References for artists

From the award-winning artist, learn to see and shape the world in a way you never before imagined.An award-winning fantasy artist and the creator of Dinotopia, James Gurney instructs and inspires in Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist. Renowned for his uncanny ability to incorporate amazing detail and imagination into stunningly realistic fantasy settings, James Gurney teaches budding artists and fans of fantasy art step-by-step the techniques that won him worldwide critical acclaim. This groundbreaking work examines the practical methods for creating believable pictures of imaginary subjects, such as dinosaurs, ancient Romans, alien creatures, and distant worlds.Beginning with a survey of imaginative paintings from the Renaissance to the golden Age of American illustration, the book then goes on to explain not just techniques like sketching and composition, but also the fundamentals of believable world building including archaeology, architecture, anatomy for creatures and aliens, and fantastic engineering. It concludes with details and valuable advice on careers in fantasy illustration, including video game and film concept art and toy design.More than an instruction book, this is the ultimate reference for fans of science fiction and fantasy illustration."Gurney's Imaginative Realism is a gold mine for artists who want to create images that sing with authority and delight the viewer with rich otherworldly visuals." --Erik Tiemens, concept artist, Star Wars: Episodes II and III"Imaginative Realism is an indispensable, flawless reference for vision makers in any discipline to create their own imaginative realms." --Frank M. Costantino, ASAI, SI, FSAI, JARA, cofounder, American Society of Architectural Illustrators

I had read one other book by Franck. His words always seem to settle me on creating art, not out of angst, but out of a place of wonder and praise, appreciation and real seeing. Seeing/Drawing is a term he came up with for a medatative excercise to trust the eye/mind/hand relationship and to cultivate it while letting go of other distractions. This work speaks much about movement and form, of study and of nature. A good read for any artist. Perhaps a bit too autobiographical attimes for my liking, but a solid source of inspiration throughout. His handwriting of the text is an intriquing aspect of the book. Intermixed with his own illustrations, it sets a tone of converstaion rather than lecture.

Following the success of Anatomy for the Artist and Sketch Book for the Artist, this latest title from the acclaimed artist Sarah Simblet investigates the extraordinary structure and variety of every type of plant-from mosses and lichens to flowers and trees-and teaches the reader how to draw them.The book starts with the history of plant drawing and painting. The author follows the trail of the early plant explorers and shows how the exotic specimens they brought home with them were depicted in botanical illustrations, anthologies, and decorative designs.The main part of the book examines the structure of plants, with visually stunning chapters on roots and stems, shoots and leaves, buds and flowers, and seeds and fruit, mosses and lichens, and trees. As in Anatomy for the Artist, beautiful, specially commissioned photographs complement Sarah's drawings, illustrating how an understanding of botany really helps you to draw plants. Drawing classes provide a wealth of practical advice on how to draw, and pages from Sarah's sketchbooks show how she records her favorite plants throughout the seasons. Inspirational master classes in each chapter focus on how other artists, from 17th century masters to contemporary botanical illustrators, have portrayed plants.This lavishly illustrated book will not only be the definitive guide for those wishing to master the art of drawing plants, but a sumptuous gift book for all those passionate about plants and how they are portrayed in art.

This is awesome. Okay, it's from the 50s, includes its share of -isms from the day and some of that overexburance of mine comes from the fact that this is available free of charge online (and what's better for a wanna-be struggling artist?). But the mathematician in me is also just bowled over by the attention to proportion ratios and visual guides for such (is it a freudian slip that I kept accidentally writing the letter k instead of h in the word such?). I am quite sure that there are many other books that will delve into the fine details of ratios and proportions and tell you the magic numbers you need to make you hero look...heroic and everyone else dumpy, fashionable or whatever fits your fancy. However, I stopped looking for a basic art textbook after I found this. My characters may not all need to look like the 50s pin-up women or Arian comic book men, but as long as you have a great foundation, you can go anywhere/draw anything. Afterall, no book is going to teach you to be creative and think outide the box/book.

If you had told me I'd read a 200+ page book on perspective drawing, I would have told you you've been drinking too much, but Norling's book was actually entertaining while covering what can be a very dry topic for artists and art students.Originally published in 1939, this Dover Book reprint has faithfully reproduced the original illustrations and the text is clear and easy to read. As a technique book, Norling covers each topic in simple steps with clear illustrations of each idea. If you're a beginner, this book will be very helpful, especially if you don't have a teacher and are trying to learn on your own.I picked up this book to help me prepare lesson plans for next fall, and I was pleasantly surprised at the range of topics Norling covers, some of which I'd never considered before, and some which I haven't thought of since I was an art student back in the dark ages. Overall, a pleasant surprise and a useful resource for artists, teachers, and students.

Many of us want to learn "how to draw." But as artist Anthony Ryder explains, it's much more important to learn what to draw. In other words, to observe and draw what we actually see, rather than what we think we see. When it comes to drawing the human figure, this means letting go of learned ideas and expectation of what the figure should look like. It means carefully observing the interplay of form and light, shape and line, that combine to create the actual appearance of human form. In The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing, amateur and experienced artists alike are guided toward this new way of seeing and drawing the figure with a three-step drawing method.The book's progressive course starts with the block-in, an exercise in seeing and establishing the figure's shape. It then build to the contour, a refined line drawing that represents the figure's silhouette. The last step is tonal work on the inside of the contour, when light and shadow are shaped to create the illusion of form. Separate chapters explore topics critical to the method: gesture, which expresses a sense of living energy to the figure; light, which largely determines how we see the model; and form, which conveys the figure's volume and mass. Examples, step-by-steps, and special "tips" offer helpful hints and practical guidance throughout.Lavishly illustrated with the author's stunning artwork, The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing combines solid instruction with thoughtful meditations on the art of drawing, to both instruct and inspire artists of all levels.

Figure Drawing: Design and Invention is an instructional figure drawing book geared towards the novice and experienced artist alike. This book emphasizes a simplified understanding of surface anatomy, in order to clarify the mechanics of the figure, facilitate invention, and ultimately create a skill-set that can be successfully applied to other media. In addition, this book focuses very strongly on practical usage, making sure the artist is able to assimilate the steps presented here into a cohesive working process. (Fourth printing, September 2011)

The definitive book on animation, from the Academy Award-winning animator behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit?Animation is one of the hottest areas of filmmaking today--and the master animator who bridges the old generation and the new is Richard Williams. During his more than forty years in the business, Williams has been one of the true innovators, winning three Academy Awards and serving as the link between Disney's golden age of animation by hand and the new computer animation exemplified by Toy Story. Perhaps even more important, though, has been his dedication in passing along his knowledge to a new generation of animators so that they in turn could push the medium in new directions. In this book, based on his sold-out master classes in the United States and across Europe, Williams provides the underlying principles of animation that every animator--from beginner to expert, classic animator to computer animation whiz --needs. Urging his readers to "invent but be believable," he illustrates his points with hundreds of drawings, distilling the secrets of the masters into a working system in order to create a book that will become the standard work on all forms of animation for professionals, students, and fans.

From New York Times best-selling author of the Dinotopia series, James Gurney, comes a carefully crafted and researched study on color and light in paintings. This art instruction book will accompany the acclaimed Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist.James Gurney, New York Times best-selling author and artist of the Dinotopia series, follows Imaginative Realism with his second art-instruction book, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter. A researched study on two of art's most fundamental themes, Color and Light bridges the gap between abstract theory and practical knowledge. Beginning with a survey of underappreciated masters who perfected the use of color and light, the book examines how light reveals form, the properties of color and pigments, and the wide variety of atmospheric effects. Gurney cuts though the confusing and contradictory dogma about color, testing it in the light of science and observation. A glossary, pigment index, and bibliography complete what will ultimately become an indispensable tool for any artist.This book is the second in a series based on his blog, gurneyjourney.com. His first in the series, Imaginative Realism, was widely acclaimed in the fantastical art world, and was ranked the #1 Bestseller on the Amazon list for art instruction."James Gurney's new book, Color and Light, cleverly bridges the gap between artistic observation and scientific explanation. Not only does he eloquently describe all the effects of color and light an artist might encounter, but he thrills us with his striking paintings in the process." --Armand Cabrera, Artist

Stephen Rogers Peck's Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist remains unsurpassed as a manual for students. It includes sections on bones, muscles, surface anatomy, proportion, equilibrium, and locomotion. Other unique features are sections on the types of human physique, anatomy from birth to old age, an orientation on racial anatomy, and an analysis of facial expressions. The wealth of information offered by the Atlas ensures its place as a classic for the study of the human form.

“An indispensable volume...published for the first time in paperback....More than 200 illustrations of hands and hundreds of images of arms, shoulders, heads, torsos, legs, knees, and feet.” —Library Journal. “It will...meet a deeply felt need to draw the human figure from a vantage point of understanding and visual acuity.”—Arts & Activities.

The illustrator Andrew Loomis (1892-1959) is revered amongst artists - including the great American painter Norman Rockwell and comics superstar Alex Ross - for his mastery of figure drawing and clean, Realist style. His hugely influential series of art instruction books have never been bettered. Drawing the Head and Hands is the second in Titan's programme of facsimile editions, returning these classic titles to print for the first time in decades.

Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw.In this book, Bert Dodson shares his complete drawing system--fifty-five "keys" that you can use to render any subject with confidence, even if you're a beginner.These keys, along with dozens of practice exercises, will help you draw like an artist in no time.You'll learn how to:Restore, focus, map, and intensifyFree your hand action, then learn to control itConvey the illusions of light, depth, and textureStimulate your imagination through "creative play"

Burne Hogarth was the artist for the early Tarzan comics- his style is brilliant but rather mannered and at times odd looking with stylised poses and over-sized feet (to my eyes). There is a lot to get out of this book however it is a perseverance test to get at it and you will be best advised to work at it yourself and spare yourself the trouble of trying to get through his TERRIBLE prose. He really suffers for not having an editor who could stand up to him I guess- the prose is quasi-accademic as though a 4th former had grabbed a dictionary and a thesaurus and for every straightforward one syllable word had substituted a four syllable obscure one. Some of his prose is simply laughable, for example:Where the approach to the figure is neither tactual nor visual, spatial orientation may depend on the total positional stress of the third form concept.That is to say the viewer is given the task of interacting with the figure; it is a case where the viewing angle of the total figure form demands special noticeThis was taken at random and gives a good indication of his style- florid, wordy, use of jargon, never use one word where a few will doso, look at the pictures, don't bother with the text- it will defeat you after a couple of pages

Arthur L. Guptill's classic Rendering in Pen and Ink has long been regarded as the most comprehensive book ever published on the subject of ink drawing. This is a book designed to delight and instruct anyone who draws with pen and ink, from the professional artist to the amateur and hobbyist. It is of particular interest to architects, interior designers, landscape architects, industrial designers, illustrators, and renderers. Contents include a review of materials and tools of rendering; handling the pen and building tones; value studies; kinds of outline and their uses; drawing objects in light and shade; handling groups of objects; basic principles of composition; using photographs, study of the work of well-known artists; on-the-spot sketching; representing trees and other landscape features; drawing architectural details; methods of architectural rendering; examination of outstanding examples of architectural rendering; solving perspective and other rendering problems; handling interiors and their accessories; and finally, special methods of working with pen including its use in combination with other media. The book is profusely illustrated with over 300 drawings that include the work of famous illustrators and renderers of architectural subjects such as Rockwell Kent, Charles Dana Gibson, James Montgomery Flagg, Willy Pogany, Reginald Birch, Harry Clarke, Edward Penfield, Joseph Clement Coll, F.L. Griggs, Samuel V. Chamberlain, Louis C. Rosenberg, John Floyd Yewell, Chester B. Price, Robert Lockwood, Ernest C. Peixotto, Harry C. Wilkinson, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, and Birch Burdette Long. Best of all, Arthur Guptill enriches the text with drawings of his own.

This is a fantastic book for learning to draw people. It's from the fifties, so the styles of hair and dress are outdated and the features are more European looking, but it's still an excellent reference and I improved my skills just by practice drawing some of the figures and employing the suggested techniques. I ordered this used off Amazon for a very affordable price (less than $5) and it was so worth it. I highly recommend this to artists who want to focus on figure drawing. I'm marking it read, but I will continue to consult and work on my drawing from this book.

In this book are the essential beliefs and theories of a great teacher and American artist, Robert Henri. While it embodies the entire system of his teaching, with much technical advice and critical comment for the student, it also contains inspiration for those to whom the happiness to be found through all the arts is important.No other American painter attracted such a large, intensely personal group of followers as Henri, whose death in 1929 brought to an end a life that has been completely devoted to art. He was an inspired artist and teacher who believed that everyone is vitally concerned in the happiness and wisdom to be found through the arts. Many of his paintings have been acquired by museums and private collectors. Among them are the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Wichita Art Museum, and Yale University Art Gallery.