In Capturing the Essence: Techniques for Bird Artists, William T. Cooper shares the wisdom and insight that can only come from forty years of painting birds in the field. This book was written for bird artists, people thinking about painting birds, and those seeking insight into the artistic processes of wildlife artists.
Field sketches and finished paintings on every page complement Cooper’s written instruction. This book is divided into two parts. The first part addresses materials, field supplies and foundation principles such as tone, light, and shade, color, composition, and foreshortening. In Cooper’s section about bird anatomy, he teaches artists about the feather groups they must know to create quick sketches in the field. Cooper provides a visual for every point he makes and these invaluable visuals help artists see and think about situations they will encounter during their own studies.
Cooper designates five pages of his book to “Backgrounds and Extras” where he discusses the documentation of background scenes, plants, and prey items. This section is a look into his file cabinet. His illustrations of a plant, a lizard, a mouse, a katydid, and a dead honeyeater represent the type of reference images he creates. It is impossible to turn away from these pages without imagining what the rest of Cooper’s file cabinet might look like.
In the second part of his book, Cooper leads readers through the creation of three paintings — one in watercolor, one in acrylic and one in oil. In each instance, he lists the materials he used and describes how each painting was developed from a pencil sketch to a finished piece.
Capturing the Essence: Techniques for Bird Artists is a beautiful book. It is an inspiring how-to guide and collection of ornithological art. Cooper’s teachings about anatomy, combined with the insight he shares about sketching birds in the field and in flight, will turn anyone reading this book into a more knowledgeable observer of birds.
See inside Capturing the Essence: Techniques for Bird Artists at ArtPlantae Books.
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