Books by J.C. Amberlyn

In this step-by-step guide, J. C. Amberlyn combines her love of cats with her beautiful, detailed drawing style in order to teach beginning artists to draw many different breeds of cats and kittens in pencil and pen-and-ink.   Cats are creatures of beauty and mystery. They live among us but have never quite been tamed, drawing the ire of some and the admiration of others. They keep rodents away from our homes and offer purring companionship for those they have deemed worthy of their attention. The feline form exudes grace and flexibility and can be a joy to draw.   How to Draw Cats and Kittens continues a rich tradition of cats in art. Covering all the most popular types of cats, as well as kittens, this book gives easy-to-follow instructions for drawing cats in many poses and a variety of expressions. Amberlyn includes basic information on art materials and the fundamental mechanics of drawing so that even beginners will feel confident and successful as they learn to produce highly detailed, lifelike drawings of their fluffy companions.

BRING YOUR IMAGINATION TO LIFEIn her second manga book, best-selling author J.C. Amberlyn focuses on favorite manga archetype characters, with a fun and lively how-to-draw book aimed at beginners. Every genre of manga has its typical characters-plucky hero and heroine; school boys and girls; funny friend/sidekick; serious warrior; young innocent; bishounen; genki girls; chibis; chibi animals; cat girls/cat boys; magical girls; adorable animals; strong/scary animals; gothic characters; fantasy characters-and they are all here along with the step-by-step drawing instructions needed to give even beginners the direction they need to create the favorite characters they can't get enough of. A final chapter on backgrounds, scenery, and the environment will further give readers the information they need to pull everything together and create their own manga characters and the worlds they live in. Includes 23 step-by-step demonstrations and exercises.J.C. Amberlyn takes you through everything you need to know to create your favorite manga characters from Japanese comics or design your own. INCLUDES IN-DEPTH INSTRUCTION ON: INTRODUCTION What Is a Character * Creating a Manga Character * This Book * Materials and Supplies CHARACTER TYPES Manga Character Archetypes and Story Genres * Manga Character Types * Some Common Terms and Color Associations DRAWING THE HEAD AND FACE Human Heads and Faces * Noses, Ears, and Mouths * Eyes * Hair * Animals EXPRESSIONS Emotions * Accessories * Exaggerating Features * Using Fur, Feathers, and Scales * Perspective * Animal Expressions * Dragons BODIES AND GESTURES Anatomy of a Chibi, Child, Woman, and Man * Gestures * Posture, Angles, and Character Appeal * Clothing and Accessories * Wings * Animal Bodies SETTINGS, SCENES, AND SAMPLES Props * Character Design Examples * Silhouettes * Scenes * Character Sheets