The Art of Drawing Animals

Featuring an array of adorable pets and majestic wildlife, this exceptional 144-page book offers simple, step-by-step instructions for creating dozens of incredibly lifelike animal drawings.

Inside, five talented artists reveal their professional secrets for drawing all the features that are unique to our furry and feathered friends--from wet noses and expressive eyes to thick fur and delicate whiskers. The book opens with essential information about drawing tools and materials, followed by instruction on how to approach and render a subject--such as transferring a photo reference, building up forms with basic shapes, creating perspective, and pencil techniques such as shading and blending.

Then the authors demonstrate their unique approaches to drawing through an array of inspiring projects, guiding you from initial sketches through the detailed shading process to the finishing touches. As you progress from project to project, you will find a range of helpful topics, such as portraying accurate proportions, creating dynamic compositions, and using colored pencils. Each section features a different artist, with the themes:

• Baby animals in graphite pencil, including a bunny, foal, bear cub, and lamb
• Dogs and cats in graphite pencil, including a husky, Dalmation, Maine Coon cat, and Ocicat
• Horses and ponies in graphite pencil, including a an Arabian, Appaloosa, and Dappled pony
• Wild animals in graphite pencil, including an elephant, owl, tiger cub, and koala
• Animals in colored pencil, including a rooster, leopard, box turtle, and cow

Packed with convincing illustrations and expert instruction, The Art of Drawing Animals is a comprehensive and indispensable resource for all artists smitten with the animal kingdom.

As a young girl, Patricia Getha spent many summers looking after and showing horses. Drawing played a large role in Pat’s life from an early age, but it was a love of horses that enabled her to master the subject. With formal training in commercial and graphic arts, Pat is proficient in a variety of media, including watercolor, graphite, oil, and colored pencil. She is active in juried competitions and has won several awards for her exquisite equine artwork. A mother of four young children, Pat currently resides in Ohio and works primarily as a commission artist.

A native of Boise, Idaho, Cindy Smith has been producing artwork since early childhood. Although wildlife is her favorite subject, Cindy enjoys the challenge of creating remarkably realistic pencil drawings of anything--from people and buildings to flowers and automobiles. She also employs a variety of other media, such as oil, acrylic, and watercolor pencil; her collection of works even includes digital art and videos. Cindy spends many weekends camping, fishing, and taking photo references for her art in the mountains and deserts of Idaho with her family. Some of Cindy’s other hobbies are basket weaving, crocheting, cross stitching, and carving rhea eggs.

Nolon Stacey is a self-taught graphic artist who specializes in realistic portraits of animals, people, and landmarks. As a child in South Yorkshire, England, Nolon cultivated his interest in drawing throughout school. He eventually earned a degree in mathematics from Warwick University, but he soon returned to his artistic passion. He currently lives in Boroughbridge, England, and undertakes a variety of commissioned work, ranging from portraits of people and pets to buildings and street scenes. Prints of Nolon’s celebrity portraits are published through Kadinsky Art. His work also is sold through Braithwaites Gallery in York, England. Stacey lives in Boroughbridge, England.

Linda Weil (Melbourne, Australia) is a graduate of RMIT University, Linda began her career in graphic design, primarily in the print industry. She has been art director and illustrator for a number of Australia’s national magazines, and she has specialized in botanical and natural history illustration. A member and past secretary of the Wildlife Artist Society of Australasia, and a member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists, Linda teaches drawing to both beginners and advanced students. Her work has won numerous awards, and she exhibits in galleries and shows throughout Australia. Linda has traveled widely throughout Australia, France, Borneo, the United States, and South Africa, and many of her drawings are inspired by the animals and sights she sees on her travels.