Artworks, manuscripts, printed works and wildlife sound recordings come together in this major compendium of the greatest and strangest representations of animals on record. Eighty detailed case studies highlight celebrated works, including John James Audubon's The Birds of America, Matthew Paris's Liber additamentorum, Maria Sibylla Merian's Metamorphosis (1705), Mark Catesby's The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, as well as letters from Charles Darwin, the Baburnama, translated by Mirza 'Abd al-Rahim Khan, Japanese printed works by Hirase Yoichiro (1914-1915), Arabic hippiatric texts and the work of contemporary artists including Levon Biss and Jethro Buck. Rich, newly photographed, illustrations bring these works to life, while interactive QR technology will allow readers to listen to recordings of the sound exhibits as they read. Expertly edited, this powerful collection of objects prompt us to consider the increasing importance of technology and data to our understanding of humanity's impact on the world's faunal inhabitants.

"It's likely that a book like this is the only way you might see many of these creatures for yourself." - Amateur Photographer This book of photographs puts the spotlight on a group of animals that is little-noticed, and undeservedly so: endemic species that exist only on their respective islands. Isolated from continents by the ocean, certain species have been able to evolve further and differently than their counterparts on the mainland, where they are subjected to far more threats such as predators and diseases. Over time, giants like the Indonesian Komodo dragon have evolved, which grows up to three metres long and weighs 70 kilos. The comet moth lives on Madagascar, and the odd King of Saxony bird-of-paradise flies around on New Guinea. The flightless cormorant on Galapagos, on the other hand, retracted its flight instruments over time because it had no need for them. Readers can expect a variety of animal beauty and extravagance. The following locations are included in the book: Island of Sainte Marie (Madagascar) Madagascar Philippines Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia) Aru Islands Regency (Indonesia) New Guinea Australia Tasmania (Australia) New Zealand Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands (California, US) Cozumel (Mexico) Cuba Isla Escudo de Veraguas (Panama) Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) Falkland Islands Svalbard Archipelago Text in English and German.

Following in the outstanding success of the first edition, this wonderful celebration of landscape photography shortlists the winning photographs from the second Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. 'Take a view', the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition, is the brainchild of Charlie Waite, one of today's most respected landscape photographers. Together with AA Publishing, he has created this prestigious competition and award, which was hugely successful in its first year. Britain's heritage is celebrated by people around the world and entries are welcome from everyone, whether resident in the UK or simply visiting, as long as the image is of the British Isles. The full-colour book of best entries will showcase the best pictures from amateur and professional photographers alike.

"If you're a lover of wildlife imagery, this is worth adding to your wishlist" -Amateur Photographer "...an amazing new photobook on the giants of the animal kingdom..." -Examiner USA "This is the type of book that makes a handsome gift for any wildlife lover. But you'll want to look at every photo before giving it away." -Inhabitat "This book marvelously lives up to its title, not just in size... but in subject matter: big animals, from lions to sharks to grizzly bears, all stunningly photographed by two highly accomplished wildlife photographers who decided to combine their work for this wondrous portfolio." -Air Mail When we encounter an animal in nature, it triggers something in us; we feel a certain emotion in the presence of the other creature: amazement, adoration, fascination, and indeed, in some situations, fear and apprehension. But a brush with a deer, wild boar, or hare is no comparison to a rendezvous with a grizzly, lion, shark, or pod of whales. Amos Nachoum and Marko Dimitrijevic have experienced this hundreds of times in their combined 70 years as wildlife photographers. Now, for the first time, they are combining their award-winning photographs with previously unpublished photographs of the world's largest animals in one book. The two photographers, who are also friends, tell us what it is like to be out in the wild and look the world's biggest animals right in the eye. The structure of the book's chapters is arranged based on human emotions such as amazement, admiration, fear, and love. In their book, Nachoum and Dimitrijevic bring us closer to the giant animals of our planet, and allow us to share what these two men feel during these encounters, helping us learn about ourselves when we do so. Text in English and German.

Spell Songs is a musical companion piece to The Lost Words: A Spell Book by author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris. This mixed media CD is accompanied by sumptuous illustrations from Jackie Morris, new 'spells' by Robert Macfarlane, enlightening thoughts by Robert, Jackie and Spell Singer Karine Polwart and stunning photography by Elly Lucas. In 2018 Folk by the Oak Festival commissioned Spell Songs because of their love of The Lost Words book. Spell Songs comprises eight remarkable musicians whose music engages deeply with landscape and nature; musicians who are perfectly placed to respond to the creatures, art and language of The Lost Words. They spent a week in Herefordshire bringing this music together in the company of Jackie Morris. Art inspired music and music inspired art. Jackie Morris immersed herself in the musical residency where she generously created new iconesque artwork of each musician and their instruments portrayed in an unexpected and enchanting way. These stunning new artworks accompany the CD. Spell Songs allowed these acclaimed and diverse musicians to weave together elements of British folk music, Senegalese folk traditions, and experimental and classical music to create an inspiring new body of work. Here are 14 songs which capture the essence of The Lost Words book. Spoken voice, whispers, accents, dialects, native languages, proverbs, sayings, birdsong, river chatter and insect hum all increase the intimacy of the musical world conjured by the songs. Inspired by the words, art and ethos of The Lost Words book, each musician brings new imaginings, embellishments and diversions which are rooted in personal experience, a deep respect for the natural world, protest at the loss of nature and its language and an appreciation for wildness and beauty. In February 2019 Spell Songs enjoyed standing ovations at sell-out performances in major venues across the UK culminating at The Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre, London. Spell Songs was a highlight of The Hay International Literary Festival 2019 and in August 2019 they were invited to perform at the BBC's Lost Words Prom in the Royal Albert Hall. They will continue to tour each year. "There are songs here that would live with me for the rest of my years, even if I'd had no part in their making". Robert Macfarlane

An Accordion Book doesn’t open, it unfolds. One side is filled with beautiful watercolour images of an animal: sometimes in motion, sometimes at rest. The other is filled with text – poems, descriptions, invocations – inspired by the same animal.Together they work as spells to summon the animal’s spirit. Jackie Morris has painted them using antique watercolours, some from boxes which hadn't been opened for over 150 years, woken from their slumber with a single drop of water.Fox and Otter are the first two Accordions in a series that will go on to include Hare,Owl,Hound and Cat among many others.

"Have you ever experienced the peace of walking through the woods or the excitement of a storm gathering on a beach? Artwork provides the ability for us to capture those moments and share them with others."

"Drawing Nature for the Absolute Beginner" offers a great beginner's course on drawing nature. In their fun and friendly teaching style, Mark and Mary Willenbrink show you how to realistically capture the world around you.

All you need to get started are some simple supplies, basic techniques, and inspiration. From field to forest, beach or mountain, begin with a structural sketch, apply values and textures, and, before you know it, you'll be drawing everything you see. You'll even learn how to render favorite wildlife such as chipmunks, deer and eagles

• Follow along with easy step-by-step demonstrations to draw rocks, seashells, butterflies and even more developed nature scenes.
• Gain a working understanding of key concepts such as perspective, value and composition.
• Discover simple tools and tips you can use right away to improve your art.

Your artistic journey can be as pleasant as your final destination with drawing instruction meant for everyone.

The Landscape Painter's Workbook is the definitive hands-on guide to the time-honored techniques and essential elements of landscape painting. Written by celebrated landscape artist, instructor, and author Mitchell Albala, this richly informative and beautifully illustrated volume leads you step by step through his approach to the genre, from establishing a composition using basic shapes to applying time-tested color strategies, with all-new lessons, practical exercises, and special topics, including: The Complete Color Strategy. What are the three aspects of color contrast that guide a painting's strategy? Notan. Explore this special type of compositional study, which identifies the underlying shapes and patterns of a composition. Picture Formats. How does the picture format-horizontal, vertical, or square-affect the composition? What are the pros and cons of each? Color Grouping. A full chapter details this special practice, which helps maintain harmony by organizing colors into a limited number of groups. Composition. An in-depth review of variation, movement, and active negative space, with illustrations that diagram the action in each example. Workshop Exercises. Instead of demonstrations that show how the author paints, The Landscape Painter's Workbook includes 10 skill-building workshop exercises to help you work through essential lessons on your own. With examples of work by 45 contemporary landscape painters-more than 80 paintings in all- in oil, acrylic, pastel, and watercolor, the lessons are suitable for all mediums. Each painting is thoroughly analyzed in terms of shape, composition, or color, with supporting diagrams, thumbnails, and photographs. The Landscape Painter's Workbook inspires and informs all artists, from aspiring to accomplished, on how to successfully portray the majesty and subtlety of the natural world. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.

Drawing the Natural World is a practical and comprehensive guide for artists of all abilities to celebrate through art the beauty of the flora and fauna that make up our planet. The book is divided into the fundamental concepts of art � colour and tone, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space � to introduce the essential techniques and demonstrate how they can be used in drawing the natural world through practical projects. Further chapters cover the anatomy of animals to ensure posture and gait can be accurately captured, and the fundamentals of composition. There is also introduction to the different materials and equipment that can be used, and a guide to basics of drawing. Each of the projects in the book includes a fully illustrated step-by-step sequence to follow, plus helpful tips and advice. There's also background information about the featured animals and plants to broaden the reader's awareness of and connection with the natural world.

An Accordion Book doesn’t open, it unfolds. One side is filled with beautiful watercolour images of an animal: sometimes in motion, sometimes at rest. The other is filled with text – poems, descriptions, invocations – inspired by the same animal.Together they work as spells to summon the animal’s spirit. Jackie Morris has painted them using antique watercolours, some from boxes which hadn't been opened for over 150 years, woken from their slumber with a single drop of water.Fox and Otter are the first two Accordions in a series that will go on to include Hare,Owl,Hound and Cat among many others.

Where's Bob? On a mountaintop? In a wooded forest? Maybe a TV studio? Find the world's favorite painting instructor in more than a dozen unique settings within this original search-and-find activity book. Where's Bob? includes 15 full-color illustrated scenes to search for Bob Ross in sites reminiscent of his paintings, such as at a riverbank, the seaside, or woods, as well as settings inspired by the artist's life experiences, including a TV studio and shopping mall. The book also invites you to find items like Peapod the squirrel, Bob's paint palette, and his paintbrush within the illustrations. Happy searching!

The fascination birds evoke in us continues unabated. Australian artist and photographer Christian Spencer, living in the vicinity of the Brazilian rainforest since 2001, has surrendered to it as well. "The camera is my brush," is how he describes his style. His photographs truly capture the poetry of nature, letting its beauty speak for itself - which is why he forgoes any image editing. He was the first to capture the breathtakingly fast beating of hummingbirds' wings in the sunlight, which forms a rainbow in the air. The world of birds unfolds before his lens in all its colourful glory and elegance: in reflections on the water, between blossoms and trees, and high above the treetops. Text in English and German.

What would an animal look like if it were a human? The question is actually a contradiction in terms, and Tein Lucasson's answer is as humorous as it is creative. With digital photo technology, he combines pet portraits with human poses, celebrating each animal's unique personality, while drawing on his passion for costume and art history. Open up Animal and discover a raccoon sporting a sailor's suit, an aristocratic pig enthroned above a roulette table, and a giraffe grinning in its thick wool sweater. Text in English, German, and Italian.