Drawing Birds

Throughout history, people have been obsessed with bird imagery, from carvings on the temple walls of ancient Egypt to modern-day murals, posters, and even tattoos. This helpful instructional volume by a renowned artist and teacher offers a wealth of well-illustrated advice on depicting all manner of birds. British illustrator Raymond Sheppard was celebrated for his nature and animal studies, and this book combines two of his most valuable guides, How to Draw Birds (1940) and More Birds to Draw (1956).
Suitable for beginners as well as advanced artists, this single-volume edition of Sheppard's two great guides provides in-depth studies of the shapes and visual construction of a variety of birds, from domestic fowl to birds on the wing. Topics include anatomy; the representation of wings, feathers, and flight; and details for drawing beaks, feet, and plumage. Common birds such as thrushes, redwings, blackbirds, and starlings appear here, along with many other species, in addition to ducks in and out of the water and birds of prey such as the barn owl, buzzard, and golden eagle. Written with clarity and infectious enthusiasm, Drawing Birds offers an abundance of pointers that will benefit amateur and professional artists alike.

British illustrator Raymond Sheppard (1913–1958) was celebrated for his drawings of nature and animals for books and magazines. He published three art instructional books with Studio Publications and is perhaps best remembered for a 1952 edition of The Old Man and the Sea, which he co-illustrated with Charles Tunnicliffe.