Included are striking images of tattoos ranging from all-over “body suits” to individual motifs.

    The ascendance of nonrepresentational art in the middle of the twentieth century displaced these venerable skills, especially in academic art circles. Fortunately for aspiring artists today who wish to learn the methods that allowed the Old Masters to achieve the luminous color and subtle tonalities so characteristic of their work, this knowledge has been preserved in hundreds of small traditional painting ateliers that persevered in the old ways in this country and throughout the world.Coming out of this dedicated movement, Portrait Painting Atelier is an essential resource for an art community still recovering from a time when solid instruction in art technique was unavailable in our schools. Of particular value here is a demonstration of the Old Masters’ technique of layering paint over a toned-ground surface, a process that builds from the transparent dark areas to the more densely painted lights. This method unifies the entire painting, creating a beautiful glow that illuminates skin tones and softly blends all the color tones. Readers will also find valuable instruction in paint mediums from classic oil-based to alkyd-based, the interactive principles of composition and photograph-based composition, and the anatomy of the human face and the key relationships among its features. Richly illustrated with the work of preeminent masters such as Millet, Géricault, and van Gogh, as well as some of today’s leading portrait artists—and featuring seven detailed step-by-step portrait demonstrations—Portrait Painting Atelier is the first book in many years to so comprehensively cover the concepts and techniques of traditional portraiture.

    The book introduces two basic art historical methods formal analysis and contextual analysis revealing how to use these methods in writing papers and in class discussion.

    I am proud to call her my friend, and unashamed to admit she’s my idol.” — Lily Burana, author of Strip City: A Stripper's Farewell Journey Across AmericaFrom one of the stars of the New Burlesque scene, Jo Weldon, comes a definitive, easy-to-use, and indispensable guide to the art form, with a foreword by superstar comedian and burlesque enthusiast Margaret Cho. Fans of Dita Von Teese—as well as performers of every stripe—will love the helpful advice and feisty attitude of The Burlesque Handbook.

    Author Jane Davenport is a beloved artist and international workshop instructor known by her thousands of students and fans for her over-the-top, enthusiastic, happy, and encouraging style. In Drawing and Painting Beautiful Faces, Davenport guides you, step by step, through the foundations of drawing a face, developing successful features, creating skin tones, playing with bright colors, shading, highlighting, and much more as you learn to create amazing mixed-media portraits.With this elegantly designed guidebook, you will quickly master a variety of techniques in a variety ofmediums, including:PencilMarkerPenWatercolorAcrylic paintInkPastelEphemeraDrawing and Painting Beautiful Faces will have you dancing your way through the exercises. In no time at all, you will have a selection of beautifully faced portraits ready to view, display, or even sell to a fashion designer.

    Almost anything you do on paper or canvas, you can do on a rock. Rock Art Handbook will show you how, with more than 30 step-by-step tutorials featuring dot painting, marbling, embellishments, and much more. It's the perfect opportunity to use your favorite craft supplies, from nail polish to puff paint to gelly roll pens, or to try something new. There are plenty of kid-friendly options--like chalk, washi tape, and glitter glue--too. And what do you do with the rocks when they're finished? Author Samantha Sarles, who blogs at ColorMadeHappy.com, has plenty of ideas!

    Join series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino for an unprecendented behind-the-scenes look at hundres of pieces of concept, design, and production art--most of which Nickelodeon has never before released to the public--as they take you on a guided tour through the development of this smash-hit television series. Learn how Avatar: The Last Airbender took shape, from the very first sketch to the series finale, and beyond!

    The New Braiding Handbook offers you an impressive array of easy-to-re-create, beautiful, and versatile looks that are as appropriate for elegant formal events as they are practical for casual, everyday wear. With step-by-step photos and detailed instructions for creating trendy knots, chic twists, and playful plaits, The New Braiding Handbook teaches imaginative and intricate hairstyling like you've never seen before. Fifty looks to choose from guarantee a braid for every occasion (or no occasion at all). Along with amazing styles and easy-to-follow tutorials, there are also tons of tips for eliminating split ends, bulking up limp locks, growing out a short ’do, and getting a full, healthy, shiny head of hair straight from the pages of a magazine.

    It features six step-by-step demonstrations by well-known artists, so readers can learn firsthand from the pros.

    Each of its 100 sections shows a complete A-to-Z calligraphy alphabet, with lessons on correct pen strokes and advice on avoiding errors. Beginners will find sound basic instruction, while experienced calligraphers can extend their repertoire with letter styles that range from classic Roman to clean and elegant contemporary styles. In addition to analysis of each alphabet's features, the book's detailed instruction provides information on -- Tools and materials * Layout basics * Numerals and punctuation * Illumination and ornamentation * Tips for the left-handed calligrapher . . . and more. Readers will also find examples by master calligraphers from past eras. This book's spiral binding ensures that pages lay flat when opened, allowing calligraphers to study and copy each pen stroke with ease. The Calligrapher's Bible is printed in color and features more than 350 illustrations.

    This easy, breezy handbook is full of insight that will help regular people begin a more inspiring and less stressful relationship with art. With tips on how to visit museums, how to talk about art at cocktail parties, and how to let art wake you up to the world around you, this little guide makes it possible for anyone to fall in love with art, whether for the first time or all over again.

    Learn about depth, scale, contrast, composition, and more.

    Now imagine expressing that dream artistically. With Digital Expressions you can take ordinary photos and, with the help of Adobe Photoshop Elements, voice your flights of fancy. Digital Expressions guides you through 25 digital art projects created with Adobe Photoshop Elements. With this easy-to-follow guide, you'll get inspired to tackle all kinds of digital mixed-media techniques using stock photography, custom brushes, textured backgrounds and your own digital photos. Use your digital palette to:· Manipulate single images by adding texture layers, color fills and text· Re-create the look of traditional art like drawings and abstract paintings· Build collages using transparent layers and photo filters· Blend seamless montages with various effects · Incorporate your own traditional art into digital worksMixed-media artists, art journalers and scrapbookers alike can turn the ordinary into extraordinary! Express yourself in digital form as you learn to master creative digital art techniques. **Bonus CD includes assorted brushes, photos and textures you can use to create on your own digital canvas.** PLEASE NOTE that one of the images was left off of the CD by mistake. You can download it from the "Books" section of the author's website at ilkasattic.com**

    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.

    This must have book offers to painters the wisdom and technical savvy of a lifetime. Writing as an acknowledged master, Richard Schmid leads his reader gracefully through the fundamentals and subtleties of painting technique with refreshing clarity, authority and deep affection to all who strive for self-expression, regardless of skill level.