Archives: Walter Foster Books

With instructions and step-by-step projects for creating an array of portaits, this all-inclusive book covers everything about portraiture in the most popular drawing and painting media. Ideal for beginning artists who would like to experiment with different media, The Art of Drawing & Painting Portraits teaches the artist how to create beautiful and realistic portraits in pencil, pastel, watercolor, oil, and acrylic.

Anyone who has always wanted to draw in colored pencil but finds all those colors intimidating can breathe a sigh of relief after opening this book. Drawing Made Easy: Colored Pencil shows readers how to draw almost anything in colored pencil with ease!

*Named One of the 54 Best Colored Pencil Drawing Books of All Time by BookAuthority*

After introducing readers to the tools and materials needed to get started, award-winning artist Eileen Sorg demonstrates how to draw flowers, still lifes, animals, and a variety of other objects by building up color and form in simple layers. By the last page, readers will be able to draw a horse, a bowl of fruit, a tree frog, a puppy, and even a garden gnome with beautiful, vibrant color. The book also includes in-depth information on tracing and transferring images, so aspiring artists don’t even need to know how to draw to master the art of colored pencil!

Spending hours or even days on a watercolor painting can lead to dull, muddy results. But a surefire way to keep your paintings loose and fresh is to work quickly! In this informative, 64-page book, accomplished artist Paul Talbot-Greaves proves that painting in watercolor doesn’t have to be an all-day event. In fact, an impressive landscape scene can be created in just 30 minutes or less, which Paul demonstrates in 27 step-by-step lessons. To discourage readers from overworking their paintings, the author breaks down each lesson into short blocks of time, indicating how many minutes should be spent on each stage. In addition, he provides practical information on tone, color, pattern, light, and more, so readers can improve their skills and develop their “artist’s eye.”

Drawing fire-breathing beasts and mysterious, magical creatures has never been so much fun—or so easy!

In this 64-page how-to-draw book, fantasy artist Kythera of Anevern demonstrates how to draw dragons, fairies, ogres, merfolk, and everything in between! Readers will discover in-depth tips and techniques for drawing textures such as fur, hair, scales, and teeth, as well as features like tails, wings, talons, hooves, and horns.

After an introduction to the basic types of dragons, the book features easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for creating such varied creatures as a gargoyle, a centaur, a satyr, a unicorn, and even a pair of dueling dragons. Discover the subtle differences between gryphons and hippogryphs, and learn what constitutes a wrym.

With a wealth of fanciful drawings and in-depth instruction on re-creating extraordinary creatures in graphite, this book is ideal for anyone who is fascinated by the fantastic.

This book is the perfect guide for creating lifelike representations of the human head in graphite. Experienced artist Lance Richlin begins by explaining drawing tools and materials, shading techniques, and the important anatomical structures of the head. Following these basics, he shows how to light the subject, block in and render each feature of the face, and address a variety of expressions-from subtle smiles to toothy grins. Then he guides the reader through four impressive projects, showing how to develop a lifelike head drawing in seven simple stages: the lay-in, plumb lines, volume, outline, tonal pattern, value, and finishing. Readers also will find an in-depth troubleshooting section to help them identify and solve any problems that lessen the realism and accuracy of their drawings. In an age full of technological shortcuts, this book emphasizes drawing from life and seeks to preserve the methods of the old masters.

Many aspiring artists want to draw a portrait of their best friend-especially where their pal has four paws and fur! This newest addition to the Drawing Made Easy series pairs our best-selling medium with the wildly popular subject of dogs and puppies. Unlike similar titles on the market, this book doesn’t simply provide a collection of dogs for artists to re-create exactly. Instead, the book focuses on techniques specific to drawing accurate depictions of dogs and puppies-from creating a variety of fur types and features to achieving accurate proportions-so that artists can use the knowledge to render their own canine portraits. The book also includes a series of easy-to-follow, step-by-step projects showcasing a range of dog breeds, poses and props. This allows artists to practice their developing skills, guiding them from simple sketches through the study of various techniques to polished renderings.

Bobbie Goods Postcard Coloring Book combines creativity and connection in a delightful collection of pullout postcards. Featuring Bobbie Goods’s signature nostalgic and whimsical art style, these postcards bring simple joys to life with scenes of hot air balloon rides, picnics, sunset strolls, and visiting the post office, with charming characters like Dr. Parmesan, Opal, Sweet Reba, Momo, and of course, Bobbie.

Perfect for art lovers and stationery enthusiasts, this official book offers:

• 20 detachable postcards: The book includes 10 full-color postcards for instant use and 10 coloring postcards ready for your creative touch.
• 35 stickers: Add playful details to your cards or use these stickers anywhere.
• Mail anywhere: These 4.25″ × 6.5″ (108mm × 165mm), thick cardstock postcards can ship in the US and internationally—just add the proper postage! 
• Charming, nostalgic illustrations: Each postcard reflects the warm, sweet, and cute style Bobbie Goods is known for.

Whether you’re sending heartfelt notes, relaxing with a creative project, or collecting Bobbie Goods art, this postcard book is a perfect blend of fun and inspiration. Bring joy to your day and share it with others with Bobbie Goods Postcard Coloring Book.

No more guessing at colors only to end up with a muddy mess and wasted paint! Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits takes the mystery and stress out of color mixing with just the right formula for more than 500 color combinations, along with instruction on a variety of painting techniques. Use the handy conversion chart for finding acrylic equivalents of oil paints and vice versa.

• A lay-flat spiral binding
• Easily wipeable glossy cardstock pages
• A removable plastic color-mixing grid

This convenient guide details three simple steps to mix virtually any skin tone:

1. Match a palette of skin tones from this book to your portrait subject.
2. Create the Master Skin Tone Recipe for this palette using the Color Mixing Grid to measure each paint color.
3. Follow the recipes to create all the skin tones you’ll need to complete your portrait—from light values to shadows.

It’s that easy! This comprehensive resource also includes foundational instruction on color theory and mixing, covering:

• Color theory
• Tinting, toning, and shading
• Graying skin tones naturally
• Identifying facial planes
• Mouth, nose, and ear color tones
• Eye and hair color tones
• Watercolor skin tone recipes

Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits is your ultimate source for painting realistic skin, mouths, ears, noses, eyes, and hair.

Walter Foster’s best-selling Color Mixing Recipes series also includes Color Mixing Recipes for Landscapes, 1,500 Color Mixing Recipes for Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor, and Color Mixing Recipes for Oil & Acrylic. These books contain hundreds of precise color mixing combinations for realistic results, as well as acetate grids for measuring paint units.