'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.

Dave White introduces the simple but effective techniques that he uses to paint stunning, dramatic seascapes with beautiful and realistic skies. He demonstrates spattering, blending backgrounds, painting horizons, finger painting clouds and foam. There is expert advice on the anatomy of waves and how they rise and collapse, creating ripples, surf, foam and spray. Clear instructions show how to paint effective reflections and beaches to improve your seascapes. The sky section shows effective techniques for painting all types of cloud, with some innovative methods such as tipping up the surface to let dilute paint run, to create cirrus clouds. Dave's method of creating depth in sea, beach and sky using lines projected from the vanishing point will radically improve readers' seascapes. There is a section of moods and sunsets full of beautiful, dramatic examples. Finally three step by step projects show how to paint a beach panorama with a rolling wave, a spectacular sunset over a calm sea and waves crashing on rocks.

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?

Learn to read with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and all the other characters in the LEGO DC Universe! This set includes ten books and two workbooks (focusing on short and long vowels), all held in a sturdy box with plastic handle.

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?