Book Description
Learn how to turn what you see into masterful, expressive art. With the practical instruction and advice in these pages, you can develop the skills necessary to draw fine portraits in the realist tradition.
In The Art of Portrait Drawing, skilled artist Joy Thomas passes on to you the lessons she has gathered from generations of the world's greatest artists. Learn about the golden mean, the traditional three-color portrait, the secrets of proportion and more methods used by the Old Masters and today's best artists alike!
Inside you'll find: · An introduction to every commonly used drawing medium, including charcoal, Conté and graphite · An illustrated overview of the history of portrait drawing · Time-honored methods for drawing accurately · Insights on how to capture not only the likeness, but also the mood and essence of your subject · Advice on posing a subject, setting up lighting, choosing the right tools and composing effectively · 9 in-depth, step-by-step drawing demonstrations to develop your skills and your confidence Portraying the human face is the ultimate expression of art. Use The Art of Portrait Drawing as the road map for your artistic quest.
Customer Reviews:
A "Must Have" book.......2007-01-03
The "Art of Portrait Drawing", a hard cover beautifully printed book, is a fine addition to any beginning or intermediate artists library. Joy Thomas is a highly skilled artist and the book is filled with "hands on" demonstrations and practical tips on approaching this subject. Personally
I find portrait drawing/painting to be an extremely challenging and intimidating task. Indeed there are many "celebrity" artists in the top galleries who couldn't paint a good portrait if their life depended on it.
While this book may not be the definative work on Portrait Drawing, it is very well done and well worth the investment.
Sound Advise for the Intermediate.......2006-09-20
The author works from life and covers most the kinds of things you'd want to know about successful portraiture. The step-by-step was most interesting to read as she takes you through a process and how to resolve some issues you may run into. It doesn't offer a lot to beginners because she assumes you know how to see and do basic drawing and toning. I'd say this is a book for the intermediate artist who needs to reenforce existing knowledge with some very useful tips you probably never thought of, particularly for drawing from life.
I only have a few small critical things to say here. Although she reviews some basics on composition such as the golden ratio, she doesn't actually seem to practice them much in her examples. For example, she shows you how to "center" the head and says the "full face" portrait is the most common. Well I've heard alot of arguments against centering and full face views so it seems a contradiction to talk composition then not practice it in reality. I believe the 3 quarter view is most common, and you do not want to center the head for reasons I can't give here because it is too detailed. But perhaps she didn't want to overload the reader with composition theory since that's a much more complex issue.
But this is very worthwhile to read and she seems to have done a great job with the structure and language of the book.
Thomas' Portrait Drawiang.......2006-06-29
I just watched the video that comes with this book. I would higly recommended both. As a beginner it was inspiring to watch an artist actually doing the technique described in the book. I can only imagine that if someone has more experience, it would be very usefull to see someone highly skilled perform their technique. I have read many books on this subject and find this to be the best.
Book Description
Learn how to draw a radish! Make beautiful earrings using only tape! Decorate with white-out! How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work provides endless inspiration for wacky workplace entertainment with 83 drawing lessons (including Elvis, a cow face, and leeks vinaigrette), along with various other games and crafts for professional and personal beautification. Sturdily constucted with two pockets for special projects, organized with ten cardboard dividers, and small enough to fit in a briefcase, this handy spiralbound manual is a toy for grown-ups: playful, instructive, and absolutely irresistible.
Customer Reviews:
I can guarantee that this fun book can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode!.......2006-10-19
How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work
How to Draw a Cup of Coffee and Other Fun Ideas for Home & Garden
How to Draw a Clam: A Wonderful Vacation Planner
All three books, by Joy Sikorski
I have owned these three wonderful books since the late nineties & have re-visited them many times.
In the field of what I would like to term as 'deliberate doodling', I consider these three books to be the best in the genre. Unlike the common doodles, which seem whimsical, 'deliberate doodling' involves some form of structure & purpose. I am very impressed by what the author has done in the three fun books of hers.
All three fun books are spiral bound, each with almost two hundred pages of inspirational doodling techniques, on top of various other discovery games & paper crafts for professional & personal entertainment. Each is sturdily constructed with two pockets for special projects, organised with ten card-board dividers & yet small enough to fit into your briefcase.
From my personal perspective, they are wonderful toys for grow-ups: playful, instructive & absolutely worthwhile!
The author has actually written another similar book, entitled 'Squeaky Chalk : And Other Fun Things to Draw (And Do) When There's Nothing to Do!' but for some strange reasons, I did not lay my hands on it.
For the benefit of readers, let me share this personal experience of mine: I have combined the 'deliberate doodling' techniques from Joy with the 'rapid viz' techniques from Kurt Hanks, & integrated them into the 'private writing' processes as formulated by Mark Levy in his wonderful book, 'Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing .'
I use what I often like to term as my 'scratch pad', the type artists use, foolscape size, spiral-bound, 100 pages per pad, 100 gms weight, in conjuction with a multi-colour/multi-utility pen from Rotring. At one point in time, (for about 3 years) I used the Bienfang spring-bound note/sketch pads until the only local supplier went out of business unexpectedly.
On many occasions, I have astonished myself by being able to wrestle with the valuable business & life insights from my own seemingly disparate "private writing"/'deliberate doodling'/'rapid viz' pages. The doodles & illustrations often add a perceptive visual dimension to my seemingly random thoughts on paper. My scratch pad is always a visual smorgasbord of relatively heavy text, mystical doodles & logical illustrations (thanks & no thanks to my engineering training!). I have translated many of my valuable insights into pragmatic projects. One of the sideline projects is writing reviews on amazon website.
To all readers: If you really want to use both sides of your powerful brain to generate valuable insights, I can guarantee that these three books can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode.
Great gift.......2003-11-25
I received this book in a "Secret Santa" and just LOVED it!
What a great little treasure to teach the unbelievably talentless how to draw!
Joy breaks down radishes, butterflies, flowers, etc into easy to draw pieces that all add up together.
I can now doodle with the best of them!
Pick up two - one for your Secret Santa and one for yourself!
HOW to Draw a Radish.......2002-02-21
I bought this book 5 yrs ago.I just love it.This book has a very easy instruction and pictures to follow,it is especially easy for a child to follow the step by step pictures. I use it myself and now I gave it to my daughter, she is 3 yrs old,I love to see her face everytime she draws a picture, her eyes just says it all.She loves it so much that we both draw and paint together with the guide of this book. I have showed it to friends and care takers in the family center, all have agreed that it is a must to buy book.this book is not only for children,but also a coffee table book.You will not regret!!!
this book is too cute.......2000-10-18
i go to a lot of meetings at work, and i don't have to do a lot of talking, so i do a lot of doodling. unfortunately, i can't draw at all. but this book has simple instructions (for more than just doodles, too), and has really expanded my 'meeting doodle' abilities.
the cutest little dooles I ever did see.......2000-04-17
This was just the most adorable little book I ever picked up. I just wanted to buy millions of copies to send them to friends who have boring jobs. I loved the little rabbit eating on the grass. It's a great doo-dad book that everyone should have to keep them entertained. I rarely laugh outloud at a book, but I couldn't help myself.
Customer Reviews:
Still Relevant in 2003!!.......2003-05-07
but the lessons on those pages are taught with such clarity they will stick with you and help when you go further with your talents into areas like colored pencil, watercolor, pen and ink, acrylics or even oils.
The lessons include things like perspective, a lesson taught in just about every book on art written today. It seems so many books cover this topic because it is such a hard topic to teach - notice I say teach and not learn. If it was easy to teach then more of us would learn it and would not have such a hard time with the concept. Bill Martin has touched something in his lessons on perspective, at least for me, and I will never have the same difficulty with perspective again. At least if I do in the future, I will have this little gem to pick up and refer to! He does not cover this topic quickly, but goes into it slowly and covers it quite completely, as he does most difficult topics. I will no sell the four or five books on my shelves devoted to perspective, books purchased to help clarify a topic once so unclear.
The only downside about his book is the section on color theory, which could be much more indepth. There is only a small chapter covering it at the end, almost as though it was an afterthought. It would have been great to see Mr. Martin tackle the important and often difficult topic of color with the same skill he had handled perspective and so many others in this great little book!
A wonderful book for the beginning artist........1997-11-03
This book is filled with examples that have you actually drawing from the very first page. The theories are very well explained and understandable. Examples are easy to emulate and you receive instant gratification from the many fine examples of techniques and theories.
Book Description
A delightfully engaging cornucopia of things to do when on vacation--or when dreaming of being on vacation--for children of all ages, including adults.
How to Draw a Clam takes you anywhere you want to go with creativity imagination and a terrific sense of fun. It offers short escapes (open a suitcase filled with sand, remove shoes and socks, wiggle toes in sand) and longer trips (take a nice walk). A whimsical survey examines the various types of vacations, from the adventurous to the vegetative. Possible accommodations are also considered: hotel, friend's couch, under a boat on a moonlit beach.
How to Draw a Clam presents short tutorials on drawing deserts, cowfish, flip-flops, and more, and discusses exotic destinations, including beach resorts, ski resorts, and Ohio.
Customer Reviews:
I can guarantee that this fun book can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode!.......2006-10-19
How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work
How to Draw a Cup of Coffee and Other Fun Ideas for Home & Garden
How to Draw a Clam: A Wonderful Vacation Planner
All three books, by Joy Sikorski
I have owned these three wonderful books since the late nineties & have re-visited them many times.
In the field of what I would like to term as 'deliberate doodling', I consider these three books to be the best in the genre. Unlike the common doodles, which seem whimsical, 'deliberate doodling' involves some form of structure & purpose. I am very impressed by what the author has done in the three fun books of hers.
All three fun books are spiral bound, each with almost two hundred pages of inspirational doodling techniques, on top of various other discovery games & paper crafts for professional & personal entertainment. Each is sturdily constructed with two pockets for special projects, organised with ten card-board dividers & yet small enough to fit into your briefcase.
From my personal perspective, they are wonderful toys for grow-ups: playful, instructive & absolutely worthwhile!
The author has actually written another similar book, entitled 'Squeaky Chalk : And Other Fun Things to Draw (And Do) When There's Nothing to Do!' but for some strange reasons, I did not lay my hands on it.
For the benefit of readers, let me share this personal experience of mine: I have combined the 'deliberate doodling' techniques from Joy with the 'rapid viz' techniques from Kurt Hanks, & integrated them into the 'private writing' processes as formulated by Mark Levy in his wonderful book, 'Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing .'
I use what I often like to term as my 'scratch pad', the type artists use, foolscape size, spiral-bound, 100 pages per pad, 100 gms weight, in conjuction with a multi-colour/multi-utility pen from Rotring. At one point in time, (for about 3 years) I used the Bienfang spring-bound note/sketch pads until the only local supplier went out of business unexpectedly.
On many occasions, I have astonished myself by being able to wrestle with the valuable business & life insights from my own seemingly disparate "private writing"/'deliberate doodling'/'rapid viz' pages. The doodles & illustrations often add a perceptive visual dimension to my seemingly random thoughts on paper. My scratch pad is always a visual smorgasbord of relatively heavy text, mystical doodles & logical illustrations (thanks & no thanks to my engineering training!). I have translated many of my valuable insights into pragmatic projects. One of the sideline projects is writing reviews on amazon website.
To all readers: If you really want to use both sides of your powerful brain to generate valuable insights, I can guarantee that these three books can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode.
Read. and smile........2001-07-07
Have you ever lately read a book which makes you smile? Take this.Read this and see you in the mirror.Even when you feel you are still in frown, you will see a :) there!
Another Great One.......2000-07-31
Once again Joy has written another great art book for people of all ages! it makes a great gift or just a fun read! i have been reading her books for years and still love the creativity she puts into them! Read it for your self and see what you think!
Book Description
Squeaky Chalk can teach anyone to be an artist! Featuring dozens and dozens of step-by-step pages and an activity and/or project at the end of each section, it lets readers test out their artistic skills at home or school. It's a great introduction to cartooning, a welcome rainy-day project book, and a cool way to bust boredom. With a compact trim size and sturdy hidden wire binding, Squeaky Chalk is a meaty 152 pages of activity fun! The special format makes it a great gift to slip into a backpack or sneak into a friend's locker. Here's an exercise in out-of-the-box thinking that is guaranteed to captivate children, parents, and teachers.
Customer Reviews:
Fun With Grandchildren.......2007-08-23
Grandparents are always looking for fun activities to do with their grandchildren...This book and a giant box of chalk provide lots of hours of "togetherness" laughter and fun. "Squeaky Chalk" is a wonderfully simple guide for kids to draw many ideas easily- instant results with no frustration.
Thank you, Joy, for your series of books.
Charming self-help book.......2006-07-30
As an adult, I had fun copying the pages and learning a new style of drawing. The story and characters are charming and I plan on getting the other books written by Joy Sikorski.
Draw It and Then Learn More.......2000-09-03
This is a great book to teach children how to draw using simple shapes and lines. The step by step diagrams lead to fun animals, people and food, to name a few. There are even instructions for extras like trees and snow. Scattered thoughout the book are jokes, short stories, simple crafts, science and history facts, and even recipes, each relating to the drawings. All of these make this small book of 152 pages one that can be enjoyed by children alone, or with their parents, for 365 days and beyond.
Book Description
The outrageous sequel to the best-selling How to Draw a Radish (55,000 sold!), Joy Sikorski's newest is the perfect stay-at-home passport to fun. Turning her curious creativity to the fertile territory of home and garden, Joy offers a host of essential crafts and useful suggestions: how to turn an overgrown lawn into a mystical maze, transform a dull cement sidewalk into a fancy brick path, make edible Louis XIV furniture, and much, much more. In between easy home improvement projects, readers can learn to draw an octopus, a rolling pin, a flying saucer, and a zigzag dog, in addition to other satisfying methods of amusing yourself chez vous. So toss those stuffy decorating manuals out the door! Don't pull up another weed! How to Draw a Cup of Coffee is the antidote to domestic productivity.
Customer Reviews:
Boredom buster.......2007-03-09
I really enjoyed this book and it's what I turn to whenever I'm having a "blah" moment. The drawings are easy to follow, the writing is short and brief and there are tons of little extras throughout the book (stickers, punch outs, etc). It's more of an activity book than a drawing book and even if you have no interest in drawing, you'll enjoy the wit and whimsy of the words and illustrations. A great buy at the original price, but a fabulous bargin at anything less!
I can guarantee that this fun book can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode!.......2006-10-19
How to Draw a Radish: And Other Fun Things to Do at Work
How to Draw a Cup of Coffee and Other Fun Ideas for Home & Garden
How to Draw a Clam: A Wonderful Vacation Planner
All three books, by Joy Sikorski
I have owned these three wonderful books since the late nineties & have re-visited them many times.
In the field of what I would like to term as 'deliberate doodling', I consider these three books to be the best in the genre. Unlike the common doodles, which seem whimsical, 'deliberate doodling' involves some form of structure & purpose. I am very impressed by what the author has done in the three fun books of hers.
All three fun books are spiral bound, each with almost two hundred pages of inspirational doodling techniques, on top of various other discovery games & paper crafts for professional & personal entertainment. Each is sturdily constructed with two pockets for special projects, organised with ten card-board dividers & yet small enough to fit into your briefcase.
From my personal perspective, they are wonderful toys for grow-ups: playful, instructive & absolutely worthwhile!
The author has actually written another similar book, entitled 'Squeaky Chalk : And Other Fun Things to Draw (And Do) When There's Nothing to Do!' but for some strange reasons, I did not lay my hands on it.
For the benefit of readers, let me share this personal experience of mine: I have combined the 'deliberate doodling' techniques from Joy with the 'rapid viz' techniques from Kurt Hanks, & integrated them into the 'private writing' processes as formulated by Mark Levy in his wonderful book, 'Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing .'
I use what I often like to term as my 'scratch pad', the type artists use, foolscape size, spiral-bound, 100 pages per pad, 100 gms weight, in conjuction with a multi-colour/multi-utility pen from Rotring. At one point in time, (for about 3 years) I used the Bienfang spring-bound note/sketch pads until the only local supplier went out of business unexpectedly.
On many occasions, I have astonished myself by being able to wrestle with the valuable business & life insights from my own seemingly disparate "private writing"/'deliberate doodling'/'rapid viz' pages. The doodles & illustrations often add a perceptive visual dimension to my seemingly random thoughts on paper. My scratch pad is always a visual smorgasbord of relatively heavy text, mystical doodles & logical illustrations (thanks & no thanks to my engineering training!). I have translated many of my valuable insights into pragmatic projects. One of the sideline projects is writing reviews on amazon website.
To all readers: If you really want to use both sides of your powerful brain to generate valuable insights, I can guarantee that these three books can drive your imagination engine into hyper-speed mode.
Delightful surrealist romp.......2006-05-15
I simply love this little book. I found it on clearance and thought "Hey, what can it hurt?" It didn't hurt at all, obviously. I love the whimsical flow and little extras like the herb labels and "postcards." It's also very informative, teaching you how to doodle things like cups of coffee, mice and peanuts, and the ever-honorable peccary. This would make an excellent gift for those who like a little silliness in their everyday life.
A delightful and quick read.......2006-03-09
A delightfully silly and surreal book. I enjoyed the drawing lessons most.
A wonderful book.......2000-07-31
If you are looking for a fun gift look no further! this book is an exellent peice of work from people of all ages! It is fun and creative and never boring! Read it and give it a try!
Average customer rating:
|
Drawing birds
Joy Postle
Manufacturer: Pitman Pub. Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
 General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Birdwatching
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B0007DZA46 |
Customer Reviews:
art for youth.......2000-06-19
I checked out this book from the library because, as an adult, I felt I didn't know enough about paintings to appreciate them fully when I visited an art gallery. This book briefly covers a large number of aspects of art including color, perspective, portraits, and landscape. The paintings used as examples are many and varied and they are beautifully reproduced. I learned many things but as I read, I came up with many more questions the book did not answer. However, I am a 36-year-old college graduate. I believe that the book is quite informative for its recommended age group: 9-12. I am getting a copy for my artistic nephew's tenth birthday.
Average customer rating:
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Art for Survival: The Illustrator and the Environment
N. Y.) Society of Illustrators (New York
Manufacturer: Graphis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Instructional
| Hiking & Camping
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 3857094346 |
Average customer rating:
|
Art moves the basics along
Joy Evans
Manufacturer: Evan-Moor Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B0007AXLQI |
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