Illustrating Nature: How to Paint and Draw Plants and Animals
Dorothea and Sy Barlowe
Dover
Nonfiction, Art
****
DESCRIPTION: From mammals through insects and trees through rocks, this book outlines the many subjects and skills needed by any nature artist. Textures, proportions, and accuracy are emphasized as the authors discuss a variety of media and techniques.
REVIEW: Years ago, I saw this book in Half Price Books, but couldn't quite justify the price at the time. As soon as I got home, I kicked myself for passing it up. Later, I purchased this online, completely unaware that it was the same volume. This is a great book, suffering mainly from an excess of explanation as opposed to helpful illustrations. There are illustrations, of course, but I wanted a few more. It is the only art book I own which covers amphibians, insects, and sea life, as well as crystals, stones, and trees. This book is well worth having in your art library, but hardly the last drawing book you'll ever have to buy. (If I ever find such a book, I'll be sure to let you know.)
You might also enjoy:
How to Draw Animals (Jack Hamm, Art - Drawing mammals)
How to Draw and Paint Birds (Lynn Bogue Hunt, Art - Drawing birds)
Animal Drawing - Anatomy and Action for Artists (Charles R. Knight, Art - Drawing animals)
Creating Textures in Pen & Ink with Watercolor and Sketching Your Favorite Subjects in Pen & Ink (Claudia Nice, Art - Rendering animals, nature, and other subjects)
Artist's Photo Reference: Wildlife (Bart Rulon, Art - Photo references of various mammals, from squirrels to elephants)
How to Draw and Paint: Cats in Action(Walter J. Wilwerding, Art - Drawing big cats)
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