March Book Review: Birds of the West

A poetic look at the art of observing, drawing, and painting birds.

Calling everyone interested in deepening their observation of birds and depicting them through art! Written and illustrated by Seattle artist Molly Hashimoto, Birds of the West is a rich source of inspiration for anyone who enjoys art and birds, no matter if you live in the American West or not. The author presents us with an overview on the history of bird art, shares examples of a whole range of techniques and styles for drawing and painting birds, provides us with tips for observing birds in their habitat, and educates us on dozens of bird species that can be found in the West. Quotes and poems weave throughout the pages, offering up a reading experience that invites creativity on many levels, not just visually. This isn’t an instructional how-to book, but rather a beautifully illustrated primer on birdwatching and bird art.

A video flip-through:

Birds of the West was published by Mountaineers Books, the same publisher I worked with for my second book, Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains. When I was considering working with them, I ordered a few of their books to check out their quality. I was blown away by this one!

I’m especially a fan of Molly’s bold block-print work. She first carves the design into a block, then prints it with thick black, oil-based ink. After that dries, she layers a colorful watercolor wash on top. I’m eager to try this technique!

I love a book with an atypical structure and an intersection of several different topics. This book falls into that category, merging art technique, natural history, and poetry into one cohesive package.

Two depictions of Anna’s hummingbird, rendered in block print and watercolor.

The book is broken up into seven different birdy habitats, from Backyard & City to Alpine & Tundra. As we journey throughout each landscape, we encounter new birds through the lens of Molly’s artwork and personal descriptions. You won’t find generic field guide descriptions here, but rather intimate accounts of observations she’s made throughout her life.

Molly sometimes shows us side-by-side versions of the same bird—painted from the same reference photo—translated into two different artistic mediums, like block printing and watercolor (above). She’s a great example of an artist who enjoys many mediums and doesn’t try to make all of her art look totally cohesive. I really appreciate that quality and would like to emulate that in my own work.

An example of a spread about bird anatomy—this time focused on feathers and wings.

Molly also takes time to zoom in on topics like feather shape and structure, wing anatomy, nest types, and egg variations, providing helpful tips for drawing and painting each subject. Side note: I would LOVE a Birds of the East edition to see how she would represent some of the birds in my region!

An example of a spread about art technique. This one covers block printing and carving tools.

So many great ones, so hard to choose! Here are a few of my favorites.

California quail, block print.

Burrowing owl, watercolor.

Great egret, block print.

American robin, block print.

Thanks for following along for edition #6 of the Nature Art Book Club! As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the book in the comments below.

Stay creative out there!

-Rosalie