All I want is to be heard! I am utilizing my voice to tell the story of my life in hopes that I will inspire other people. This is a thrilling story of childhood trauma filled with abuse and neglect. I cried out for help but nobody seemed to hear me. When I became a parent I was struggling to create a life for my children while still fighting battles with mental and physical health, substance abuse, and criminal involvement. I still have many battles but I believe I found my voice in writing and doing poetry and now it's time to share with the world.

Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw. In this book, Bert Dodson shares his complete drawing system—fifty-five "keys" that you can use to render any subject with confidence, even if you're a beginner. These keys, along with dozens of practice exercises, will help you draw like an artist in no time. You'll learn how to: • Restore, focus, map, and intensify • Free your hand action, then learn to control it • Convey the illusions of light, depth, and texture • Stimulate your imagination through "creative play"

The Art of Urban Sketching is both a comprehensive guide and a showcase of location drawings by artists around the world who draw the cities where they live and travel. Authored by the founder of the nonprofit organization Urban Sketchers (www.urbansketchers.org), this beautiful, 320-page volume explains urban sketching within the context of a long historical tradition and how it is being practiced today. With profiles of leading practitioners and discussions of the benefits of working in this art form, this inspiring book shows how one can participate and experience this creative outlet through modern-day social networks and online activity. You'll find more than 600 beautiful, contemporary illustrations, as well as artists' profiles and extended captions where these urban sketchers share their stories, how they work, sketching tips, and the tools behind each drawing. With sketches and observations from more than 50 cities in more than 30 countries, TheArt of UrbanSketching offers a visually arresting, storytelling take on urban life from different cultures and artistic styles, as well as insight into various drawing techniques and mediums.

In February and March of 1849, the "Illustrated London News" carried a series of announcements about the works of the painter John Martin being exhibited at the British Institution, the third of which included an account of his early life. On the 17 March the paper received a long letter from the artist, reproduced here in full, in which he demands a right of reply. Their article is, he claims, "so unfortunate a tissue of errors from beginning to end, that it can only have the effect of misleading your readers." Martin's brief autobiography makes fascinating reading. Beginning with his youth in Newcastle where he was apprenticed to a coach-builder, it recounts his initial struggles in London and the eventual recognition accorded to his vast, apocalyptic landscape painting and stunning engravings, ending with the civic works he devoted himself to in later years. The reader is left in awe of Martin's determination and drive.With an introduction by Martin Myrone, Lead Curator of Pre-1800 British Art at Tate Britain, this engaging book provides many new insights into the work of this extraordinary painter of sublime landscapes and the times in which he lived.

Draw the best portraits with form and spirit. Drawing techniques from a master! Mau-Kun Yim learned to draw as the Old Masters did and believes that to render the essence of life in portrait drawing, one must continue to pursue the old ways. This philosophy and methodology relies on a holistic approach to observation, analysis and critical-thinking honed through time and patience. • Start with a solid foundation - Classical bust drawing is a must. These lessons aid in constructing volume in your drawing and introduce concepts of structure. • Move on to sketching - The best way to train your observation skills. Anatomy, value and state of mind are the focus of these lessons. • 12 step-by-step tutorials put it all together - Form and spirit combine along with more clearly defined details to bring life and dimension to your portraits. • An extensive gallery of beautifully and classically executed portraits, figures, sketches and busts serves as inspiration.

A tale packed with adventure, The Book of Life celebrates the power of friendship and family, and the courage to follow your dreams. To determine whether the heart of humankind is pure and good, two godlike beings engage in an otherworldly wager during Mexico's annual Day of the Dead celebration. They tether two friends, Manolo and Joaquin, into vying for the heart of the beautiful and fiercely independent Maria, with comical and sometimes dangerous consequences. This volume is an inspirational behind-the-scenes look at the making of the animated feature film The Book of Life, from visionary producer Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) and director Jorge R. Gutierrez (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera).