7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent guide to drawing AND nature, May 9, 2005
This review is from: Drawing Wildlife (Paperback)
J.C. Amberlyn is a fine wildlife artist whom I have been watching evolve for almost 10 years, both for her nature art and her cartoon characters (love you, Space Chicken and Space Weasel!). This book does not tell you the magic secret of J.C. Amberlyn's incredibly lifelike animal art--that spark that animates each and every one of her drawings, no matter if it's unfinished or not. But it's the closest she can come, and she shares her unique artistic viewpoint and her 20+ years of wildlife studies with you with no holds barred. I understand that the publishers cut out a lot of her discourse on each animal's habits--too bad, because that was as entertaining as the drawing lessons in the preview edition I read some months ago. A second book, please, with the edited materials and more? But I digress.
I am not an artist. I have trouble with stick figures. However, "Drawing Wildlife" gave even me some hope that with a little (lot!) of practice, I can draw something that someone besides my husband will recognize. My first bear (p.86) was actually overtly bear-esque, in fact. My daughter, who draws well, did even better, and my mother, who draws even better than my daughter, produced a wonderful bear on her first try from Amberlyn's directions.
Amberlyn uses traditional art teaching methods such as uniting shapes with lines to form a coherent whole--except, when she's doing it, that cougar that consists of 1 circle, 4 lines, 2 rectangles, one triangle and 3 ellipses already has an animated, lifelike pose. As I said, magic! (See page 54). Also, I don't know how she does it, but no matter how unfinished the drawing around them, the eyes she produces stare at you right from the page (pp 22, 34). That's the wonder of J.C. Amberlyn, and although I can't make it happen yet, as I said--this book gives me hope!
I can't recommend it highly enough for those who actually can draw. I think you'll see your own magic flow from your pencil in very short order. Way to go, J.C. Amberlyn!
P.S.
If you have never looked at J.C. Amberlyn's nature art or her cartoons, do yourself a favor and find her online.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Drawing Wildlife, March 2, 2011
This review is from: Drawing Wildlife (Paperback)
Well, this wasn't for myself. I bought this for my daughter that loves to draw, especially wildlife and animals. She goes on 13 soon, and this is part of her birthday gift, along with a set of good pencils and pads of drawing paper. She has not received these yet. I have thumbed through the book with my wife and it seems like it will be a great reference and learning tool for her, the book seems well set up with exercises to learn perspective and proportions. The book seems to be a step by step without being over simplified.
I am very excited to give her this book soon and to see how it helps her and expands her drawing horizons and am chomping at the bit to see her do the exercises and see her drawing quality improve (which is already pretty good for someone of 12 with no real training/teaching).
I would recommend this for people that like to draw, especially wild animals. I think this would be good for as young as pre-teen that likes to draw on up to adults. (I may even try some of the exercises myself, that is if she'll let me borrow the book).
Hope this helps.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference for North American Mammals, May 25, 2005
This review is from: Drawing Wildlife (Paperback)
If you're at all interested in learning more about drawing North American mammals, this book is SOOO worth it! She goes into detail about structure, the simplified forms of the animals, their movements, and the hair patterns! She covers a lot of species other books have missed, like the small rodents, the cacomistle, the opossum, and others. My only real quibble with the book is the title (which I think J.C. didn't choose, anyway- the publisher named the book.) Every time I open this book, I find something new to marvel at. Her knowledge of animal anatomy is amazing and extensive. I hope she does a book on drawing birds as well!
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