Wonders of Nature Sketchbook: Learn About Nature & How to Draw It!

Fascinating facts about wildlife, coupled with drawing instruction for the beginning nature journalist, make this a perfect supplement to the Handbook of Nature Study or other nature instructional text. Each two- or four-page spread is devoted to a different animal and contains: a good amount of interesting information about the animal; one or more artist-rendered sketches; and step-by-step drawing instructions to sketch the animal yourself. The book was written and illustrated by a husband and wife team, Colleen and Michael Monroe. Colleen is the writer, and she has included interesting and sometimes surprising facts about each subject (did you know that newborn fawns are born with no scent to protect them from predators?). Michael is a nationally known, award-winning (and self-taught) wildlife artist who spends most of his year visiting schools around the country, encouraging children to never give up on their dreams. His love of nature and wildlife is reflected in the sketches which adorn each page. The drawing instruction is detailed, begins with simple shapes, includes written instruction for adding features through the illustrated progression of steps, and ends with a completed sketch that very closely resembles part of the artist's depiction. Two pages of drawing tips, including a mini-lesson on shading, precede the actual text. Subjects include: hummingbirds, birds, ducks, loons, turtles, herons, frogs, rabbits, white-tailed deer, white-tailed fawns, owls, bears, and wolves. The book ends with some simple things you can do to help wildlife like keeping dangerous litter contained, building birdhouses, and planting flowers. The book is about 36 pages in landscape format with a hard cover, making it a little more durable for outdoor use.