Myshelf.com: Want to draw but not sure how to go about it? Here is a book that cuts through the jargon by not having any words in it at all! There may be a parrot on the cover but drawing is about doing, not talking or reading and the easy-to-follow diagrams just say it all. I was impressed with this book, which reminded me of the Walter Foster series I learnt to draw with. Start by breaking down the bird into its most basic shapes, then add a bit more, begin to sketch in the details, and by step five you have a pencil drawing of it. Step six shows it in color, and after you have worked though all the studies you will have a good working knowledge of how to draw most bird shapes. Aimed predominantly at the UK market you can find a robin, song thrush, puffin, mallard, golden eagle and gray heron but also gray parrot, emperor penguin, kiwi, rooster and Canada goose. One destined to remain on my keeper shelf, and at under GBP5 (0r $10) inexpensive and rather compulsive. JeannieZelos.com: Using five easy to follow stage sequences Polly shows us how easy it is to draw birds, beginning from simple outline shapes to fine tuning into an accurate representation of that bird. She covers varieties from blackbirds, penguins and cranes to soaring swallows and stern sparrowhawks. There are birds here which will be suitable for enhancing any painting where you want realistic birds or even to create a simple bird portrait in its own right. Although these birds differ hugely from each other using Pollys' simple formula of looking for shapes and working from there, its easy for even absolute beginners to create beautiful and lifelike birds.

Polly Pinder studied graphics at Leeds Art College. Her first job was with a Yorkshire newspaper, and she subsequently worked as a lecturer in graphic design at Wakefield District College. She has written and illustrated a number of books including cake decoration and growing herbs, papermaking and paper crafts. Her illustrations in Muck and Magic were commended when it won the 1993 Sir Peter Kent Conservation Book Prize. She has also designed bed linen and wallpapers, and the graphics for a book based on newly discovered eighteenth century wallpapers.