Tags
Animals, book, Carla Sonheim, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, drawing animals, drawing book, painting animals
Here it is, my new book!
This book features 9 “messing around” exercises and 10 “mixed-media” projects (which, together, touch on almost all of my painting and drawing tricks and techniques that I’ve used the past 20 years — whether drawing animals, people, flowers, or playing around with abstraction — so even if you’re not an animal nut like me, I hope you will find something helpful in “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals” [Quarry Books]!)
Why did I create this book? Drawing animals has been kind of an obsession the past three or four years, and I was anxious to share the fun!
Also, about ten years ago I ran across an article highlighting animals in contemporary artwork. There were some wonderful things going on, and it served as an inspiration for me these past years to just “go for it” with regards to focusing on animals in my artwork. When I looked for books on the subject, however, I was surprised at the scarcity of books on drawing contemporary, stylized animals.
So I wrote one! (My own version.)
Here’s the Table of Contents:
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SECTION 1: Just Messing Around
1. Blobs & Sidewalk Cracks (3 exercises related to “Finding Animals Around You”)
2. Photos & Life (3 exercises for “Drawing Animals Around You”)
3. Memory and Imagination (3 exercises for “Drawing Animals Within You”)
SECTION 2: Mixed-Media Projects
4. Oaxacan Dotted Elephant: More is More
5. Imaginary Animals: Abstract Watercolor Starts
6. Junk Mail Creatures Book: Gesso and Watercolor
7. Watercolor Transfer Animals: Iron-Ons
8. Doggone It! Messy Collage
9. Animals in Tape: Instant Collage
10. Creatures on Wood, Part I: Puzzle Paintings
11. Creatures on Wood, Part II: Embracing Serendipity
12. Go Fish! Installation
13. Wrapped and Tied: 3-D Fabric Animals
Section 3: 12 Featured Artists
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Today is the first day of a two-week blog celebration, and I wanted to give you an idea of what’s ahead the next two weeks:
WEEK 1
Sunday, 9/23: Intro to Book, Schedule
Monday, 9/24: Art Tutorial
Tuesday, 9/25: Book Giveaway!
Wednesday, 9/26: Book Giveaway, Artist Karine Swenson
Thursday, 9/27: Drawing Assignment, Art Giveaway
Friday, 9/28: Book Giveaway, Artist Karen O’Brien
Saturday, 9/29: Shading Tutorial, Art Giveaway
WEEK 2
Sunday, 9/30: Book Giveaway, Artist Malathip Kriheli
…………… Also: Book Giveaways in tandem with today’s Radio Interview with Artistically Speaking Talk Show, 3:30pm PST
Monday, 10/1: Book Giveaway, Assignment, Artist Dar Hosta
Tuesday, 10/2: Book Giveaway, Artist Lisa Firke
Wednesday, 10/3: Drawing Assignment: “Go Blob Hunting”
Thursday, 10/4: Book Giveaway, Artist Petra Overbeek Bloem
Friday, 10/5: Eraser Drawing Tutorial, Art Giveaway
Saturday, 10/6: Book Giveaway, Artist Julie LaPointe
Sunday, 10/7: Wrap-Up!
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Thank you so much for checking in and we’ll see you tomorrow!
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To purchase a copy of the book directly:
Looks fab! Congrats 🙂
wow, your book looks gorgeous and full of wonderful guidance and inspiration.
I wish you wonderful success and fun with this project!
Carla, It looks great. This is so exciting! Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. But I’m going to try through your giveaways, first 🙂
So great to see a peek inside…. but it makes me more impatient for mine to arrive! ( :
can’t wait to buy it 🙂
looking good yay
Fantastic schedule – looking forward to it.
thanks for showing some of the inside the book. can’t wait to have it for my own.
Proud Mom of two and two more coming shortly, if I remember correctly. You must be as happy as we are to see these!
congrats! i will pull your last book off the shelf and play while i wait for this one to arrive! sandy
So excited! Love your fine artwork, Carla!! Looking forward to learn more in it!!!
It looks wonderful! Congratulations on being such an inspiration to us all:)!
w00t! Congrats on the new book!! Looking forward to the next two weeks. 🙂
looks great ….!
Carla – I must get your book for the “grumpy dogs” page alone! 🙂 Darlene
yeah for your carla — book looks great looking forward to giveaways and tutorials —
I’ve been checking daily at Amazon (I pre-ordered BOTH of your new books!). It was sent yesterday and will be here tomorrow!!!! Could NOT be more excited.
And THANKS for such an exciting Book Release Blog Celebration. You are The Queen! — Serena
Serena,
She’s the Squeen 🙂
🙂 I bow before the Squeen!
congrats on the book!!! and i look forward to the 2-week celebration 😉
PS: Just realized that you’re celebrating with drawings and drawings!
Wow can’t wait to my hands on your book. Looking forward to your blogs!
What fun! Can’t wait to see more!
Carla, You are so right about not necessarily being into animals or any subject in order to gain new tricks and tips. After over 50 years of creating, the one thing I’ve learned is that there is always something new (and fun) to learn! I will be buying some books for gifts, and maybe even get lucky and hold a winning ticket. LOL. Congratulations! Savannah
my copy should be hitting the front porch any minute now or tomorrow– excited!
any web giveaways carla….. im ur biggest fan in ireland??? hey theres a serious recession here…. i need ur book to keep me sane!!! : )
Mine was supposed to be shipped yesterday. I’m excited about getting it!
I am so excited! I pre ordered so long ago – can’t wait to get me copy.
My book is on the way. I actually bought two books, one is for my 12 year old granddaughter.
Thank you so much! I am looking forward to all of the fun. I am waiting for my books to arrive too. I know about 10 people I want to gift one to if i win one! I’m recovering from pneumonia, and doing your tutorials made me really happy while I was cooped up at home. My third grade class will be drawing thirty cats (on the floor) soon!
He he now u know its real when u hold it in your hands lol what an exciting time ahead for u congrats and enjoy…
hugz bev
Looks great Carla, wishing you the best.
I am TOTALLY buying this.And I very rarely buy things right away like this. I alwasy “Wish list” them, but I just want you to know this spoke to me so strongly, i’m going to buy it straight away. Beautiful book making work here. Not to mention your art. A beautiful marriage. Awesome
Congratulations! It is so nice to see your smile as you are holding up your book.
So excited to follow your tutorials! Thank you so very much for sharing and your generosity! ❤
What an inspiration, you go girl
Oh, how exciting!
Look at your proud face in the background! Good on you Carla 🙂
Congratulations, Carla! Your book looks wonderful!
The book looks amazing. Congratulations! Love the tutorial!
Can’t wait to pick up my copy…=}
I can feel the excitement coming through the emails and the blog for your new book. Congratulations, Carla! I hope mine arrives in today’s mail. It has been sent! Can’t wait to page through it and see what you have been tantalizing us about! 🙂
WOW, congratulations!!! I look forward for all the fun things in your blog.
Makes me want to paint, congrats, Carol
Congrats,
On your new book Carla. Your a great artist and a big inspiration to me. Keep up the awesome work.
Mine came today! Yay!
As a past online student of Carla’s, I can vouch for her great teaching qualities. This book, it’s voice, would be a wonderful way to spend time with my grandchildren. Christmas gift?
Congratulations on another amazing book!
Love your style, reminds me of some artwork I had as a child 🙂
Congratulations Carla! I am so excited to flip through this book! I’m looking forward to my next paycheck!
Wow, what a wonderful book! My passion is birds and I look forward to using your techniques for developing new “birds” that I can then make into fabric sculptures. Thanks for sharing the information I will find within the book!
Kristin
Carla, I would love to win your book because learning from your books and classes are the most fun I’ve ever had. Everything I make from your books is so much fun that I use them on my greeting cards to send to special friends. I need more fun, I want your new book.
Love it and will definitely follow. Your “Drawing Lab” is practically my drawing bible.
Thank you Carla!! Thank you for instructions that make drawing and painting a fun and satisfying exercise…. I love it! Congrats on the new book!
Pingback: Day #5 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Drawing Assignment and Giveaway «
Had fun with the blind contour drawing elephant prompt today. Thanks, it was a good way to start the day.
I’m excited to try the blind elephant at lunch today – love your art!!!
Love you blobimals and am doing the elephant right now.
Hi Carla I can NOT wait for your book(s)!!!
I just love your new animals pix. Mike framed my Carla-‘Girl’ prints I got from your Esty site.
Having fun with the 2 week celebration!
Hugs ~Sandy from Santa Cruz~
Pingback: Day #6 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Karen O’Brien, and Book Giveaway «
Pingback: Day #7 • Book Release blog Celebration • Shading Tutorial «
Hi Carla, I never win anything but I feel really lucky to have found your site and will be following your hints and suggestions as well as I can…not the artist you are but totally enjoy trying. Thanks for all you do.
Hugs
Sandee Walsh
you are soooo good st thhis and you know what you have been helping me a lot to find my own gig with the nimals I just love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pingback: Day #8 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Feature, Book Giveaway, and Radio Interview Today «
Pingback: Day #9 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Dar Hosta and Giveaway «
I am a week late catching up here! Congratulations on your book launch! It looks exactly like what I think you would create and it is going on my list.
Congratulations Carla. Your online courses are the absolute cleverest and funnest I’ve ever taken! God Bless!
wonderfullllll
Pingback: Day #10 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Lisa Firke and Giveaway «
I bought the book and it is so FUN!!!! I am in chapter two.
I found my blobs in my drawing notebook, on the next page, the following page and the next…. I had painted and inked a page and the liquid sunk through leaving beautiful surprises of blobs to draw from/around.
You are right, drawing around blobs does give more life to the drawing. I find I don’t trust myself and I want to draw symmetrical animals posing with out movement….That type still sinks into my drawings somewhat, but the surprises are there too.
Thank you
Pingback: Day #11 • Book Launch Blog Celebration • Blob Hunting Drawing Assignment «
Carla,
My friend Don suggested I look at Dar’s blog because I have been painting imaginary animals in fantastical landscapes…now I find you with all these cool ideas, challenges, and a book. Congrats and so excited to find and follow your blog.
http://www.susanmedyn.com
to see my creatures.
Hoping to carry this in our art store in Lewisburg, PA- am going to try your two week fun adventure – starting late but looks so inspiring. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Pingback: Day #12 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Petra Overbeek Bloem and Giveaway «
Pingback: Day #13 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Eraser Drawings «
I am really enjoying this week adventure, thank you so much for doing this. Your teaching style is sweet and refreshing. Thanks
The eraser drawing is a great idea. I’ll be using this one with the kids!
I have so enjoyed these two weeks. The kids I teach are very taken with the imaginary animal I created from the blob I drew. We can’t wait to get the book. Thanks.
Pingback: Day #14 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Artist Julie LaPointe and Book Giveaway «
Pingback: Day #5 • Book Release Blog Celebration • Drawing Assignment and Giveaway |
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