Kirjahaku

"Exceptionally well written and offering a complete course of art instruction on the subject of birds, Birds of the West: An Artist's Guide is beautifully illustrated throughout." -- Midwest Book Review Unique gift book celebrates more than 80 iconic Western birds Author is an award-winning nature artist and art teacher Explores habitats: suburban backyards, alpine heights, shorelines, and more Birds accompany us in our daily lives with their songs, flashes of bright color, and energetic activity. Even people who don't consider themselves birders notice them; from urban wetlands to wilderness trails, we follow the sound of a distant twitter or song. Award-winning artist Molly Hashimoto captures birds through different media, from quick sketches with pen and wash to more carefully planned block prints. Each medium has a unique way of revealing different avian qualities--elegant lines or imposing silhouettes, a delicate bill or brilliant plumage. In Birds of the West, Molly shares this range of artwork as a way to encourage readers, whether artists or not, to observe more closely the feathered friends around us. Through her art and words, she explores specific Western habitats providing the natural histories of birds typically found in each, as well as intimate personal encounters and inspiring passages from others. And she teaches painting, drawing, and printmaking methods throughout the book with technique sidebars designed for all levels of experience.

"A breath of fresh air for anyone who loves trees." ― The Seattle Times The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries 2023 Award of Excellence Winner in Botanical Art and Illustration Illustrated throughout with art in a variety of mediums: pencil, pen, and wash sketches; block prints; studio watercolors; and intaglio etchings Includes a rich natural history and brief ethnobotanical notes for each featured species Features poems and quotes from other writers and artistscelebrating our connection to trees Artist Molly Hashimoto has appreciated trees all her life--they have shaped her as a hiker, outdoors lover, gardener, traveler, and artist. She pays homage to them through her art, working in many different media, each revealing different aspects of these stalwart companions: crisp lines, imposing silhouettes, and the subtle-or sometimes brilliant--hues of foliage. Hashimoto also delves into the process of creating art, discussing the mediums she used in the featured pieces and the reasons she chose them, as well as sidebars with tips and techniques. As in her popular Colors of the West and Birds of the West, Hashimoto emphasizes her personal experiences with nature, telling stories about her encounters with trees everywhere from her backyard to national parks and forests throughout the West. She focuses primarily on native trees, rather than cultivars, with a special interest in 46 major species found across the region, ranging from the stately Coast redwoods to the diminutive but distinctive Fishhook Barrel Cactus. Rooted in place, trees offer endless opportunities for observation, admiration, relaxation, and inspiration. Trees of the West invites us to pause and appreciate these sentinels in all their quiet glory.

A lush celebration of wildflowers--the perfect gift for hikers, artists, or any nature lover Bestselling artist Molly Hashimoto brings her unique blend of vibrant illustration, engaging natural history, and intimate personal reflection to the Western landscape--this time exploring the ephemeral beauty of wildflowers. Organized by habitat, Wildflowers of the West showcases flora from wetlands, shorelines, and prairies to deserts, forests, and alpine meadows. Accompanying each piece with natural history and stories of her own outings to find flowers, Hashimoto captures individual species through different media, from quick sketches with pen and ink to detailed watercolors and carefully planned block prints. Find exquisite golden columbines emerging from talus slopes, vast meadows of sky-blue lupine, scarlet displays of ocotillo in the southwestern deserts, and sunny blooms of glacier lilies as they herald the approach of spring. Weaving in the history of wildflowers in art along with sidebars offering practical techniques for artists, Wildflowers of the West is an inspiration for anyone who would like to try their hand at capturing the delicate beauty of wildflowers they encounter or simply an armchair album for those who appreciate the natural beauty of the American West.

"An inherently fascinating and delightful volume of images and commentaries, Colors of the West is a unique celebration of the flora and fauna to be found in our national parks and reserves." -- Midwest Book Review Explains how to "see" color depending on time of day, season, atmosphere, and more More than 170 illustrations, featuring iconic national parks Improve your nature painting skills or learn a fun new hobby you can do outdoors Colors of the West explores wild places through the lens of watercolor "en plein air" painting, a French term meaning literally "in the open air." Steeped in the natural world, award-winning artist Molly Hashimoto has sketched in the outdoors and worked as a plein air artist and teacher for more than 20 years. In that time she has filled more than 40 sketchbooks with landscapes, vignettes, studies of flora and fauna, and natural history notes--all created while visiting some of the West's most stunning landscapes. This new book is organized by color, a unique approach to teaching both intermediate and budding artists how to really see color in the outdoor spaces around them, and then apply it to journals, other art projects, or simply beautiful memories. The average person can see 17,000 colors ( ), so Molly explains the concept of palette, that is the range of colors that unites elements of geography, geology, and the different kinds of light created by atmosphere, season, and latitude. Molly's own hand‐drawn sketches and paintings of familiar Western landscapes help convey these colors, along with sidebars and insets on individual species (trees, birds, mammals, and other flora and fauna) and historical notes related to the park or site she has sketched. Tips and techniques for outdoor journaling and painting are included throughout. From the green hues found on Cascade Head on the Oregon Coast and in Yellowstone's quaking aspens, to the reds that highlight the rocks in Arches National Park and the the giant sequoias in California, readers and artists of all levels will learn a new appreciation for the colors of the West--and how the details of natural beauty can be revealed when we stop, observe, and pay attention to the outdoor world.