Book excerpt: Birds are much admired, revered and envied. They have featured in art for many thousands of years and our fascination with them continues. They do though pose a challenge to paint and are not always the most cooperative of models. This practical book explains in detail how to go about drawing and painting birds. By understanding their anatomy and recognising their type, the artist can learn a shorthand way to capture movement and attitude. With technique and colour mastered, style develops and a special scene can be captured uniquely forever. In this book, Tim Wootton explains bird types and how identifying specific similarities can help the artist; advises on painting in the field, using photographs and working in the studio; describes how to paint plumage and birds in flight; demonstrates how to compose a painting with emphasis on the birds' habitat; and gives insights into painting birds from 30 leading artists, as well as illustrations of their work, including John Busby, Robert Bateman and Charles Tuncliffe. Beautifully illustrated with 423 colour illustrations.