This informative textbook for bird artists is a comprehensive survey of the complete bird from head to tail. The book is full of masterly illustrations that are clear and easy to understand, including black and white working drawings, examples of the artist's field studies and exquisite colour illustrations. The examples are mostly of Australian birds. Every part of the bird's body is outlined in detail with informative text and helpful drawing instructions.
For this second edition, the text has been revised and updated, and many illustrations upgraded and replaced.
Foreword
About the Artist – Dr Natalia Balo
Introduction
Chapter 1
Sketching Birds
The Importance of Sketching
Chapter 2
Bird Body – A Structural Analysis
Structural Approach to Drawing
Three Dimensional System in Scientific Anatomy
Artists’ Vocabulary of Graphic Construction
Analysis of Proportions
What Makes a Bird – General Construction
Bird Topography
Feathers
Chapter 3
Construction of the Head
Construction of the Skull
Types of Beaks – Form and Function
Construction of the Eye
Topography of the Head
Chapter 4
Construction of the Neck and Trunk
Skeleton of the Neck and Trunk
Musculature of the Neck and Trunk
Chapter 5
Construction of the Wings
Skeleton of the Wing
Musculature and Movements
Movements of the Wing
Topography of the Wing
Feather Configurations of Open and Closed Wings
Wing Shapes – Form and Function
Chapter 6
Construction of the Tail
Architecture of the Tail
Tail Feathers
Tail Shapes
Chapter 7
Construction of the Legs and Feet
General Characteristics of the Leg
Skeleton of the Leg
Muscles and Tendons
Construction of the Feet
Types of Feet – Form and Function
Surface Structures of the Feet
Chapter 8
Drawing the Complete Bird
Methodology of Drawing Birds Structurally
Drawing Birds in Flight
Select Bibliography
Natalia Balo is a multi award-winning Australian figurative artist specialising in portraiture and wildlife painting, and a professional Art teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience, with formal accreditation in Teaching of Drawing and Painting (BFA – Art Education, with Distinction), MFA (Graphic Arts and Book Illustration), PhD (Natural History Illustration)). Natalia's Fine Art education belongs to the European Academic School, and her doctoral research 'Bird Anatomy for Artists' is now published as a university textbook.
"For many years bird artists have been searching for an informative textbook on bird anatomy. Until now there have been very few books focusing on bird anatomy and drawing birds available, but now the search is over. Bird Anatomy for Artists has arrived! Bird Anatomy for Artists is a beautifully presented comprehensive survey of the complete bird from head to tail. The book is full of masterly illustrations that are clear and easy to understand, including black and white working drawings, examples of the artist’s field studies and exquisite colour illustrations. Every part of the bird’s body is outlined in detail with informative text and helpful drawing instructions. Bird Anatomy for Artists is perhaps the most complete textbook available on this subject. I highly recommend this reference book not only for artists, but for anyone interested in birds."
– Dr. Trevor Weekes Senior Lecturer/Convenor, Natural History Illustration School of Design, Communication and Information Technology The University of Newcastle