The decision to learn to draw and paint invariably brings up a lot of questions for the beginner. "What medium should I try? What materials will I need? How do I make the first marks on a blank sheet of paper?" The most important question of all, of course, is: "Do I have any artistic talent?" In this book Mike Chaplin answers all those questions and more, ranging from basic markmaking with drawing tools, watercolors, pastels, and oils to tackling complicated subjects such as perspective in an easily comprehensible way. Which media you eventually decide you want to use the most will depend on your own temperament and your preferred style of working, but all have something special to bring to a subject and your art will greatly benefit from trying them all. Meanwhile, Mike's accessible style of teaching will demonstrate to you that you can indeed draw and paint through learning the necessary techniques in a simple and structured way. A member of the prestigious Royal Watercolour Society of Great Britain, Mike Chaplin combines a notable career in art with communicating his knowledge and enthusiasm to artists in workshops in the UK and internationally.

What does every budding artist need to know about drawing? And what quick skills can you pick up to help you on the way? In this instructive book, Barrington Barber shows you just this, offering tips and tricks as he guides you through the fundamental aspects of drawing. Get to grips with still-life composition, draw dynamic bodies in motion, and capture the spectacular natural world. The Complete Book of Drawing is a distillation of the many skills that the aspiring artist needs to develop. As Barrington Barber knows from his many years of teaching and practising art, it is crucial for you to develop your own artistic style. And, uniquely among practical art books, this is what The Complete Book of Drawing provides. By revealing the nuances of texture, composition and perspective, this book will enable you to look at the world around you with fresh eyes.

A comprehensive reference guide to help you master more than 200 mixed media concepts and techniques.

Drawing the human figure with confidence and skill is perhaps the biggest challenge faced by artists, yet the most rewarding when it is achieved. In Anatomy for Artists, best-selling author and artist Barrington Barber provides clear annotated diagrams of every part of the human body useful to the artist, showing bone structure, musculature and surface views. Throughout the book he gives practical advice, gained from years of experience, on how to apply your new-found knowledge to the drawing of live models. Learn how to: • Recognize the differences between male and female bone structure • Identify facial muscles used in different expressions • Name the bones that show at the surface of the body • Accurately portray the body in movement • Improve your life drawing technique Packed with over 400 drawings, this thoroughly researched and comprehensive book is an invaluable reference resource for the practicing artist.

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.

From achieving those first professional strokes to mastering composition, lighting, and color to finishing beautiful still lifes, portraits, and landscapes, here is a course that covers every basic skill as well as more challenging lessons for the developing artist.