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Maury Aaseng

With Drawing: Birds, learn to render a variety of beautiful, realistic birds in graphite pencil.

Artists of all skill levels and bird enthusiasts alike will find creative inspiration and valuable drawing instruction in Drawing: Birds. This comprehensive book opens with an introduction to essential drawing tools, including graphite pencils, erasers, paper, and other materials. Then learn a variety of basic drawing techniques, such as shading, stippling, hatching, crosshatching, and others. Discover helpful tips for creating a good composition, understanding and seeing value, transferring photo references, and taking artistic liberties. After learning the drawing basics, jump into the easy step-by-step projects to draw specific birds, including a barred owl, a great blue heron, a ruby-throated hummingbird, a gray parrot, a pileated woodpecker, and black-capped chickadees.

In this book, professional artist and nature enthusiast Maury Aaseng offers simple, comprehensive instruction for drawing a range of lovely birds, as well as information for achieving accurate proportions, capturing motion, and building up form. Aaseng also shows you how to create realistic textures, such as feathers, nests, tree bark, and water. With his easy step-by-step projects that start with basic shapes and progress to detailed final drawings, you can draw many birds, from the common to the exotic. Easy-to-follow instruction and art tips throughout make Drawing: Birds a complete guide for creating realistic and detailed drawings of these feathered friends. For the aspiring avian artist, this book is a must-have art-instruction reference.

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and include simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Drawing: Birds allows artists to develop drawing skills by demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and shading techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for a realistic, completed drawing.

Walter Foster Publishing

How to Draw & Paint

Drawing: Birds (Learn to draw step by step): Learn to draw step by step

Cynthia Knox

Discover the secrets to creating beautiful, realistic colored pencil drawings with Drawing: Colored Pencil Basics.

*Named One of the 54 Best Colored Pencil Drawing Books of All Time by BookAuthority*

Whether you’re a novice or an accomplished artist just getting started with colored pencil, Drawing: Colored Pencil Basics provides you with the instruction and inspiration you need to master this versatile medium. By starting with the necessary supplies and basic techniques, this colorful, comprehensive guidebook gives you a solid foundation so you can work through each stunning project with ease and joy. Award-winning artist Cynthia Knox first teaches the fundamentals: tools and materials, colored pencil techniques, color basics, the basic shapes drawing method, the grid method, using photo references, and more. She explores blending, burnishing, and layering colors, plus a range of styles and techniques for creating your own works of art in colored pencil.

After learning the basics of drawing in colored pencil, move on to the step-by-step lessons, which demonstrate how to draw strikingly realistic still life and animals. Each drawing project focuses on a specific technique. Included drawing projects are a fall leaf, a colorful cupcake, a butterfly on a flower, a pony, a bowl of cherries, and a puppy—all in gorgeous, realistic detail. A reference photograph is used for each project, so you can learn how to transform your everyday photographs into beautiful pieces of art with only paper and colored pencil.

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and include simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Drawing: Colored Pencil Basics allows artists to develop drawing skills by demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and coloring techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for realistic colored pencil drawings.

Drawing: Colored Pencil Basics (Learn to draw step by step): Learn to draw step by step

Jeannie Lee

With Drawing: Manga, develop drawing and storytelling skills to create your own manga book!

In Drawing: Manga, accomplished artist Jeannie Lee shares her artistic insights and techniques for creating captivating manga artwork and stories. From information on character and story development to an exploration of shading and coloring techniques, the book covers all you need to know to become a master of manga. Each step-by-step project featuring specific characters simplifies and personalizes this drawing style, serving as both a lesson and inspirational guide to prepare you for crafting your own manga world.

This comprehensive book first introduces manga fans to drawing basics, including art tools and materials, the basic shapes drawing method, shading and coloring techniques, composition and perspective, and more. Simple instructions show how to draw heads, hair, facial features, and full bodies. After learning to draw manga characters, the book then delves in-depth into character development and story creation.

Drawing: Manga provides you with the necessary knowledge to create your own manga book, from character creation to a completed work. Discover different methods for finding inspiration for character design and story ideas. Also included are simple techniques for script writing and thumbnailing, penciling and inking, producing special effects, and lettering. Then, with a little practice, you will be able to apply your newfound skills and draw your own complete manga book!

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and include simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Drawing: Manga allows artists to develop drawing and storytelling skills by demonstrating drawing, coloring, composition, and storytelling techniques to create a manga book.

Drawing: Manga (Learn to draw step by step): Learn to draw step by step

Diane Cardaci

With Drawing: Faces & Expressions, learn to draw detailed, realistic human faces in graphite pencil from basic shapes.

Perfect for beginning artists, Faces & Expressions offers a comprehensive introduction on how to draw faces and expressions—the most important aspects of an individual. First, learn everything about the tools and materials you need to get started, including selecting the right pencils, papers, and erasers for their work. Then discover tips for drawing and shading techniques, such as how to achieve volume, suggest depth, and render various hair and skin textures. With some knowledge of pencil drawing basics, begin mastering the art of drawing the human face through a series of helpful examples and easy-to-follow, step-by-step projects. Projects include a child portrait, an adult portrait, a senior portrait, and others that feature different techniques for capturing expressions and rendering features, including eyes, mouths, noses, and hands.

Featuring the stunning artwork of gifted artist Diane Cardaci, this title features artwork designed to inspire a classical approach to rendering faces in graphite pencil. With its wide-ranging instruction, plethora of artist tips, and beautiful artwork, Faces & Expressions is the perfect resource for any beginning portrait artist.

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and include simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Drawing: Faces & Expressions allows artists to develop drawing skills by demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and shading techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for a realistic, completed portrait drawing.

Drawing: Faces & Expressions (Learn to draw step by step): Learn to draw step by step

William F. Powell

With Drawing: Landscapes, learn to render a variety of beautiful landscape subjects in graphite pencil.

 William F. Powell invites you into his artistic world to explore a number of basic drawing techniques and shows how to develop a drawing to its fullest through a series of step-by-step demonstrations. In this 10.25 × 13.75–inch book, Powell explains a number of drawing techniques and special effects and gives tips on how to design a well-balanced composition.

Landscapes provides you with the necessary knowledge to create your own landscape drawings from preliminary sketch to the completed work. Discover different methods of shading, ways of manipulating drawing tools to produce specific textures, and a wealth of beautiful landscapes to both copy and admire, includes scenes from American national parks.

 Also included are simple techniques for developing common landscape elements—such as trees, clouds, rocks, and water—and how to apply a variety of methods to convey a sense of realism. Then, with a little practice, you will be able to apply your newfound skills and draw your own beautiful landscape masterpieces!

 Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and include simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Drawing: Landscapes allows artists to develop drawing skills by demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and shading techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for a realistic, completed landscape drawing.

Drawing: Landscapes with William F. Powell (Learn to draw outdoor scenes step by step): Learn to draw outdoor scenes step by step

Martin Clarke

With Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes, you can discover how to capture breathtaking oceanic scenes in oil.

 Welcome to the incredible, diverse world of painting seascapes in oil! Oil paints are versatile and forgiving, produce wonderful color, and can produce areas that are smooth or textured. This is an ideal medium to portray the ever-changing moods and drama of this very special subject: the sea.

Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes is essential for any beginning artist who wants to paint beautiful oceans and seascapes. After introducing you to the basic tools and materials needed to begin painting in oil, talented artist Martin Clarke shows specific techniques for painting realistic waves, rocky shores, and other seaside elements. Learn about color theory, and basic painting techniques before moving on to the step-by-step projects in this 10.25 × 13.75–inch book.

 This comprehensive guide contains step-by-step lessons for painting five different seascapes in oil, using a number of simple yet effective techniques. You don’t need a large palette of colors to produce these vibrant, dramatic works. You just need to grab a few supplies and learn observation skills, a few painting techniques, and how to produce a well-composed scene. Then paint as much possible (and have fun while doing so) to practice creating amazing seascapes!

 Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. With comprehensive instruction, plenty of artist tips and tricks, and beautiful artwork to inspire, Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes is the perfect resource for any aspiring oil painter.

Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes (Learn to paint step by step): Learn to paint step by step

Walter Foster

With Drawing: Faces, learn to draw detailed, realistic human faces in graphite pencil from basic shapes.

Successfully drawing the human face is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, artistic experiences. With a wealth of detailed step-by-step projects to both re-create and admire, Faces teaches the basics of drawing human facial features with graphite pencil. In addition to the step-by-step drawing projects, Faces includes information on choosing art materials, building with basic shapes, placing proportionate features, defining facial expression, and shading to develop form and realism. Discover how to render a variety of faces with simple instructions and tips on how to adapt your drawings for varied angles and emotions.

Acclaimed artist Walter T. Foster shares his personal methods for rendering the human face in all its expressiveness as he introduces tips and techniques for approaching babies, children, teenagers, and adults of all ages. Easy-to-follow demonstrations and helpful techniques for drawing correct head and facial proportions, eyes, noses, lips, and ears make this book a necessary addition to every artist’s library of drawing references.

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and include simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Drawing: Faces allows artists to develop drawing skills by demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and shading techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for a realistic, completed portrait drawing.

Drawing faces can be a challenge, but with this step-by-step guide, you’ll be rendering realistic portraits in no time.

Drawing: Faces (Learn to draw step by step): Learn to draw step by step

Marcia Baldwin

With comprehensive instruction, plenty of artist tips and tricks, and beautiful artwork to inspire, Oil & Acrylic: Flowers is the perfect resource for any aspiring painter.

 Award-winning artist Marcia Baldwin teaches aspiring artists how to paint stunning floral scenes in Oil & Acrylic: Flowers. Inside, find information about the painting tools and materials you need to get started, as well as painting techniques specific to creating beautiful flower portraits and arrangements that burst with vibrant color. In this 10.25 × 13.75–inch book, learn about color theory, working from photographs, beginning with sketches, applying an underpainting, taking artistic liberties, enhancing backgrounds, and creating texture.

 With each step-by-step project focusing on a specific technique, learn to paint six beautiful flowers. Throughout the book, artist Marcia Baldwin demonstrates how the principles and elements of art and design can be explored and experienced when painting flowers. She also shares her tips for creating an underpainting and arranging compelling compositions. With Oil & Acrylic: Flowers, you’re just steps away from becoming a master in painting beautiful flowers!

 Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. With comprehensive instruction, plenty of artist tips and tricks, and beautiful artwork to inspire, Oil & Acrylic: Flowers is the perfect resource for any aspiring painter.

Oil & Acrylic: Flowers (Learn to paint step by step): Learn to paint step by step

Nolon Stacey

Gain the drawing skills you need to create textured works like a pro with Drawing: Basic Textures in Pencil.

From handling the pencil and mastering basic techniques to learning about value, form, and shading, Basic Textures in Pencil teaches beginning artists all of the elements they need to achieve realistic results in their drawings.

Intuitive step-by-step lessons then demonstrate how you can put your newfound skills to use by rendering everything from metal, glass, and wood textures to fur and feathers. Each concept is clearly explained in easy-to-comprehend language, making this book an accessible and approachable resource for beginning artists and art enthusiasts.

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers an easy-to-follow guide that introduces artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Basic Textures in Pencil allows artists to widen the scope of their abilities, demonstrating basic pencil drawing techniques that allow beginners to re-create a variety of common textures and surfaces.

Drawing: Basic Textures in Pencil (A beginner's guide to realistic textures in graphite): A beginner's guide to realistic textures in graphite

Walter Foster Creative Team

Learn how to use color effectively and become a well-rounded artist with this easy-to-follow guide.

A perfect resource for new artists and art hobbyists, Basic Color Theory demonstrates the color wheel at work and covers all the essentials, including complementary, primary, secondary, and tertiary colors; hue, saturation, and value; color mood, temperature, and schemes; and how to create a color chart.

Each concept is clearly explained in easy-to-comprehend language so beginning artists can put their newfound knowledge to immediate use. Also included are step-by-step tutorials, as well as techniques for basic color mixing in different mediums.

Designed for beginners, the How to Draw and Paint series offers an easy-to-follow guide that introduces artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Basic Color Theory allows artists to widen the scope of their abilities, demonstrating how to create color and value charts, basic color mixing techniques, and a comprehensive approach to understanding color relationships.

Special Subjects: Basic Color Theory (An introduction to color for beginning artists): An Introduction to Color for Beginning Artists

David Lloyd Glover

With comprehensive instruction and artist tips and tricks, Acrylic: Seasons is the perfect resource for beginning acrylic artists. You'll learn the foundational skills needed to start an art odyssey.

Acrylic: Seasons teaches aspiring artists everything they need to know to get started painting the different seasons in acrylic. From choosing paper and brushes to painting techniques, composition, and development, Acrylic: Seasons is bursting with valuable skills and lessons to help beginning artists master this approachable medium.

Talented artist David Lloyd Glover guides you through an exploration of painting a variety of seasonal landscapes in acrylic, covering basic painting concepts and techniques and rendering realistic textures. Building on these basic techniques, you will practice your craft with step-by-step projects that cover a variety of landscapes, including an autumn road, a spring garden, and a summer lake.

Acrylic: Seasons (Learn to paint step by step): Learn to paint step by step

Monika Cilmi

With comprehensive instruction and artist tips and tricks, Special Subjects: Beginning Chinese Brush is the perfect resource for beginning artists. Explore and experience this traditional medium!

Special Subjects: Beginning Chinese Brush teaches aspiring artists everything they need to know to get started creating Chinese brush paintings. From choosing brushes to painting techniques, composition, and development, Special Subjects: Beginning Chinese Brush is bursting with valuable skills and lessons to help you learn how to use this traditional medium.

 Artist Monika Cilmi guides you through an exploration of a variety of step-by-step Chinese brush paintings, covering basic concepts and techniques, such as different brushstrokes, as well as how to blend traditional methodswith your own personal style. Building on these introductory techniques, you can practice your craft with projects that cover a variety of subjects, including birds, flowers, and traditional landscapes. This is one tool that no artist will want to be without!

Special Subjects: Beginning Chinese Brush (Discover the art of traditional Chinese brush painting)

With this 32-page, step-by-step instruction book, aspiring artists will discover the secrets to creating cutting-edge manga art. From an exploration of shading and coloring techniques to tips on figure drawing and character development, readers will learn everything they need to know to become masters of manga. Each featured project serves as both lesson and inspirational guide for preparing artists to craft their own world and characters in an authentic manga style!

Drawing: Manga (Learn the Art of Manga Step by Step): Learn the Art of Manga Step by Step

Daniel K. Tennant

Learn to create paintings of remarkable realism and vividness with this concise guide from a prize-winning artist.

Creating a piece of artwork that might be mistaken for a photograph is the goal of many aspiring artists. With this thirty-two-page guide, even beginners can learn methods for painting with amazing realism and accuracy. 

Accomplished artist Daniel Tennant explains the basics of using gouache and airbrushing and provides in-depth information on essential techniques such as gradating, using stencils, and creating a metallic effect. He also offers instruction on common elements of traditional still lifes, guiding readers from applying the initial layer of color through adding texture to detailing with shadows and highlights. The book also features several inspiring projects, each broken down into numerous digestible steps so artists can easily follow along.

Watercolor: Realistic Painting

Aspiring artists will learn how to create faithful depictions of all their furry friends with this essential drawing book.

Inside, gifted artist Nolon Stacey provides fundamental techniques and complete instructions for drawing several different breeds of cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies. He also demonstrates how to portray specific canine and feline features—such as perky ears, wayward whiskers, and playful paws. Readers also will learn how to achieve accurate proportions and capture the priceless expressions that make dogs and cats so utterly irresistible! Packed with helpful tips and extraordinarily realistic drawings, this book is a “must-have” for every pet-loving artist.

Drawing: Dogs & Cats

Debra Kauffman Yaun

In this comprehensive, 32-page book, accomplished artist Debra Kauffman Yaun shares her artistic insights and techniques for creating strikingly realistic animal drawings in colored pencil. The book opens with essential information on choosing tools and materials, understanding color theory, and creating basic pencil strokes. It then covers special colored pencil techniques, such as hatching, burnishing, layering, and blending. Finally, the author demonstrates how to accurately depict an assortment of adorable animals––including favorite family pets, wildlife, and birds––in a series of clear, step-by-step lessons. In-depth, easy-to-follow instructions allow aspiring artists to develop their drawing skills, guiding them from simple sketches to the final flourishes.

Drawing: Animals: Learn How to Draw with Colored Pencil, Step-by-Step

Geri Medway

Caroline Linscott

Barbara Fudurich

Joan Hansen

Learn to paint sunflowers, water lilies, roses, and more!

In this gorgeous 32-page project book, four accomplished watercolorists show aspiring artists how to paint a range of florals and botanicals––from delicate orchids to bold birds of paradise. Beginning with the basics, the detailed lessons demonstrate how to portray three-dimensional forms and create compelling designs. Each project features fundamental techniques, such as using washes, glazing, and painting wet into wet. The authors also share helpful tips on revealing luminous colors in white, creating dynamic lights and shadows, and zooming in on a subject for dramatic effect. With vibrant, full-color illustrations and simple instructions, this essential how-to-paint book will inspire artists to begin capturing their favorite floral scenes in watercolor.

Watercolor: Florals & Botanicals (Learn to Paint Step by Step): Learn to Paint Step by Step

Michael Dobrzycki

Clear, step-by-step instructions for drawing a variety of dragons, from baby dragons (hatchlings) and sea serpents to dragons of Western and Eastern origin

Fire-breathing beasts have soared in popularity in recent years. With Dragons, the newest addition to our best-selling How to Draw and Paint series, budding artists will find clear, step-by-step instructions for drawing these fanciful creatures. Featuring extraordinary information on the origin and history of dragons from around the world, as well as a wide variety of drawing and shading techniques, this book covers everything readers need to know to render their own versions of these impressive beasts. Dragons differentiates itself from similar books on the market because it features fantasy dragons as well as mythological dragons from around the world.

Drawing: Dragons (Learn to Draw Step by Step): Learn to Draw Step by Step

Tom Swimm

Marla Baggetta

Marilyn Grame

Caroline Zimmermann

Learn how to paint in four different media! Taking the first steps to learn how to paint can be a challenge, especially when beginning artists are unsure which medium best suits them. With this book, aspiring artists will discover the qualities and benefits of four painting media-acrylic, oil, pastel, and watercolor-making it easier for them to begin their artistic journey. After an in-depth introduction to the tools and materials needed for each medium, five accomplished artists guide readers step by step through the creation of their own works of art.

Special Subjects: Get Started Painting (Explore Acrylic, Oil, Pastel, and Watercolor): Explore Acrylic, Oil, Pastel, and Watercolor

Deborah Kauffman Yaun

The award-winning artist and author teaches readers how to understand anatomy, draw hands and feet, capture movement, and incorporate colored pencil. 

This new addition to the bestselling Drawing category of our How to Draw and Paint Series shows aspiring artists how to depict a variety of people in pencil from a ballerina to soccer player. Accomplished artist Debra Kauffman Yaun introduces readers to drawing supplies and basic techniques, as well as to the essential elements of full-figure anatomy; then she guides artists through a collection of step-by-step projects, starting each with a simple sketch and ending with a beautifully rendered portrait. Debra even includes information on adding color to drawings, sharing her extensive knowledge of colored pencil. Featuring a range of people of different ages and ethnicities, this book is sure to educate and inspire.

How to Draw & Paint - The book series

How to Draw & Paint - The book series

How to Draw & Paint books in order

Listen and read