Drawing Birds (RSPB) [Paperback]

John Busby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 19, 2004 | Series: RSPB

This is a fully revised and updated new version of a popular RSPB handbook to the art and joy of drawing birds. John Busby beautifully conveys his own remarkable ability to capture the grace and motion of living birds, illustrating his ideas and suggestions with many examples of his own work. He also uses illustrations from over 45 other talented bird artists to demonstrate a variety of principles and techniques. The text covers a wealth of topics, including choice of media, sketching from life, composition and different ways of interpreting the subject matter. This is a beautiful and inspiring book which will appeal to aspiring artists and anyone who has ever been entranced by the beauty of birds.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I wholeheartedly recommed this book to anyone who is interested in etiher birds, illustrating them, or both." Hobby Greenhouse (Summer 2006) '..beautifully illustrated book..' '..offer[s] sound advice of experienced and aspiring artists.' Birder's World (October 2007)

Book Description

Birds are inspirational subjects for any artist: the variety of shapes, colors, sizes, movements, and contexts means that anyone with an interest in drawing or painting from life will find birds challenging and deserving of their time. This book is written for a range of people---for beginners taking their first steps in a knotty subject, for more experienced artists wishing to tackle birds in flight, and for anyone who simply wants to see birds afresh. This book is published in association with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). As Europe's biggest wildlife conservation charity, with over 170 nature reserves, the RSPB brings the spectacular beauty of wild birds to millions of people. The business of conservation is often scientific and political---matters largely for the head. But birds enrich our lives in many ways. Drawing them is perfect for clearing the clutter of our daily lives, reconnecting with nature and reaffirming the purpose of nature conservation. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Christopher Helm Ornithology (July 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0713668164
• ISBN-13: 978-0713668162
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,030,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An insperation, February 1, 2005

By 

A. Crombet-beolens "www.beolens.co.uk/digisco... - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drawing Birds (Paperback)

As a very new bird painter/Artist, - I use this in the loosest possible terms after just three months of trying - when I saw the title of this book I was very excited, but then I took a quick flick through and realised just how poor my own work was!

After reading the excellent forward by Bill Oddie, I delved into the main text, and soon realised this was going to be much more than just a guide on how to draw birds. It was in fact an in-depth study into bird structure and movement, feather construction, their relationship to their surroundings and much, much more; knowledge one needs to improve one`s chances of capturing a bird`s essence on paper.

At no point does John Busby lecture you on how to paint, even though he was an academic; lecturing at Edinburgh Art College. He knows everyone has different styles, and says we should all paint in our own way; a way with which we feel comfortable. This book is, instead, filled with lots of tips on a range of topics such as composition, what features to pick out, and what to ignore and so forth. There is a great deal more besides, but you`ll have to read the book yourself to find out!

What is more, the book is packed with paintings, drawings, field sketches and even an odd photo or two as illustrations, from 38 of the world`s premier wildlife artists, and is worth the money for these pictures alone (where else could you find a comprehensive range of images, from the world`s leading artists for under 20 quid).

For budding artists this title is invaluable, for art fans it is delightful and for mere birdwatchers this book holds some fascinating insights into the creatures we love to watch.

http://www.beolens.co.uk/digiscoping/

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring is the word, October 3, 2006

By 

Ken Januski (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing Birds (Paperback)

I know that the title I've chosen is quite often a cliche but I do think it's an apt title. Do you want to do good drawings of birds that you've seen, capture some of their liveliness, put onto paper something of the excitement of birds you've seen in nature? Do you want to do it in a way consistent with the best drawings of the past? If you do then I think you'll find this book inspiring.

Early on John Busby says: "So be patient; it may take years of patience to discover enough about the ways of birds and the ways of drawing to bring both together with conviction." The vast majority of the drawings in this book do so. Not only that but, at least for me, they exude the pleasure of both drawing and of portraying live nature. Again as the author says in first few pages: "... opened a window into a new passionate reality after the stuffy plates of my earlier books and confirmed my choice to go live."

Now "going live" may seem an anachronism to many artists and budding artists. I know it was when I was an art student many years ago. I have no idea as to what might be happening in art schools now but I wouldn't be surprised if "going live" was not considered the proper path for a serious artist. I hope I'm wrong.

To appreciate this book though, and to not be quite disappointed in it, you must have some appreciation of the difference between any subject drawn from life and one drawn from photos or some other method. It is a basic principle of the book, stated once or twice early on, but not really dwelled upon. But it is at the heart of why this book is so enjoyable and inspirational.

The other very important element is an appreciation for good art. For better or worse there is much wildlife art that may be realistic in some way but seems to have no relationship to great draughtsmen of the past like Rembrandt, Durer, et al. This book, though again it doesn't mention them often, seems to understand that tradition and to choose drawings that in some way exemplify it.

So for someone who appreciates both good art and drawing birds from life this book and the drawings in it are exceptional. It might very well make you want to drop whatever you're doing and get out and do some drawings. If you're a birder it will present you with the dilemma of whether you should bring your binoculars or your sketchpad. Actually the author suggests both as well perhaps as a scope.

The book is very short, just 135 pages, many of them drawings. But there is enough text to offer some helpful practical advice about drawing birds, the type of advice that can only come from someone who has drawing these flitting creatures for years. It is not an instructional book, and some readers may be unhappy with that. But to quote the author one last time: "It is tempting to think that drawing can be taught methodically to a set of rules. Over the years of teaching at an art college I know that despite my advice and stage-managed exercises, the students have largely taught themselves..." From my own experience teaching I'd say that you can teach students some things about drawings but far more important is to inspire them with the thrill of art. Art is really not the most popular pursuit in contemporary culture. It hasn't been for a very long time. So to help to convince someone who leans toward art that it really is a valuable, viable pursuit may be the most important thing that a teacher can do. You then trust the student to go on from there.

I think that this book is written from that perspective. Some artists and potential artists, as well as birders who'd like to draw what they see, will find that it doesn't give them the step by step instructions that they may want. But for many others it will serve as an inspiration to go out and draw what they see, and to not be intimidated by the seeming impossibility of drawing birds. Birders know that it is hard enough to even see birds long enough to identify them. To draw them as well should be out of the question. This book and the drawings in it should show that that is definitely not the case.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life-drawing of birds, October 22, 2010

By 

Beth Billstrom "Beth" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing Birds (Paperback)

This is one of my favorite books on drawing birds because it provides insight into how to capture the essence and life-giving quality of birds and their environments. There are lots of basic books on how to draw exacting bird shapes (I have some of those, too!), but this book encourages artists to express the freedom, intrigue and mystery of birds and their habitats. The world needs all kinds of artists and modes of expression. If you are looking to create drawings of exacting field guide specifications, then this book may not be for you. But if you are looking for artistic guidance in how to to capture the beauty of birds in motion and get those observations down on paper in artistic form, than this book will help you.