Capturing the essence: techniques for bird artists.

Collingwood: CSIRO Publishing, 2012.
Oblong format, paperback, 124 pp. colour illustrations, line drawings.

By one of Australia's greatest living bird artists, this step-by-step personal guide teaches how to observe birds in the field and then retain the essential information and paint birds from field notes, sketches, photographs and other field observations. The author takes the reader through the processes involved in oil painting, watercolour and acrylic techniques, and illustrates how a piece of art is built up in stages to demonstrate the skills required in each of these media. While the book covers some of the general basics relevant to various kinds of painting of natural history subjects, the concentration is very much on birds. In this book the author hopes to help the reader become competent at drawing and painting birds, or at least to enjoy trying! Hardcover available with limited edition bookplate signed by the author, see stock ID 32553.