Drawing Birds

by John Busby

Birds are inspirational subjects for any artist: the variety of shapes, colors, sizes, movements, and contexts means that anyone with an interest in drawing or painting from life will find birds challenging and deserving of their time. This book is written for a range of people — for beginners taking their first steps in a knotty subject, for more experienced artists wishing to tackle birds in flight, and for anyone who simply wants to see birds afresh. This book is published in association with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). As Europe's biggest wildlife conservation charity, with over 170 nature reserves, the RSPB brings the spectacular beauty of wild birds to millions of people. The business of conservation is often scientific and political — matters largely for the head. But birds enrich our lives in many ways. Drawing them is perfect for clearing the clutter of our daily lives, reconnecting with nature and reaffirming the purpose of nature conservation.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Birds, Nonfiction, Nature, Animals

143 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 1986

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, which is less how-to book (which I was looking for) than a book illustrating various artists in how they draw birds, There is some attention to craft, to building from quick sketch to completed daring or painting, and it is useful to see the range of work. I used this book in a class focusing on Okay For Now, a YA book about a id discovering Audubon's drawings of birds. We all went outside and looked at birds and made drawings of them. It was pretty fun for a bunch of English types. But that's I think what Schmidt and Busby would have us do: Pay close attention to things; to birds, but to anything.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for drawing birds, both for its utility and for the beautiful collection of art. This is not a how-to book, but more for refining the work you already do. It's not full of art-related technical terms, but there is enough to not sound condescending to an artist. Busby argues that the best bird art comes from drawing from life, and he deals with issues like mechanics/anatomy of birds, drawing birds in/on water, in flight, and overall composition. Now to see if I can actually do this....

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Busby has a well-balanced, realistic approach to drawing and appreciating art from the field. There's no doubt that the techniques he shares will be helpful when the moment strikes. Until then, I'll enjoy looking over the field sketches and finished paintings, accompanied by tips and quotes from the many artists included in these pages. I also look forward to perusing the extensive list of other recommended books in the back.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found used
Excellent text and supporting art.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have plans to draw a lot of birds, but this book includes a lot of really engaging artwork and some interesting thoughts on image composition, etc.

[Elizabeth Matthews]

delightful

[Cody Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give it a fair rating. I loved the art/illustations in the this book, they were very nicely done!

[Linny · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful - get again to actually practice. He's a Timber author, taught at Edinburgh Art. Friend of Jennie Hale in Devon (friend of Jude's)

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

British book and birds. Art and history. Glorious paintings. Text over detailed. Some pages to try copying.