Last month, regular Imaginative Storm participant Zebith Thalden wrote a terrific guest post about fear of success and fear of failure—if you missed it, you can read it here. Now, we’re happy to announce her success!
Zebith’s book THE INSECT ARTIST has just been published! It’s a practical guide to drawing insects—and other creatures. She created nearly 500 step-by-step images for this masterclass in her craft. Check out the wonderful examples from the book on the websites of the publishers and Amazon—but order from your local independent bookstore if you’re lucky enough to have one. Support it!
"Zebith Thalden provides a wealth of insights and skills that artists can apply universally to any subject. With a voice at once instructive, patient, and reassuring, she holds our hands until we are ready to spread our wings." -Jay Withgott, author of Environment: The Science Behind the Stories
Zebith has a brilliant mind and a generous heart—and her artwork is extraordinary: like nothing I’ve ever seen before. We used this multimedia image of an invented moth as the Writing Prompt of the Week in October 2022; you can work with it here, if you’re inspired. And if you do, please post what you write as a Comment at the end of this post.
Here’s some more information about the book, from the publishers:
The Insect Artist offers a complete course in illustration and lifelike artwork. The 15 projects are designed to build on one another, beginning with techniques that strengthen drawing and acrylic painting skills. More advanced projects focus on design principles, realistic environments, and creative challenges. Clear instructions and visual demonstrations describe each step of the process and reference photos show the anatomy and coloration of each insect. Short outdoor exercises are included as lessons on actively observing nature. This is a book for artists of all levels and anyone interested in rediscovering the natural world through artistic expression.
Packed with creative tips:
Achieve rich colors, surface textures, and spatial depth
Measure proportions accurately
Simplify tricky forms and patterns
Establish an inspiring and supportive art practice
So if you have any desire at all to learn to draw or return to an abandoned art practice, now’s your chance. I’ve always wished I could draw well, but no how-to-draw book has grabbed me until now. My copy is arriving Tuesday!
And if you’re in Portland, Oregon, don’t miss Zebith’s talk at Annie Bloom’s Books on April 30 at 7 pm, which launches her book tour: check her website for more dates.
If you’d like to know more about the Imaginative Storm method, check out our book and self-paced online course Write What You Don’t Know - and/or join us one Thursday, 3pm PT / 6 pm ET, for the Prompt of the Week. Here’s the Zoom link, and you can always find it in the footer at Imaginativestorm.com. No charge!