Drawing Birds - Softcover

Forkner, Andrew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1782214925 ISBN 13: 9781782214922

Publisher: Search Press, 2018

Synopsis

An expert guide to producing beautiful lifelike drawings of birds in their natural habitat.

Artists of all interests will find a lot to inspire them in this detailed, practical and beautiful guide on drawing birds. The book includes sections on materials, basic techniques and reference gathering, as well as how to draw the key features of birds such as beaks, eyes, claws, wings and feathers. A special section will focus on birds in flight, and this will be followed by chapters on the main bird families including: Water birds and waders, Wildfowl, Birds of prey, Garden and woodland birds and Sea birds.

Each chapter will cover the techniques specific to the group as well as numerous examples and a full step-by-step demo. The absence of colour means that Andrew uses other aspects such as pattern, shading and shape to give his paintings life and interest. Written for artists who wish to apply their skills to drawing birds, as well as experienced artists who want to improve their drawing skills, this is an expert guide to producing exquisitely rendered, lifelike drawings of birds in their natural habitats and nothing could be more inspirational than Andrew's accurately observed and truly beautiful drawings.

About this title

About the Author

Andrew Forkner is a keen naturalist and has travelled the world in search of wildlife. His artwork has also travelled widely, with examples of his art in collections in the UK, Europe, Kenya, Canada, USA and Nepal. A self-taught wildlife artist, he works in a variety of media, including graphite pencil, acrylics and pastel to complete his originals. Andrew lives in Oxfordshire. Andrew is a signature member of The Artists for Conservation Foundation and also a member of The Wildlife Art Society International. He has produced several commissions for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, of which he has been a member for over 30 years.

Review

Where Andrew's previous book dealt with acrylics and included colour, this concentrates on drawing and monochrome. Birds are never an easy subject and simply observing them can be a challenge. Although Andrew does not cover the use of photographs in detail, he does hint at their possibilities and also has some useful notes on sketching in the field. The assumption is, I think, that you'll find your own reference material, of which there is plenty available. The book begins with some handy notes on structure and plumage along with features such as eyes, beaks and bills. This section is worthy of considerable attention as it introduces basic techniques and helps you work towards the complete studies that come later. These demonstrations cover a good variety of species from garden birds to waterfowl, birds of prey and game birds. Andrew shows you how to map out the outline and structure and then fill in the shading so that your finished result has both shape and solidity. Although birds are not a subject for the complete beginner, neither is this a masterclass that need deter those who are new to the subject and it should satisfy them as well as those who want to take the art considerably further. * Artbookreview.net * Summer 2018 Aimed at artists with some experience, Andrew Forkner's Drawing Birds is a through and detailed guid. Practical information on materials, basic techniques and gathering reference material is followed by sections on how to draw the key features of birds - beaks, claws, feathers and eyes. The birds are divided into groups and include: waders and waterbirds, wildfowl, birds of prey, owls, garden and woodland birds, seabirds and game birds, and there's a special section on birds in flight. Full step-by-step demonstrations are included. * Leisure Painter *

About this edition

• Publisher: Search Press
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1782214925
• ISBN 13: 9781782214922
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 96