A rich archive of woodcuts of real and imaginative beasts by some of the finest artists of their eras, compiled by a noted man of the Renaissance. Features 308 black-and-white images of mammals, insects, birds, and sea life as well as stunningly conceived and masterfully executed images of fanciful beasts. A fertile source of inspiration.

Everything you ever wanted to know about dragons, but were afraid to find out! Fantasy artists can now breathe easier thanks to this less perilous alternative to drawing dragons from life. Dracopedia offers you safe, easy access to the world's most prominent dragon species, from tiny, innocuous feydragons to the ferocious wyvern. For years, artist William O'Connor has traveled the globe, studying dragons in their natural environments. His findings, field notes and sketches have been compiled for the first time into this single, beautifully illustrated compendium--a natural and cultural history of the beasts as well as a step-by-step drawing workshop. • Details of the anatomy, behavior, habitats and legends of 13 major dragon families • Heavily illustrated with field sketches, anatomical studies and gesture drawings • Shows the start-to-finish creation of 13 striking paintings, illustrating key concepts that apply to every medium • Dragon demonstrations include: amphiptere, Arctic dragon, Asian dragon, basilisk, coatyl, dragon, dragonette, drake, feydragon, hydra, sea orc, wyrm, wyvern Dragons have terrorized and delighted humans for centuries--continue the tradition with Dracopedia. It's packed with inspiration for putting "fierce" into your fantasy art, as well as the facts to keep your dragons true to life.

Comprising hundreds of well-known and obscure primary sources arranged chronologically by the author, this book traces the development of imaginary animals as they appear and reappear in literary accounts from the Babylonian epic of creation to modern fantasy. 12 halftones, 70 linecuts.

Fantasie; Gestaltungstechnik; Holzschnitt; Motiv; Tier.