Drawing the plants and animals you see everyday

Here’s my North American Nature Drawing Booklist.

Aleutian Canada Geese

Drawing by Bob Hines Courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://images.fws.gov

I don’t like drawing books which focus on “exotic” animals. I want guidance on sketching squirrels and robins or the animals and plants I see in my backyard. I don't want to sketch just animals I only see in captivity like lions, boa constrictors, and hyenas.

If you look out your bedroom window and see wilderbeast then there are plenty of books to help you draw them.

My current list focuses on North American animals and plants. Perhaps, I'll create list for those of you who live in more exotic locales. But for now, the list is for brown bears, cardinals, and groundhogs. Which I guess are exotic to others in different lands.

The following is the very best books I’ve found on nature drawing close to home (North America).

The Art of Field Sketching (1984) by Clare Walker Leslie

This is a classic book on nature sketching. It is most likely out of print but should be available for sale somewhere online. This contains exercises and techniques for keeping a field journal and sketching in various habitats. There are techniques for sketching around the home and while traveling. The book is filled with drawings by Clare and well-known nature artists.

Nature Drawing: A tool for Learning (1980) by Clare Walker Leslie

Another great book by Clare. This volume focuses on not place like The Art of Field Sketching, but what to draw. The chapters include techniques for sketching plants, animals, birds, landscapes and keeping a field sketchbook.

Illustrated Nature: Right-brain Art in a Left-brain World (2004) by Irene Brady

This a great book for the artist who wants a professional career as a nature artist. But is a wonderful book for beginner’s too. Irene is a professional illustrator and scientific illustration teacher.

Irene Brady also published an e-book journal full of her travels in New Zealand. It is filled with illustrations and photographs. It is available on her website www.natureworkspress.com.

Drawing Wildlife (2005) by J. C. Amberlyn

This focuses on the North American animals that I see regularly or not so regularly. The is everything you need to know to draw a particular species. J. C. Amberlyn has highlighted animals families, what they have in common and how to draw it's members. So, you’ll learn how to draw raccoons and their relatives, the deer family, squirrels among other mammals.

Drawing Birds (2004) by John Busby

I pre-ordered this book, and couldn’t wait for it to come out. I love John Busby’s way of illustrating birds. The book contains many examples by other bird artists. The many sketches are inspiring. It is a book for beginners and experienced artists. It’s lavish and beautiful illustrations are a feast for the eyes.

The next three books are part of a series.

Artist’s Photo Reference: Wildlife (2003) by Bart Rulon

Artist’s Photo Reference: Birds (1999) by Bart Rulon

Artist’s Photo Reference: Songbirds and Other Favorite Birds (2004) by Bart Rulon

These book have hundreds of high quality photographs of animals in many poses.

The two bird books together cover many of North America’s most popular birds.

Most of the “Wildlife” covers North American animals. But, it has a section on African and Indian animals. It still passes my “local animal” test.

I use these as great practice resources. There are great when the “bored and nothing to do” moods strike on rainy and snowy days.

The Flower Painter’s Pocket Palette - Book One by Elisabeth Harden and The Flower Painter’s Pocket Palette - Book Two by Adelene Fletcher

These are very good for simple watercolor flower painting. The books include step-by-step instructions on painting many common garden and native flowers.

For the color mixing challenged

Blue and Yellow Don’t Make Green: or How to Mix the Right Color You Really Want - Every Time (1989, 2001, et. al) by Michael Wilcox.

Have a tough time mixing just the color you want? I swear by Blue and Yellow Don’t Make Green.

By following this book, I how I learned to mix colors. And I had been an art major all though high school and college. Michael Wilcox has many books on mixing colors and choosing watercolor, oil, and acrylic paints. His "Color Mixing Swatch Book" is very helpful.

I only book I recommended are the one I personally own. If it survives for years on my bookshelves, without being donated to the public library book sale, then it is a very good book.

I created an Amazon.com page with photos and info on the drawing books listed and a few more I have read lately.

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