I saw this book at the Paper Source on Wednesday, and it shall be mine – oh, yes…it shall be mine. Mind you, I didn’t buy it…yet. But it’s officially on my Amazon Wishlist. (Cough, cough. Is anyone married to me reading this? I’m just sayin’.)

Not only is it a terrific book to flip through coffee-table-book-style, but I am trying to learn to draw better and this sort of visual guide is invaluable when you are just getting the hang of making things look “real-ish.” I’ve already picked up a vintage children’s visual dictionary from the 60s at a yard sale that has come in handy to this end. When I want to draw a lion, I think, well, what does a lion even look like (in sketch form) and go look it up. And voila! I’ve got something to start with, or at least use as inspiration. However, this one is soooo much more jampacked with even the most obscure of the obscure and the engravings date from the 1800s.

You can flip through some of pages on the Chronicle Books site. Swoon.

Ever wanted tackle a California Condor or the meaning of “perspective” with a sketch pen? Well, now you’ve got a resource.

Sketchily,
Freckles