Illustrating Nature: How to Paint and Draw Plants and Animals

The thrill of recapturing scenes from nature can translate into a rewarding career or an invigorating pastime. Both professionals and hobbyists will benefit from this expert, step-by-step guide, which shows how to draw every aspect of nature, from lush swampland vegetation to shy forest dwellers and even prehistoric creatures. You'll find expert discussions of a variety of media — pencil, watercolors, oils, acrylics, scratch board, and pen-and-ink — along with practical advice on how to choose the best method of portraying a particular subject, especially for book or magazine illustration. The authors also consider the difficulties of combining artistic effect with scientific accuracy in rendering color, texture, and form. Helpful individual demonstration projects carefully guide the reader toward mastery of specific techniques. Enhanced with over 400 illustrations and a wealth of tips and suggestions for improving style and presentation, this book is a rich and engaging resource for amateurs and professionals alike.