Books published by publisher Research Press

Anna Mason's exceptional floral artwork has won awards from the Royal Horticultural Society, International Artist magazine and seen her elected to the prestigious Society of Botanical Artists. In this book, she shares her innovative watercolour technique so that you can paint flowers in her clean, crisp style. The book covers every aspect of painting modern botanical-style portraits of flowers, from tips on gathering your reference to Anna's six stage watercolour process. There are instructions on setting up your studio and how to produce the detailed drawings. Each of the six step-by-step projects is accompanied by an outline drawing, tonal notes and useful colour swatches so that you can compare the tone and hue of your mixes to Anna's own. This all builds into a fantastic guide that will inspire and challenge the experienced watercolour artist, while drawing in and reassuring the complete beginner.

Detailed photographic sequences explore pencil, charcoal, pen and technical pen techniques, including shading, building up, blending, hatching, highlighting, stippling and more. Coloured pencils, chalks, pastels, and pen and ink are also covered with inspirational pictures across a full range of subject matter, including landscapes, buildings, figures, animals, flowers and still life. Techniques are discussed in detail including layering, feathering, burnishing, linear marks and pointillism. The use of paint and brushes is less obvious in a book on drawing, but there are some techniques in which the brush is used to create a line, or to infill a linear shape. These techniques are discussed as well with Gallery examples shown throughout to act as inspiration for the practising artist. Sequences on mixed media, keeping a sketchbook and digital drawing are included too, making this book an invaluable addition to any artists book shelves.

Paddle Your Own Canoe or Tip for Boys is a wonderful guidebook written with the intention of inspiring young boys to embrace outdoor activities, offering them guidance on what they can do and how they can do it effectively, safely, and enjoyably. In a time when children have forgotten the lost art of tree-climbing or the joys of rural exploration and instead spend their time staring at a computer screen or tapping away at tablet computers, this little book has become more valuable than ever. Filled with information on interesting and exciting out-door pursuits, Paddle Your Own Canoe or Tip for Boys is a great book for getting young boys interested in the outdoors and is not to be missed by discerning parents. This book has been elected for modern republication due to its timeless educational value, and we are proud to republish it now complete with a new introduction on the subject.

Create your own flock of 21 knitted birds, from best-selling author and knitting designer Sue Stratford.This delightful book from best-selling author and knitting designer Sue Stratford provides patterns for 21 charming birds for you to knit. Using simple techniques and basic stitches, you'll be amazed at how quickly and easily you can create your own flock of characterful knitted birds. Whether you choose a seagull, puffin, flamingo, bullfinch or parakeet, your bird will take on a personality all of its own and no sooner will you finish one than you'll want to start on another little feathered friend to keep it company. As well as the birds themselves, there are ideas for how to display them, and at the end of the book are instructions for a hanging nest, a felt nest box, branches, flowers and leaves.

Resin jewellery first started in the US around 6 years ago and has now become one of the fastest-growing trends in jewellery making. The technique is very simple – you simply mix the two-part resin together and pour into a bezel or pendant. Rings, pendants, brooches, cufflinks, hairpins and bracelets are all easy to make and look incredibly professional when done.In this inspiring book, well-known crafter Sara Naumann shows you just how easy and quick resin jewellery is to make, using minimal equipment and readily available products, and provides over 50 fabulous projects for you to try. You can add numerous items to the resin to achieve different effects. You can place paper in the bezels to act as a background to the resin – such as old book paper, map paper, scrapbook paper and photographs. Paper can also be painted, stencilled, or layered with washi tape before being coated with resin. Try sheet music for a vintage vibe, or origami papers for a fresh, contemporary look.In addition, you can also immerse various items in the resin before it cures, such as dried flowers and leaves, feathers, shells, beads and charms, or try adding glitter, coloured inks, nail polish and virtually anything else you can think of.The versatility of resin jewellery is awe-inspiring, providing papercrafters as well as jewellery-makers with all the skills and inspiration they need to design and make their own stunning pieces.

Enter the calming and beautiful, magical world of illustrator and papercutter, Jessica Palmer. Jessica has created 80 pages of enchanting hand-drawn pictures for you to color and lose yourself in. The images all have a magical woodland theme, and each one includes a 'hidden jewel', intricately worked into the design. Rings, brooches, pendants, chains, bracelets and earrings featuring insects, animals and leafy patterns. The book includes designs that fit on a single page as well as those that extend across a double-page spread and there are even those that have space left for the reader to extend the design themselves. A stunning book with lay flat, unbreakable 'flexi' binding and high quality paper resistant to ink bleeding. Unleash your creativity and calm the soul.

Packed with creative exercises and practical tips, this book will help you breathe life and expression into your urban sketches. In a time when most people have a camera or smartphone to hand at all times, the question of why we sketch is ever more relevant. A sketch cannot capture a scene with perfect accuracy instead, it is about something more. We sketch to capture an impression, record a feeling, create a personal interpretation; sketching is an act of personal expression. Whether you want to sketch to capture fleeting moments, experiences or locations in time, or to record impressions that you can return to and build on later, this book will show you how. The aim of the book is to encourage you to create quick, animated drawings that are full of life and expression. Whether you are looking to discover your own sketching style, or to build on your existing knowledge, this book is packed with quick exercises to get you thinking, theory to build up your knowledge base, and beautiful artworks to inspire you. The book is divided into seven lessons: tools, colour, composition, bringing a sketch to life, urban life, landscapes and human subjects - each contains learning objectives and tips to hone your technique. Decide how strong or detailed to make your linework; when to use pencil or ink; how much colour to use, and where; how to successfully compose an image and use perspective to bring it to life; how to use contrast; how to incorporate detail; how to sketch landscapes, urban features and human subjects. It is when we bring together all these different elements of an urban scene that our sketches come to life.

Keeping to a theme started in Crewel Twists, this book continues the concept of using non-traditional techniques and materials in crewel or Jacobean embroidery. It showcases four large projects, each with an accompanying small project similar in technique, and shows needle workers how to be creative with threads, alternative stitches and beads. Traditional techniques are explained but are extended with the use of bead embroidery, needle lace techniques, and stitches not normally used in crewel work. Many new needle lace and bead embroidery techniques are incorporated, and the book also explores weaving techniques used to create textures like twill and lace weaves, as well as patterns similar to tartan and houndstooth check. Every project is clearly explained with step-by-step instructions and lots of photographs, and the completed embroideries are once again displayed in ways that are both decorative and functional in the home. Templates of the original designs complete this magnificent source for creative embroidery.

Hands and feet are considered the hardest parts of the body to draw, due to the variety of shapes involved and their dynamism; and as a result they are often neglected by artists. In this book Susie Hodge, who has been teaching practical art for over 17 years, will demystify the process in creating these body parts and teach the reader how to draw them with simple illustrated instructions. In six stages Hodge builds up the shapes of the hands and feet to create a professional-looking sketch. Both beginners and the more advanced artists will benefit from this invaluable, easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide.

Simple knotted necklaces look elegant and stylish when combined with beautiful ceramic, metal or wooden beads. Choose from Chinese, Celtic or Fancy knots to theme your jewellery, or combine more than one style for a modern twist. All of the knots and techniques are explained with clear step-by-step photographs, accompanying diagrams and helpful advice, so you need no special equipment or skills to produce these gorgeous knotted bracelets, necklaces and decorations. Previously published as Chinese Knots for Beaded Jewellery 9780855329686; Celtic Knots for Beaded Jewellery 9781844480548; Ornamental Knots for Beaded Jewellery 9781844482481