Archives: Walter Foster Books
Keep your hands busy and your mind playing and free of stress with A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make.
From professional artist Sarah Hand, the author of Art Makers: Papier-Mache, this book features easy-to-follow step-by-step projects, creative inspiration, and prompts—all designed to be done at home using affordable, accessible materials. Best of all, the projects are small-scale, so they are portable, giftable, adorable, and fun!
A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make includes varied projects done in all kinds of materials, from papier-mache and paper to crayons, paint, and paint pens. With this book, you can learn to make sweet and whimsical:
- Dioramas
- Papier-mache creatures
- Pop-up cards
- Cotton dolls
- And much more
Throughout the book, find tips for having fun and relaxing as you create, plus creative inspiration and prompts so that you can use this book as a starting point for art projects you devise on your own. After a stressful year (or decade?), everyone needs to have fun and let loose, and what better way than with art that can be created at home and with materials you already have?
The small size of the projects makes them manageable even for beginning crafters and artists, and kids will love working on the projects too (possibly with a little adult help). The delightful and heartwarming art appeals to artists of all ages and skill levels, including beginning crafters, DIYers, crafty families, and more.
Grab your paper, paints, and more and then set up at the kitchen counter to start your stress-free creative life with A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make from a professional artist and instructor.
Packed with step-by-step projects and helpful drawing tips and techniques, The Art of Drawing Dragons, Mythological Beasts, and Fantasy Creatures explores how to create realistic drawings of dragons, fairies, unicorns, goblins, and more.
Ever considered the differences between fairies and pixies or struggled to remember how many heads belong to a hydra? With more than 50 step-by-step projects; tips and techniques for working with graphite pencil, charcoal, and ink; as well as a little history for each featured mythological and fantasy creature, The Art of Drawing Dragons, Mythological Beasts, and Fantasy Creatures includes everything you need to know to get started drawing your own impressive beasts.
From choosing the right tools and materials to helpful drawing techniques, such as understanding value, basic shading techniques, creating textures, and constructing your own creatures, this step-by-step drawing guide is the perfect first step for beginning artists. Follow along as you learn to draw dragons and fantasy creatures from around the world, including elemental dragons, sea serpents, hydras, fairies, trolls, goblins, gargoyles, and more! With practice, you’ll soon be able to capture your favorite fantasy creatures—and learn a little bit about their origin and history at the same time.
The Collector's Series offers approachable, step-by-step art instruction for a variety of mediums and subjects, such as drawing, oil, acrylic, watercolor, cartooning, calligraphy, and more. Perfect for beginning artists, each title features artist tips for drawing or painting anything and everything from people, animals, and still life to flowers, trees, and landscapes.
Ever considered the differences between fairies and pixies or struggled to remember how many heads belong to a hydra? With more than 50 step-by-step projects; tips and techniques for working with graphite pencil, charcoal, and ink; as well as a little history for each featured mythological and fantasy creature, The Art of Drawing Dragons, Mythological Beasts, and Fantasy Creatures includes everything you need to know to get started drawing your own impressive beasts.
From choosing the right tools and materials to helpful drawing techniques, such as understanding value, basic shading techniques, creating textures, and constructing your own creatures, this step-by-step drawing guide is the perfect first step for beginning artists. Follow along as you learn to draw dragons and fantasy creatures from around the world, including elemental dragons, sea serpents, hydras, fairies, trolls, goblins, gargoyles, and more! With practice, you’ll soon be able to capture your favorite fantasy creatures—and learn a little bit about their origin and history at the same time.
The Collector's Series offers approachable, step-by-step art instruction for a variety of mediums and subjects, such as drawing, oil, acrylic, watercolor, cartooning, calligraphy, and more. Perfect for beginning artists, each title features artist tips for drawing or painting anything and everything from people, animals, and still life to flowers, trees, and landscapes.
Learn the core concepts and techniques for mixing any color your palette needs with Beginning Color Mixing.
Perfect for aspiring, beginning, and intermediate artists, this guide's concept- and technique-driven approach makes this challenging subject approachable for artists of any skill level.
Loaded with techniques on how to use and create color for vivid artwork, Beginning Color Mixing explains every key aspect of color mixing. You’ll learn about basic color theory, hue and saturation, value, temperature, and color relationships and discover how to wield color to create mood and atmosphere.
Each key concept is clearly explained, allowing you to master the core techniques and put them into practice immediately, whether you’re working in oil, acrylic, or watercolor. Featuring plenty of step-by-step exercises, expert instruction, and inspiring artwork illustrating the techniques,this is a resource no painter’s library should be without.
The Portfolio series covers essential art techniques, core concepts, and media with an approach and format that’s perfect for aspiring, beginning, and intermediate artists.
Also available from the series:Beginning Acrylic, Beginning Drawing, Beginning Watercolor, Beginning Pastel, Beginning Colored Pencil, Beginning Color Mixing, Expressive Painting, Beginning Pen & Ink, and Beginning Composition.
Perfect for aspiring, beginning, and intermediate artists, this guide's concept- and technique-driven approach makes this challenging subject approachable for artists of any skill level.
Loaded with techniques on how to use and create color for vivid artwork, Beginning Color Mixing explains every key aspect of color mixing. You’ll learn about basic color theory, hue and saturation, value, temperature, and color relationships and discover how to wield color to create mood and atmosphere.
Each key concept is clearly explained, allowing you to master the core techniques and put them into practice immediately, whether you’re working in oil, acrylic, or watercolor. Featuring plenty of step-by-step exercises, expert instruction, and inspiring artwork illustrating the techniques,this is a resource no painter’s library should be without.
The Portfolio series covers essential art techniques, core concepts, and media with an approach and format that’s perfect for aspiring, beginning, and intermediate artists.
Also available from the series:Beginning Acrylic, Beginning Drawing, Beginning Watercolor, Beginning Pastel, Beginning Colored Pencil, Beginning Color Mixing, Expressive Painting, Beginning Pen & Ink, and Beginning Composition.
Mastering the human form for portraiture is one of the most challenging subjects for a beginning artist to learn. Packed with practical instructions, helpful tips, and fundamental techniques, this comprehensive, 144-page drawing book is your essential resource for learning to draw the human form and poses with ease.
The Art of Figure Drawing for Beginners features instruction for learning how to render the head, body, and extremities using very basic shapes, as well as drawing mannequins placed in a variety of configurations. The book's informative, easy-to-follow content covers figure drawing essentials, including:
The Art of Figure Drawing for Beginners features instruction for learning how to render the head, body, and extremities using very basic shapes, as well as drawing mannequins placed in a variety of configurations. The book's informative, easy-to-follow content covers figure drawing essentials, including:
- An overview of basic anatomy
- Natural variations in shape, texture, and proportion
- Helpful techniques for rendering humans in single and group poses
- Information for working with the tools of the trade
Whether you are a beginning artist, art enthusiast, or serious fine art student, The Art of Figure Drawing for Beginners is a must-have reference.
The Collector's Series offers approachable, step-by-step art instruction for a variety of mediums and subjects, such as drawing, oil, acrylic, watercolor, cartooning, calligraphy, and more. Perfect for beginning artists, each title features artist tips for drawing or painting anything and everything from people, animals, and still life to flowers, trees, and landscapes.
The Collector's Series offers approachable, step-by-step art instruction for a variety of mediums and subjects, such as drawing, oil, acrylic, watercolor, cartooning, calligraphy, and more. Perfect for beginning artists, each title features artist tips for drawing or painting anything and everything from people, animals, and still life to flowers, trees, and landscapes.
With Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes, you can discover how to capture breathtaking oceanic scenes in oil.
Welcome to the incredible, diverse world of painting seascapes in oil! Oil paints are versatile and forgiving, produce wonderful color, and can produce areas that are smooth or textured. This is an ideal medium to portray the ever-changing moods and drama of this very special subject: the sea.
Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes is essential for any beginning artist who wants to paint beautiful oceans and seascapes. After introducing you to the basic tools and materials needed to begin painting in oil, talented artist Martin Clarke shows specific techniques for painting realistic waves, rocky shores, and other seaside elements. Learn about color theory, and basic painting techniques before moving on to the step-by-step projects in this 10.25 × 13.75–inch book.
This comprehensive guide contains step-by-step lessons for painting five different seascapes in oil, using a number of simple yet effective techniques. You don’t need a large palette of colors to produce these vibrant, dramatic works. You just need to grab a few supplies and learn observation skills, a few painting techniques, and how to produce a well-composed scene. Then paint as much possible (and have fun while doing so) to practice creating amazing seascapes!
Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. With comprehensive instruction, plenty of artist tips and tricks, and beautiful artwork to inspire, Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes is the perfect resource for any aspiring oil painter.
Welcome to the incredible, diverse world of painting seascapes in oil! Oil paints are versatile and forgiving, produce wonderful color, and can produce areas that are smooth or textured. This is an ideal medium to portray the ever-changing moods and drama of this very special subject: the sea.
Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes is essential for any beginning artist who wants to paint beautiful oceans and seascapes. After introducing you to the basic tools and materials needed to begin painting in oil, talented artist Martin Clarke shows specific techniques for painting realistic waves, rocky shores, and other seaside elements. Learn about color theory, and basic painting techniques before moving on to the step-by-step projects in this 10.25 × 13.75–inch book.
This comprehensive guide contains step-by-step lessons for painting five different seascapes in oil, using a number of simple yet effective techniques. You don’t need a large palette of colors to produce these vibrant, dramatic works. You just need to grab a few supplies and learn observation skills, a few painting techniques, and how to produce a well-composed scene. Then paint as much possible (and have fun while doing so) to practice creating amazing seascapes!
Designed for beginners, the How to Draw & Paint series offers easy-to-follow guides that introduce artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. With comprehensive instruction, plenty of artist tips and tricks, and beautiful artwork to inspire, Oil Painting: Oceans & Seascapes is the perfect resource for any aspiring oil painter.
Discover everything you need to know about historic flourished hands and how to create elegant, modern artwork inspired by traditional calligraphy techniques in this follow-up to the first and best-selling lettering book in Walter Foster’s Creative…and Beyond series.
Beginning with an introduction to pointed pen and how to get started with this timeless tool, you’ll find a brief overview of the recommended tools and materials, as well as how to set up your work space. In addition, you will explore essential techniques used throughout the book, learn to hold the pen properly, and find tips for warming up.
Talented artist and teacher Laura Lavender introduces you to a wide range of traditional, historic flourished hands and lettering styles, including Copperplate, Spencerian, Italian hand, Bickham script, Victorian embellished capitals, Art Nouveau capitals, Gothic capitals, and more. Each style includes an engaging introduction and history of the hand, an alphabet sampler, step-by-step instructions for creating the letters, and lots of inspirational examples and ideas for using the hand.
Throughout the book, you will also find practice templates that can be copied and used time and again to perfect your technique and style.
Creative Lettering and Beyond: Timeless Calligraphy is the ideal guide for learning the techniques of traditional lettering styles.
Beginning with an introduction to pointed pen and how to get started with this timeless tool, you’ll find a brief overview of the recommended tools and materials, as well as how to set up your work space. In addition, you will explore essential techniques used throughout the book, learn to hold the pen properly, and find tips for warming up.
Talented artist and teacher Laura Lavender introduces you to a wide range of traditional, historic flourished hands and lettering styles, including Copperplate, Spencerian, Italian hand, Bickham script, Victorian embellished capitals, Art Nouveau capitals, Gothic capitals, and more. Each style includes an engaging introduction and history of the hand, an alphabet sampler, step-by-step instructions for creating the letters, and lots of inspirational examples and ideas for using the hand.
Throughout the book, you will also find practice templates that can be copied and used time and again to perfect your technique and style.
Creative Lettering and Beyond: Timeless Calligraphy is the ideal guide for learning the techniques of traditional lettering styles.
In The Little Book of Cartooning & Illustration, beginning cartoonists, animators, and illustrators will discover key concepts associated with learning the art of traditional cartooning and animation.
With this guide, dozens of tips from the pros will help you find the materials and tools you need to develop your own unique style. A combination of creative step-by-step projects and open practice areas offer encouragement and invite participation for those artists who want to put their newfound skills to immediate use.
You’ll learn all the cartooning and animation tricks of the trade, including:
With this guide, dozens of tips from the pros will help you find the materials and tools you need to develop your own unique style. A combination of creative step-by-step projects and open practice areas offer encouragement and invite participation for those artists who want to put their newfound skills to immediate use.
You’ll learn all the cartooning and animation tricks of the trade, including:
- The squash and stretch principle
- Exaggerating details
- Rendering faces and expressions
- Anthropomorphizing inanimate objects
- Creating original characters
- Mastering body shapes and movement
- Writing gags and jokes
With so many tools at your disposal, why wait any longer to start animating? Get started, get drawing!
The Little Book of …series focuses on delivering fun, approachable, and interesting art instruction in a fresh, portable format. With its contemporary design, open practice pages, creative exercises, and prompts that encourage interactivity, beginning artists learn the fundamentals of their craft, often with immediate results.
Also available from the series:The Little Book of Sketching, The Little Book of Lettering & Word Design, The Little Book of Manga Drawing, The Little Book of Rock Painting, and The Little Book of Drawing Dragons & Fantasy Characters.
The Little Book of …series focuses on delivering fun, approachable, and interesting art instruction in a fresh, portable format. With its contemporary design, open practice pages, creative exercises, and prompts that encourage interactivity, beginning artists learn the fundamentals of their craft, often with immediate results.
Also available from the series:The Little Book of Sketching, The Little Book of Lettering & Word Design, The Little Book of Manga Drawing, The Little Book of Rock Painting, and The Little Book of Drawing Dragons & Fantasy Characters.
Colorways: Acrylic Animals teaches artists of all skill levels how to paint vibrant, colorful renditions of animals from around the globe.
Grab your paints, canvas, and imagination because it's time to paint pointillistic pandas, tetradic llamas, vibrant flamingos, and complementary cows…and that's just the beginning! Each step-by-step project in Colorways: Acrylic Animals shows you not only how to capture an animal’s likeness, but also how touse color to create magical, other-worldly, and whimsical paintings. You'll also learn how to use acrylic paint to add texture and fanciful flourishes, like florals and collage, to your glorious animal subjects.
The Colorways series from Walter Foster teaches artists of all skill levels how to create innovative, inspired artwork that's full of color and imagination. Focusing on creating expressive pieces over realistic scenes, Colorways shows artists how to break the "rules" of color and let their imaginations and artwork soar to new heights. In the Colorways series, flamingos are green, giraffes boast multicolored spots, and raccoons feature blue undertones. For more fun books in the Colorways series, check out Watercolor Flowers and Watercolor Animals.
Colorways: Watercolor Flowers teaches artists of all skill levels how to paint harmonious, vibrant, and colorful renditions of flora.
Calling all aspiring artists! Grab your paints because it's time to explore key watercolor techniques, including washes, gradations, painting wet-into-wet, glazing, and understanding the color wheel to create harmony in your art. With Colorways: Watercolor Flowers, you will create vibrant and colorful floral paintings while mastering how to use color for maximum effect.
You'll also learn where to find artistic inspiration, how to become a “visual collector,” and how to add fauna to your floral paintings. While step-by-step instructions are included for some flower varieties, most projects offer inspiration and tips that allow for personalization using mixed-media techniques, as opposed to a specific template to follow. You can learn to stamp, use tissue paper, create monograms, and collage using the gorgeous artwork and instructions in this book.
Colorways is a new series from Walter Foster that teaches artists of all skill levels how to create innovative, inspired artwork full of color and imagination. Focusing on creating expressive pieces over realistic scenes, Colorways shows artists how to break the "rules" of color and let their imaginations and artwork soar to new heights. For more fun books in the Colorways series, also check out Acrylic Animals and Watercolor Animals.
Calling all aspiring artists! Grab your paints because it's time to explore key watercolor techniques, including washes, gradations, painting wet-into-wet, glazing, and understanding the color wheel to create harmony in your art. With Colorways: Watercolor Flowers, you will create vibrant and colorful floral paintings while mastering how to use color for maximum effect.
You'll also learn where to find artistic inspiration, how to become a “visual collector,” and how to add fauna to your floral paintings. While step-by-step instructions are included for some flower varieties, most projects offer inspiration and tips that allow for personalization using mixed-media techniques, as opposed to a specific template to follow. You can learn to stamp, use tissue paper, create monograms, and collage using the gorgeous artwork and instructions in this book.
Colorways is a new series from Walter Foster that teaches artists of all skill levels how to create innovative, inspired artwork full of color and imagination. Focusing on creating expressive pieces over realistic scenes, Colorways shows artists how to break the "rules" of color and let their imaginations and artwork soar to new heights. For more fun books in the Colorways series, also check out Acrylic Animals and Watercolor Animals.
Everyone suffers from a little boredom sometimes; The Little Book of Sketching is the remedy to these dull moments! This guide will have you flipping the day’s doldrums into artistic inspiration!
If you’ve ever been held captive in a long meeting, sat for hours in a doctor’s waiting room, or been stranded at the airport, there is help to be found! And you'll find it in The Little Book of Sketching.
A journey that both inspires and entertains, The Little Book of Sketching shows you how to pass the time through life’s daily events using nothing more than a pencil, a sketchpad, and your imagination. Filled with quirky, witty sketches and plenty of fun, aspiring sketchers will discover how to turn life’s boring events into inspired artistic moments.
Simple drawing ideas and minimal tools make off-the-cuff sketching accessible to anyone, anywhere. Beginning with a brief introduction to the artist’s process, readers will then be treated to a plethora of scenarios and situations from which to draw inspiration for their own doodled artwork; moreover, the illustrations and prompts are sure to induce a smile, reduce stress, and deliver creative inspiration throughout your daily life.
The Little Book of … series focuses on delivering fun, approachable, and interesting art instruction in a fresh, portable format. With its contemporary design, open practice pages, creative exercises, and prompts that encourage interactivity, beginning artists learn the fundamentals of their craft, often with immediate results.
Also available from the series: The Little Book of Lettering & Word Design, The Little Book of Manga Drawing, The Little Book of Cartooning & Illustration,The Little Book of Rock Painting, and The Little Book of Drawing Dragons & Fantasy Characters.
If you’ve ever been held captive in a long meeting, sat for hours in a doctor’s waiting room, or been stranded at the airport, there is help to be found! And you'll find it in The Little Book of Sketching.
A journey that both inspires and entertains, The Little Book of Sketching shows you how to pass the time through life’s daily events using nothing more than a pencil, a sketchpad, and your imagination. Filled with quirky, witty sketches and plenty of fun, aspiring sketchers will discover how to turn life’s boring events into inspired artistic moments.
Simple drawing ideas and minimal tools make off-the-cuff sketching accessible to anyone, anywhere. Beginning with a brief introduction to the artist’s process, readers will then be treated to a plethora of scenarios and situations from which to draw inspiration for their own doodled artwork; moreover, the illustrations and prompts are sure to induce a smile, reduce stress, and deliver creative inspiration throughout your daily life.
The Little Book of … series focuses on delivering fun, approachable, and interesting art instruction in a fresh, portable format. With its contemporary design, open practice pages, creative exercises, and prompts that encourage interactivity, beginning artists learn the fundamentals of their craft, often with immediate results.
Also available from the series: The Little Book of Lettering & Word Design, The Little Book of Manga Drawing, The Little Book of Cartooning & Illustration,The Little Book of Rock Painting, and The Little Book of Drawing Dragons & Fantasy Characters.