Wildlife Painting Basics: Waterfowl & Wading Birds [Paperback]

Rod Lawrence (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wildlife Painting Basics | Publication Date: November 2000

Covering the basics of wildlife painting, this book provides the beginner and advanced artist with the crucial knowledge needed to make their canvas come to life. Chapters initially zero on body shapes, proportions, water bird anatomy - including bills, wings, feet and their appropriate terminology - along with every position you'll find them in, be it standing, walking, swimming, feeding or flying. Later chapters become even more specific, illuminating such things as patterns, color and plumage. The book concludes with several painting demonstrations, both simple and complex.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Michigan-based painter Rod Lawrence has offered everything an artist needs to learn to paint water birds. This book explains how to compose thumbnail sketches, use reference photos, master anatomical details, capture action in feeding and flying, and place birds in typical environments. Short instructional demonstrations specify surface, paint, and brush materials, and guide the artist step by step through explicit aspects of waterfowl depiction, such as painting a folded wing on a female mallard in watercolor. Although Lawrence stresses the importance of working directly from nature, every page is packed with enough technical material to keep the artist challenged whether indoors or out. The book is geared for painters of all stages and media who want to bring waterfowl to life. Lawrence's graceful compositions and practical advice, such as "If you don't get discouraged and challenged by your art, then maybe you are not stretching yourself to do more," will inspire any artist. --Mary Ribesky

From Library Journal

The books in this North Light series fill an important niche in wildlife painting, but they vary in usefulness. Johnson, a professional artist for a dozen years, proves an excellent teacher. Her firm grasp of structure and anatomy brings to life deer, elk, moose, caribou, sheep, and antelope. Her use only of acrylics may limit the appeal of the book, and it may need to be supplemented by books like Doug Lindstrand's Drawing Big Game: An Artist's Reference Guide to the North's Great Animals (reviewed below) and Rod Lawrence's Painting Wildlife Textures Step by Step (LJ 3/15/97). Lawrence, a professional artist with many prestigious awards to his credit, has become one of the better instructors of wildlife art. His Wildlife Painting Basics: Waterfowl & Wading Birds is a visually sumptuous book that covers body shapes, proportions, and anatomy in detail. Demonstrating in watercolors, acrylics, and oils, Lawrence poses his subjects standing, walking, swimming, feeding, or flying. Good sections on painting plumage and background flora round out the volume. A recommended purchase as an addition to the author's more general Painting Wildlife Textures Step by Step (North Light, 1997).
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581800223
• ISBN-13: 978-1581800227
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,118,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's got ducks!, December 14, 2001

By 

ZIPPER "Woof!" (HOLLYHOUND,OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wildlife Painting Basics: Waterfowl & Wading Birds (Paperback)

This book is a nice walk-thru book for any beginners or amateurs interested waterfowl art. It will give you some sense of the direction that is needed to follow up on becoming a professional("If that's what your heart desires") The book also teaches you on building reference and stresses the importance of Knowing your subjects. Being a waterfowl artist and studying Rod Lawrence's work, I think it's safe to say "This book will either help you out, or just get you more interested in drawing and painting ducks.......oh and shore birds" Good luck!

2.0 out of 5 stars Wildlife Waterfowl & Wading Birds, April 5, 2009

By 

A. Gift For You "R, K., artist" (Wilmington, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wildlife Painting Basics: Waterfowl & Wading Birds (Paperback)

Very disappointed in the content and packaging of this book relative to its price. While nicely done it definitely is not worth $88. For that price the book should have been hard back and contain a great deal more of content, examples, and information. This should be priced more in the range of the third book I ordered, "Keys to Painting Fur & Feathers."

This was quite a shock when I received considering the cost outlay.