Raymond Sheppard (1913–1958)

Just look at those drawings on the cover. I want to draw like that but I refuse to just copy them from 3-step tutorials, they just don't feel like my own. That is why I got quite excited when I saw this book. It didn't disappoint. If you want to draw birds that are standing (or flying) right in front of you, this is the book. It has a lot of illustrations and sketches made by British illustrator Raymond Sheppard, that will guide you through the process of visually analyzing and sketching birds.

The book starts with general information about bird anatomy for artists, with special attention to feathers, wings, beaks and feet. Then the book is divided by different kinds of bird studies. In each one, the author talks about how he approaches drawing them, their most prominent anatomical characteristics and their gestures. Some of the groups represented are: ducks (water birds), starlings, raven, heron, kingfisher, birds of prey, flightless birds, domestic birds, among many others. Through these categories you can learn to draw birds in all kinds of situations and with a wide variety of characteristics, habits and environments. There is also help for setting a good background for your bird illustrations.

Fair to mention that this is not a step-by-step book or a drawing basics guide for the one-day hobbyist, you need to get out and practice, not just sit and follow the images from its pages. This book works best for those who want to draw birds from real life or museums and portrait their natural essence, regardless of the media used or level of basic skills.
*I requested (right away!) an eArc from Dover Publications in exchange of a fair review Thank you!… (más)