The Art of Zentangle: 50 inspiring drawings, designs ideas for the meditative artist


Margaret Bremner - 2013
    The focus of Zentangle is on the process of creation, rather than the end result. The beauty of Zentangle is that there is no right way or wrong way. If you can draw a line and a circle (perfectly or not), you can Zentangle. Zentangle is an art concept that is engaging, approachable, and fun enough for someone who has never picked up any art tools or created a piece of art, yet is still meditative, productive, and creative enough for an advanced artist to enjoy. While many popular Zentangle books share tips, inspiration, and final artwork, there are few that break down Zentangle into a step-by-step process. Structured to be part instruction, part inspiration, and part doodling, The Art of Zentangle will first demonstrate how to create Zentangle art by showing intricate patterns broken out into several steps. After artists have warmed up and are ready to give it a try on their own, they’ll be invited to practice creating their own Zentangle designs on the beautifully designed blank pages of this inspirational sketch journal. A short gallery of final artwork and several inspirational prompts are included in this comprehensive introduction to the new, inspirational world of Zentangle.

The Art of Whimsical Lettering


Joanne Sharpe - 2014
    Author Joanne Sharpe shows you how to create exuberant and personalized writing styles for your artwork-whether it be a journal, canvas art, or other projects that use text.After an overview of Joanne's favorite tools and surfaces, take a peek into Joanne's personal lettering journal to discover how you too can collect inspiration, hone your lettering skills, and tap into your natural creativity. Joanne then demonstrates twenty art techniques for creating a variety of lettering styles using many different tools. She provides you with fifteen basic alphabets, ranging from simple pen-and-ink renditions to increasingly elaborated texts that reference calligraphy, vintage fonts, and doodle art, among other styles. Joanne also teaches you how to turn prosaic lettering into page art itself, merging text into illustration, or ornamenting words with decorative drawings.

Draw With Jazza - Creating Characters: Fun and Easy Guide to Drawing Cartoons and Comics


Josiah Brooks - 2016
    Whether sci-fi or steampunk, comic book heroines or tattooed action heroes, animal familiars or alien races, you will discover the limitless possibilities of creating your very own characters for comic books, cartoons, video games and more! No matter what your skill level, you can draw from concept to finished art with confidence. Jazza shows you how as he walks you through The Design Process! Discover. Learn techniques just like the pros use for developing characters--their backstory, personality and physicality; decide your drawing style; and explore and organize your inspiration. Design. Use brainstorm sketching to refine your character's persona. Use simplified lines and shapes to draw men and women, practice poses and play with body shapes, sizes, ages and outfits. Develop. Refine your best ideas by choosing features, color schemes, settings and context to reflect your end goal. Deliver. Finish your concept art with character turnarounds, expression sheets, pose variations and more to create a complete picture of your characters and their world.

Anyone Can Learn Watercolor Journaling - Yes, You!: Easy Techniques for Drawing and Painting


Jolyn Parker - 2015
    No need to wait until you’ve had hours of training or years of practice to enjoy watercolor journaling. In this book you will learn how to: Recapture the natural joy of art experienced in early childhood Create colorful travel journals that will become treasured souvenirs and a delight to share Overcome the resistance of your inner critic that says you can’t draw or paint Here’s what people are saying about Anyone Can Learn Watercolor Journaling—Yes, You! “This book is both an educational and delightful read.”—Sharan Devoto “I love the sketches in this book and appreciate the easy instructions that go along with them.”—Karen Bates “What a fun and easy-to-read book. Makes it simple to add a bit of creativity to a journal.”—Soo Hyun Han NOTE: This book is NOT for the experienced artist. It is intended only for people who want to learn VERY basic techniques for drawing and painting.

Crochet for Beginners: Quick and Easy Way to Master Spectacular Crochet Stitches in 3 Days (Crochet Patterns Book 1)


Emma Brown - 2014
    Crochet books were largely useless because it is difficult to teach a visual art through words—until now. Crochet for Beginners is full of color photos and diagrams that make it easy not only to learn beginning crocket stitches but really begin to put them into use, making more and more complicated projects, all the way up to crochet afghans. If you already know how to do basic crochet stitches and are looking for crocheting books that can help you take your projects to the next level, this book is also perfect for your needs. This books is very specific about not only how to start crocheting, but how to improve your skills with a range of techniques and crochet patterns that train you to make just about anything you want, quickly and easily. All you have to do is look at the pictures and diagrams and you will be able to make any of the 21 crochet patterns included in the book. This book teaches you to complete every single one of our patterns, even the most advanced ones, in less than three days. To speed up the process, the book also includes a full list of Glossary terms, to explain that crochet terminology that patterns and other crocheters use. There are even ten fast-track tips to get you crocheting fast and a FAQ to answer any questions you might have about crocheting, crochet stiches, what hooks to purchase, etc. You will be a master of crocheting in no time! Here are just some of the benefits provided by Crochet for Beginners: • Learn whether or not crocheting is harder than knitting • 21 different crochet projects, teaching you the skills to crochet just about anything • How to easily start crocheting and build your skills • How to join crochet pieces • And many more! Learning how to crochet is not a difficult or protracted process when you have the right tools. That is what Crochet for Beginners provides, a step-by-step, picture and diagram tutorial for simple and highly advanced projects. Scroll up and get your copy today! Check Out What Others Are Saying... "One thing I really love about the book is the abundance of clear, beautiful photos. They feature colorful crochet stitches done, has got to be one of my most favorite books. Why? Because you don't just read it cover to cover and walk away from it. It is useful, it is a resource, and I find myself referring to it time and time again. You see, I am a crocheter, but I don't crochet constantly so I forget stitches. A to Z Crochet is a great tool to remind me how to do a certain stitch. The pictures are helpful and show progressive steps. If there is more than one way to do something, you can bet it is explained.. I really appreciate these pics!I now have enough stitches to keep me crocheting into the next millennium. Easy instructions and great pictures...makes it hard to do anything other than crochet. For the price, this book is an absolutely incredible value. I expect to use this book as a reference for a long time to come." - Michelle Smith "I've always wanted to learn how to crochet, this book makes it so easy! The diagrams of the patterns were really helpful to me (it doesn't matter how many times someone explains something in words, I'm a visual learner!).

Your Artist's Brain: Use the Right Side of Your Brain to Draw and Paint What You See - Not What You Think You See


Carl Purcell - 2010
    Your Artist's Brain shows you how to portray even the most complex subjects by focusing on what you really see - not what you think you see.Expert art instructor Carl Purcell shows you how to overcome dependency on the intellectual brain and listen carefully to the more observant artist's brain.With Your Artist's Brain, you'll learn visual skills and artistic techniques that will instantly make you a better artist, no matter what your medium.- 22 step-by-step demonstrations on key relationships between shapes, spaces, subjects, backgrounds, angles, sizes, values and more - Easy examples and fun exercises teaching you how to see and design great compositions - Points to Remember sidebars that allow you to quickly grasp each conceptMaximize the power of your artist's brain today and embark on the path to creating better art.

Color Choices: Making Color Sense Out of Color Theory


Stephen Quiller - 1989
    First, Quiller demonstrates how to use the wheel to interpret color relationships and mix colors more clearly. Then he explains, step by step, how to develop five structured color schemes, apply underlays and overlays, and use color in striking, unusual ways. This book will bring out every artist's unique sense of color whether he or she works in oil, watercolor, acrylics, gouache, or casein.

Action! Cartooning


Ben Caldwell - 2004
    Its simply larger, better illustrated, and more in depth than any similar title on the market. In elaborate detail, it focuses on superheroes and their atmospheric world filled with speed and movement. Every aspect of creating cartoons is taught: the supplies, developing mood, and the techniques that endow characters with personality. See how to draw a variety of faces (female, heroic, cute, gaunt), and give the appearance of age. From the skeleton to the torso, to the arms, hands, and legs, follow every stroke that goes into producing bodies of all shapes and sizes. Finally, theres instruction on sending those figures into running, jumping, punching, kicking action in a fully realized scene. With advice so thorough, any amateur can become a pro.

Drawing the Human Head


Burne Hogarth - 1965
    In 300 extraordinary drawings, Hogarth shows how to draw the head from every angle, age the face from infancy to old age, and delineate every feature and wrinkle.

Watercolor: Paintings of Contemporary Artists


Sujean Rim - 2013
    The result is an explosion of amazing new work by contemporary artists. This volume surveys the current revival of this loveliest of mediums, in portfolios from more than 20 of today's top watercolor artists from around the globe. From the evocative visual journals of Danny Gregory and Fabrice Moireau, through the fashion-inspired portraits of Samantha Hahn and Virginia Johnson, to the indie art stylings of Jane Mount and Becca Stadtlander, Watercolor stunningly showcases painterly brilliance. With artist profiles, an informative history of the medium, and an inspiring preface by DailyCandy's Sujean Rim, this is the guide to a beautiful revolution.

Mixed Media Mosaics: Techniques & Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles Beads & Other Embellishments: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads and Other Embellishments


Laurie Mika - 2007
    This book contains techniques for creating the tiles such as painting and glazing, stamping, and, embedding items like beads and buttons.

The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax


Joanne Mattera - 2001
    It's an ancient art, dating as far back as Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, and today is enjoying a revival. Here is the first comprehensive guide available on mastering this beautiful yet demanding medium. In The Art of Encaustic Painting, readers will learn surefire ways to achieve vibrant color and create surfaces that look as light as a wash or as densely textured as impasto. They will see how to produce effects from abstract to figurative to minimal. Finally, they will discover dozens of clear, step-by-step directions detailing how to use these various encaustic techniques in their own art. This remarkable reference also includes 200 attractive full-color photographs of the author's own work, as well as stunning examples by such premier encaustic artists as Jasper Johns, Arthur Dove, and Nancy Graves.

Painting the Impressionist Landscape: Lessons in Interpreting Light and Color


Lois Griffel - 1994
    Together they provide a complete painting programme.

Cartoon Animation


Preston Blair - 1980
    By following his lessons, you can make any character—person, animal, or object—come to life through animated movement!Animation is the process of drawing and photographing a character in successive positions to create lifelike movement. Animators bring life to their drawings, making the viewer believe that the drawings actually think and have feelings. Cartoon Animation was written by an animator to help you learn how to animate. The pioneers of the art of animation learned many lessons, most through trial and error, and it is this body of knowledge that has established the fundamentals of animation. This book will teach you these fundamentals. Animators must first know how to draw; good drawing is the cornerstone of their success. The animation process, however, involves much more than just good drawing. This book teaches all the other knowledge and skills animators must have. In chapter one, Preston Blair shows how to construct original cartoon characters, developing a character’s shape, personality, features, and mannerisms. The second chapter explains how to create movements such as running, walking, dancing, posing, skipping, strutting, and more. Chapter three discusses the finer points of animating a character, including creating key character poses and in-betweens. Chapter four is all about dialogue, how to create realistic mouth and body movements, and facial expressions while the character is speaking. There are helpful diagrams in this chapter that show mouth positions, along with a thorough explanation of how sounds are made using the throat, tongue, teeth, and lips. Finally, the fifth chapter has clear explanations of a variety of technical topics, including tinting and spacing patterns, background layout drawings, the cartoon storyboard, and the synchronization of camera, background, characters, sound, and music. Full of expert advice from Preston Blair, as well as helpful drawings and diagrams, Cartoon Animation is a book no animation enthusiast should be without.

Art at the Speed of Life: motivation + inspiration for making mixed-media art every day


Pam Carriker - 2011
    Author and mixed-media artist Pam Carriker proves that art and life can coexist peacefully, productively, and happily. Making things every day can be a joyful reality instead of just wishful thinking.Each chapter in Art at the Speed of Life includes both essays and project ideas from a variety of contributors, including Suzi Blu, Lisa Bebi, Christy Hydeck, Paulette Insall, Cate Calacous Prato. The projects are inspiring, yet easy to complete on a tight schedule, and include techniques such as assemblage, image transfer, and collage. A bonus seven-day journal project helps you track your work as you go. With a unique combination of time management tips and advice, inspiring essays, and projects designed to fit into busy schedules, Art at the Speed of Life will help you live your dream of making art every day.