Great Book of Dragon Patterns 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Design Sourcebook for Artists and Craftspeople

by Lora Irish

Overview

A guide for creating your own fantastic renderings of man's favorite foe-the dragon! Use the author's patterns or apply her techniques to create your own. Includes 72 patterns, basic dragon anatomy, fascinating dragon lore, evolution and more!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781565232310
Publisher:	Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	03/03/2004
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	188
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Lora S. Irish is an internationally known artist and author, whose acclaimed books include Great Book of Carving Patterns, Great Book of Celtic Patterns, Great Book of Dragon Patterns, Great Book of Tattoo Designs, The Official Vampire Artist's Handbook, Relief Carving Wood Spirits, World Wildlife Patterns for the Scroll Saw, and many more. Fox Chapel Publishing has sold more than 300,000 copies of Irish's books. Lora is also a frequent contributor to Woodcarving Illustrated and to Scroll Saw Woodworking and Crafts magazines.

Read an Excerpt

This second edition on creating renderings of the mighty dragon includes more than 100 original patterns and a color reference chart; features dragon anatomy, historic legends, and much more.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1
Chapter One
Dragon Art of How do I use this book in my artwork? 3
Chapter Two
Basic Dragon Traits or What does a dragon do when it's not fighting heroes? 11
Chapter Three
General Description of the Breeds or Who's who in the dragon world? 17
Worm 17
Sea Serpent 18
Lindworm 18
Drake 19
Hydra 19
Winged Worm 20
Wyvern 20
Dragon or Western Dragon 21
Fairy Dragon 22
Fantasy Dragon 22
Chapter Four
Oriental Dragons or Why do I need to count toes? 23
General Mythology 24
Physical Attributes 24
Eastern or Western 24
Species of Eastern Dragon 24
Eastern Dragon Patterns 25
Chapter Five
Basic Anatomy or What's inside the dragon that lets it move? 27
Mammal-Styled Body 28
Reptile-Styled Bodies 29
General Skeletal Structures 30
Wing Structures 33
Chapter Six
Adding Ornamentation or How do I give a dragon a face lift? 35
The Dragon's Skull 35
Horns, Crests, Teeth and More 37
Fire-Breathing Dragons 39
Chapter Seven
Scale Work or How do I keep my dragon from looking like a fish? 43
Scaling, Feathers, Reptile Skin and Colored Patterns 43
Scale Grid Work 44
Chapter Eight
Creating Test Patterns or How many dragons can I make from one design? 49
Basic Dragon Pattern 49
Sample Patterns 50
Chapter Nine
Dragon Lore or Who are the most famous dragons of all time? 53
Virgin Hands 53
Draco 54
Hercules and the Hydra 54
The Lambton Worm 55
The Chapel Roof 56
The Ladon Serpent 57
Siegfried, Regin and Fafnir 57
Beowulf and the Fire Dragon 58
St. George and the Dragon 58
The Yorkshire Dragon 60
Chapter Ten: Dragon Patterns 61

Editorial Reviews

No mythical animal has inspired as much legend around the world as the dragon. This book includes dragon lore from many countries as well as a structural analysis of dragon anatomy as it has evolved throughout history. There are instructions for drawing details such as scales and many line drawings of dragons in different poses for use by woodworkers, fabric artists, and illustrators. A good book for fantasy or young adult collections as well as general crafts. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal