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by Virginia Hein (Author), Gail L. Wong (Author)
Explore new ways to capture nature in your on-location drawings and paintings through insightful tips and inspiring artwork from 40+ artists from around the world.
In The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature, Gail L. Wong and Virginia Heinshare their secrets for getting beyond basic greenery. Presenting a variety of approaches, including detailed examples, quick tips, and "workshop" ideas for practicing the concepts, this book reviews important fundamentals for composition and color and inspires unique treatments and points of view. There is a story to be told about nature wherever we are. Pack this handbook with your art supplies as you set out to tell your own stories of nature, and discover:- Different ways you can use nature to compose your story and your sketch, whether nature is the main character, the setting, or a frame for your composition.
- A variety of approaches to representing the incredible variety of forms, surfaces, and textures we find in nature, including finding shape, proportion, and structure and creating depth.
- Tips for finding the character of a place with advice on painting water movement, atmosphere and weather, and quality of light.
- Places to find nature in a city, from a venerable landmark tree to a humble dandelion growing in a sidewalk crack.
- An exploration of various methods of expressive interpretation, including sketching in monochrome, playing with color palettes, and simplifying shapes.
- A gallery of inspirational examples of art showing a variety of different artistic styles and a list of 24 artistic challenges to develop your own style and skills.
Geared toward intermediate and experienced artists, but a great inspirational reference for beginners, The Urban Sketching Handbook Spotlight on Nature shows you the many ways you can bring nature to life on the page. The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format--perfect to toss in your backpack or artist's tote.
Author Biography
Virginia Hein is from Los Angeles, California, and the landscape of the city has always been her favorite subject. She has worked as a concept and character designer for toys and entertainment, and as an art director, illustrator, and fine artist. Virginia taught drawing at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, and currently teaches on-location sketching workshops. As a member of Urban Sketchers since 2009, she has taught workshops at four USk International Symposiums. Virginia has contributed her work to a number of books about on-location sketching, and is the co-author of The Urban Sketching Landscape: Spotlight on Nature and the author of 5-Minute Sketching: Landscapes. You can see her work on Instagram @virginiahein.
The co-author of The Urban Sketching Handbook: Spotlight on Nature, Gail L. Wong is an architect, illustrator, educator, and urban sketcher. She has taught design drawing and architectural sketching at the University of Washington in Seattle and has also taught and lectured at several on-location sketching workshops through Urban Sketchers and at the Urban Sketchers International Symposiums. Gail returned to her love of sketching and painting after joining the newly formed Seattle Urban Sketchers. Her watercolor and ink sketches capture both the iconic and everyday views that are part of urban and natural environments. Gail's professional work includes custom residential design through Koppe + Wong Architects LLC, architectural illustration, and sketching workshops. She lives in Seattle, Washington. To see more of her work, visit her website www.glwarc.com and on Instagram @glwarc_seattle
