A Masterclass in Drawing and Painting Animals: Wildlife, pets, reptiles, birds, fish and insects

Animals are fascinating subjects in art. The sight of a cat curled up in the sun will soothe; an image of a rampaging elephant inspires awe. Soaring birds instantly evoke a desire for space and freedom. These and many other scenes and emotions can be captured on paper or canvas with a little training and lots of practice.Perhaps you are interested in your pet's behaviour, in safari holidays, in bird watching, or the in behaviour of insects and small animals in their natural environments. For an artist, there is a wealth of inspiration to tap into in the animal kingdom. In this book, mammals and amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and insects are all depicted in beautiful artworks, tutorials and project exercises by leading artists. Follow along with step-by-step text and photography, gaining invaluable advice and tips on the way.Jonathan Truss is an inspiring artist who specializes in oil and acrylic paintings of wild animals. He expertly guides readers through artistic basics in the tutorial section, looking at drawing and painting fur, claws, eyes, scales and many other animal traits. The movement of animals is discussed, and Jonathan's artworks show how to convey their energy in paintings and sketches. Other professional artists including Trudy Friend and Jonathan Latimer have contributed to the tutorial section, and media including pencils, charcoal, pen and ink, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, gouche and oils are covered.In the galleries, Sarah Hoggett provides expert commentary on artworks by professional artists, discussing how they have achieved various effects in their work. Sarah has also worked with several established animal artists to produce 30 great step-by-step projects for readers to follow along with. Subjects include geese on a lily pond by Robert Greenhalf, pelicans in flight by Jonathan Latimer, a buzzing bee by Lucie McDonald and a galloping dog by Abigail Edgar. Work through them all or pick and choose your favourite media or compositions.The book is fully illustrated with more than 800 photographs, making it an inspiring and easy-to-follow guide for artists. It is designed to build confidence in students, empowering them to create their own compositions of the animal subjects that most inspire them.Learn to produce beautiful studies of animals, observing the behaviour, movement, textures and spirit that make each creature a unique subjectMaster the techniques required for successful paintings and drawings, working with pencils, charcoal, pastels, watercolours, gouache, acrylics and oilsEnjoy one-on-one tuition with a well-respected wildlife artist, whose work will inspire and guide you to build your own portfolioOnce you have practised basics such as fur, claws, teeth and scales, move on to some inspiring quick sketches, injecting energy into your animal portraits.Work through 30 beautiful and unique projects by professional artists, following step by step to produce stunning portraits of mammals, insects, birds and fish on your paper or canvas This practical guide to the art of drawing and painting animals contains 800 fabulous images, expert tips and solid advice, to inspire beginners and help intermediate artists move to the next level