'This is a thorough and thoughtful guide that delivers on every count.' Artbookreview.net With a passion for animals that is evident throughout, animal portrait artist Dave White, also offers basic advice for beginners along with more advanced techniques suitable for experienced artists who wish to capture the spirit and character of dogs in their portraits. Beginning with detailed guidance on composition, colour and choosing your reference material, Dave White teaches you the essential painting techniques you'll need to start creating your own artworks - from producing an outline and underpainting to capturing the three-dimensional qualities of your pet that will make your paintings truly stand out, such as realistic hair and whiskers, getting the shine on a nose and a glint in an eye, and whether to show ears up or down or the tongues in or out. To follow, the author then offers three step-by-step projects of varying subjects - including a short-haired dog, a long-haired dog and a group portrait - which have been specially designed to encourage you to tackle the essential poses you'll need to start painting your own pooches. The book ends with a short section providing practical advice on setting up and running your own pet portrait business.

Life Without... follows the path of Dave as he suffers at the hands of his violent parents. Putting himself in harms way to protect his sister, Dave searches for someone who believes him, until by chance he discovers the truth. That his tormentor is not his real father. Losing all trust in the people around him, and forced to leave his sister with Dad; Dave looks for a way to escape his past. But joining the Army, as bullying reaches an all time high, the life he has chosen will be a hard one indeed. Discipline and training give him the strength to fight back, his determination and courage wins respect. But this life will also bring war, and with it comes the pain of loss and injury. Now trapped in the solitude of depression, Dave faces the only thing he fears. The memory of his Life Without...

It's the age-old tale of boy meets alien abductor. Boy meets stun-gun. Boy learns he's the only one who can save the Earth from Extreme World Makeover by interstellar landlords. Yeah: he thinks it's a bit much, too. Like everyone else on his planet, Bertram Ludlow hasn't paid much attention to fluctuations in the intergalactic real estate market. But as a cognitive psychology grad student, he has given some thought to what a complete mental breakdown looks like. And this is pretty close. Now he's discovering space is a mad and mind-boggling place where interspecies communication rests on the power of a gumball. Where androids demand better work/life balance. Where crime is Art, technology still has its bugs, and lasers don't actually go "pyew-pyew." It's also surprisingly easy to get on the Universe's Most Wanted list. So with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the cosmic law on his tail, can Bertram outrun, outwit and out-bid to save the Earthling squatters from one spaced-out redevelopment plan?

Life in the Greater Communicating Universe isn't easy. But "death" now that has its perks.
For Rollie Tsmorlood, escaping a prison planet that no one ever survives... well, it's more than a smart lifestyle choice. It's the perfect chance to unleash some covert revenge.
But when someone steals the number three for ransom, suddenly Rollie's not the only one looking for justice. Universal systems have ground to a halt. A third of the universe is trapped in a mysterious viral field. Even the Earth's stuck in a looky-no-touchy zone.
Add to this, Rollie's beloved ship has been sold for space salvage, and what's an industrious dead man to do?
Earthling pal Bertram Ludlow knows. He's learned a lot since ducking death himself. He's discovered the thrill of second chances, the power of cold, hard cash... and he's more than certain his planet's endured enough.
Soon, Rollie and Bertram are caught up in a confounding case of cosmic conspiracy, two-faced dames, hot pursuit and lukewarm vending machine seafood.
Can Rollie and Bertram track down the numeroterrorist, free the GCU and rescue Rollie's greatest nemesis... before their own numbers are up?