Drawing and painting birds

Artists can master a shorthand way to capture the movement and attitudes of birds—not always the most cooperative of models Birds have been featured in art for many thousands of years, but they pose a challenge to paint. By understanding their anatomy and recognizing their type, the artist can learn to capture movement and attitude. With technique and color mastered, style develops, and a special scene can be captured uniquely forever. This artists' resource explains bird types, and how identifying specific similarities can help the artist. It advises on painting in the field, using photographs, and working in the studio; describes how to paint plumage and birds in flight; and demonstrates how to compose a painting with emphasis on the birds' habitat. Thirty leading artists give their insights into painting birds, along with illustrations of their work, including John Busby—the author of Drawing Birds —Ontario's Robert Bateman, and Charles Tunnicliffe.