demonstrations, you'll explore how to: Take your doodling from mindless to masterful Create your own reality by crumbling, melting or breaking objects Flip the familiar on its ear to create something utterly original Experiment with visual paradox and metaphor Tell vivid stories through the details in your drawings Play with patterns to create captivating compositions Build your drawings by borrowing ideas from different cultures Develop a theme in your work Along the way, Dodson offers you priceless advice on the creative process culled from his 70 years of drawing and teaching. For additional inspiration and encouragement, he includes the work of 30 other outstanding artists, including R. Crumb and Maya Lin. So what are you waiting for? Grab this book and start drawing! You'll be amazed at what you can create. *Note to readers: This book is a 10-year anniversary paperback reprint of the Keys to Drawing with Imagination hardcover edition (2006).

Painting and Understanding Abstract Art is a practical book on how to paint abstracts but it also explains how to approach and understand abstract art. It moves the teaching of art from a doing level of painting a certain subject in a particular medium to a thinking level of 'what am I doing when I paint?' and 'what am I trying to say in this painting?' Using practical exercises with explanatory text, John Lowry develops the thinking and doing processes together and leads the reader to a greater understanding and appreciation of this most exciting art genre. Advice on moving from figurative painting towards abstraction Tools to abstraction explained - simplifying and exaggerating; eliminating curves and straights; changing colours, lines and items ; emphasising positive and negative shapes; and using contrast Practical exercises to help develop your own style and understand the techniques of the masters Overview of the lives and times of artists involved in the stage-by-stage evolution from realism to abstraction

Clear, challenging and inspiring, this book contains instructions for 65 abstract paintings that you can get to work on straight away, with no previous experience. All the basic information relating to picture elements, composition, theme and design is provided at the start of the book, together with an exploration of the meaning of abstract painting, and its importance as a means of self-expression and creativity. Rather than providing step-by-step instructions, each of the exercises consists of information on method, materials, technique, composition, imagery and structure which will direct you to the finished piece while at the same time allowing your creativity to flow.

Open this book as an absolute beginner, and come away as a proud portrait artist

Mark and Mary Willenbrink's"Absolute Beginner" books have helped thousands of novices tap into their inner artists. In this book, Mark and Mary help the beginning artist take on portraits, showing that absolutely anyone can draw faces. Their encouraging, easy-to-follow instruction style makes learning fun--you'll be amazed by how quickly you achieve impressive results.

You may be a beginner now, but not for long "Drawing Portraits for the Absolute Beginner" covers everything from warming up with sketches, and capturing facial expressions, to framing your finished work. Page by page, you'll build the skills and confidence you need to draw lifelike portraits of your friends and family.

What's Inside:

• A simple two-stage approach to drawing portraits: sketch a likeness, then build up values to bring it to life
• Step-by-step instruction for drawing eyes, noses, mouths, hairstyles, hands, glasses and other tricky elements
• 13 complete demonstrations featuring a range of ages and ethnicities
• Tips for evoking more personality in your portraits by using props, costumes and accessories

Many artists long to paint mountains - to capture their grandeur, their character and perhaps their tranquility. This practical book explains the key elements of portraying their magnificence and also advises how to reproduce the magic of a scene. With step-by-step instructions and clear, detailed advice throughout, it guides the painter through the techniques so you can express your own vision of the mountains and capture one of the greatest scenes of the natural landscape. The author's deep understanding and love of the mountains shines through the text and the paintings. There is advice on choosing mediums, brushes and surfaces, and using a limited colour palette both for en plein air and studio painting. Incorporates different features of the mountainscape - crags, slopes, rocks, lakes, woodland, cottages, animals and figures - to add life and interest to a painting. The author captures the transient and often dramatic effects of light on the mountain landscape, including the special magic of sunsets. Injects mood into a painting, from the excitement of a sublime storm to a sense of peace and refuge. Specific advice on painting sky, water and trees, and tips on using them in an effective composition. Finally, step-by-step, illustrated and detailed exercises show how to work down from the sky to the foreground, add detail, enrich hues, and increase contrast between light and shade. It is a handy guide for all artists and an inspiration to everyone who loves mountain scenery.

Written by a long-time expert on drawing and painting human anatomy, Classic Human Anatomy in Motion offers artists everything they need to realistically draw the human figure as it is affected by movement. Written in a friendly style, the book is illustrated with hundreds of life drawing studies (both quick poses and long studies), along with charts and diagrams showing the various anatomical and structural components. This comprehensive manual features five distinct sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the human figure: bones and joint movement, muscle groups, surface form and soft tissue characteristics, structure, and movement. Each chapter builds an artistic understanding of how motion transforms the human figure and can create a sense of expressive vibrancy in one's art.

Illustrating the dominant features of many common species - elm, maple, willow, apple, birch, pine and more - the author offers two portraits of each in various mediums, from pencil to water colour wash.

Take your first steps with pastels and learn how to produce modern, lively and colourful artwork with this exciting medium. Artist and teacher Rebecca de Mendonca offers the beginner a complete course in using pastels. Step-by-step exercises and longer projects help you to build essential skills and allow you to produce a range of pictures, including landscapes, still life, portraits and animals. Vital drawing skills are explained and demonstrated, along with an easy-to-follow guide to colour theory. A huge wealth of finished paintings provide ideas and inspiration for your own future pastel work.

A fresh new guide to contemporary palette knife painting for beginner and experienced artists, featuring step-by-step tutorials on colour mixing, mark making, and a variety of painting techniques to create your own unique abstract, landscape, and floral paintings. Publisher's note: regrettably there were some production problems with the first printing of this title. We have recalled the affected books and new stock is now available. Author and artist, Melissa McKinnon, has designed this book to take both the beginner and experienced artist on a journey into impasto painting. She begins with an overview of the essential tools and materials you'll need to get started. Included are detailed instructions to make your own stay-wet palette and how to combine thickening mediums with acrylic paint to achieve the ideal consistency. There are simple practice exercises to get you comfortable using a palette knife, mixing colours and blending with a brush. Melissa explains how to sculpt and control the paint to create a variety of stunning textural effects. She demonstrates several mark making techniques that you can use alone or in combination to create your own expressive textured paintings, as well as an introduction to colour theory and tips on composition. Once you feel confident with the tools and paint, you'll learn how to create twelve different textured landscape, floral, and abstract paintings with step-by-step instructions. This series of paintings was designed to help you put all of the techniques and colour theory you've learned into beautiful paintings of your own. Melissa generously shares her knowledge and expert tips gained from years of experience developing her unique approach to palette knife painting. She values experimentation and is always evolving her technique. The last two projects explore alternative painting methods inviting you to take your paintings one step further by incorporating new materials and experimental techniques. Using the instructions in this book you will become equipped to take your practise further and continue to develop the skills you need to improve your artwork. This book will become a trusted resource in your studio, one that you can refer back to again and again as you grow and evolve as an artist. When speaking about the book Melissa says: "Painting with a palette knife can be intimidating even for experienced artists. My goal is to simplify the process and show you how easy and enjoyable this technique really is. Textured Art is is a deep dive into my unique painting process that I've developed over a lifetime of art making. Designed for both beginner and experienced artists, I'll teach you step-by-step everything you need to know to create colourful textured paintings of your own. I'm confident this book will become a trusted resource in your studio, one that you can refer back to again and again as you grow and evolve as an artist."

Bored with the same old paints? The Organic Painter introduces innovative techniques for using non-traditional "paint" derived from materials like coffee, tea, and alcohol, to encourage freedom and expression! Traditional art supplies will only take you so far! Sometimes you need to try something completely new and different. That's where The Organic Painter comes in. With a little guidance, you'll soon be painting with everyday materials you'd never considered as an artistic medium. This inspiring book gives you all the techniques and ideas you'll need to boost your creativity, learn natural paint-making, and be more resourceful with your art materials. Imagine the unique things you'll make when you create natural paints from coffee, tea, embroidery and flame. Each project in this guide book comes with instructions on how to make the paint, and also includes experiments and explorations for you to try. Plus, a simple painting accompanies every featured material and combines it with other materials or techniques, so you'll never lack inspiration.

Choose your colours, unleash your creativity and lose yourself in a wonderful coloured universe. As you focus on colouring in and forget the stresses of everyday life, you'll find calm returning.

Trees have inspired artists for generations. This unique watercolour artist's guide offers easy-to-follow, plant-specific information on how to paint a wonderful selection of the most popular species of trees. Beginning with a useful section on materials, the book then comprises an illustrated directory of 24 trees, from Acer to Zelkova. Step-by-step sequences show how to paint each one in a fresh, lively style with all the essential details of shape and form beautifully captured. The author explores the overall shapes and masses of branches and leaves, outlines in full foliage, winter trees, branch and twig details, and presents stunning leaf and flower portraits shimmering with life. A source of inspiration, as well as a manual of techniques, this book is a must-have for every tree painter. Purchase of this book supports the vital work of Kew - saving plants and fungi around the world that might one day save us.

Many artists first learn to paint in watercolour. But this flexible, dynamic medium has an immediacy that is perfect for experimentation. Discover textures, applications, techniques, combinations of materials, and new ways of tackling the medium you love. Rub it, dab it, scratch it, scrunch it. Cut it, glue it, sew it and seal it. And above all, learn from what other people do! This little book is full of big ideas from contemporary artists to inspire you to think differently. With a new idea on every spread of the book, you will discover fresh ways of working with watercolour to create work that is original and exciting.

Color has captivated artists, designers, scientists, and philosophers for centuries. From early principles of color theory to color wheels, great thinkers study and use color to explain and illustrate their ideas. Color is a sketchbook with thick, blank pages (140 gsm, ~95 lbs. paper weight) and a full-color appendix with striking vintage illustrations from rare books on color theory. The textured cover features a tipped-in color wheel. Inspired and inspiring, this journal is the perfect jumping off point for creative expression.

For anyone artistically inclined, observing the Moon and attempting to sketch or paint it can easily become a passion. The Moon presents a broad array of tone, texture, and form. Capturing this in a painting or sketch at the eyepiece of a telescope - or even with binoculars - develops observational skills, leaves a record of the observation, and can also be a delightful and rewarding pastime. However, the choice of media available is extensive (acrylic paint, oils, pen, charcoal, etc., and even computer art programs), and there is no existing text that fully explains all lunar sketching and painting techniques in each respective medium. This beautiful and graphically rich book fulfills this requirement. It presents detailed step-by-step instructions, in the form of illustrated tutorials for every major medium employed to represent the Moon. It also provides practical advice on how to sketch outdoors at night (not ideal conditions for an artist!). This is easily the most extensive book on the subject of lunar art for amateur astronomers, particularly those observing through a telescope. The diverse features of the lunar surface will attract and entice readers to review the number of different media presented, exciting and inspiring them with the possibilities of learning to depict all of the fascinating aspects of Earth's very own satellite.