The Bird King: An Artist's Notebook

It's great to be able to catch a glimpse of an artist's creative process and this collection of ditties from Mr Tan's own sketch books and musings offers such an opportunity. Physically it is a lovely and compact book chock full of full bleed color illustrations that should help inspire your own creative endeavors. Buy it if your an artist who journals or simply someone who appreciates an inside look into an artist's mind. If you're already a fan of Mr. Tan's work then you will particularly love this piece. This would make a great gift to a budding creative as well. Finally, if you like Danny Gregory's inspirational sketch journals you'll love this offering too. I should know, I'm an artist who does her own sketch a day! I'm a regular creative journaler myself (look up "400 Mornings" to see a book of 400+ of my own musings). I LOVE this kind of thing!

I love Shaun Tan's work. I'm an adult and now own 4 of his books: The Arrival, Lost & Found, tales from outer suburbia and The Bird King. Shaun Tan's artwork is so dreamy and creative. His books are printed on high quality paper, which I appreciate. When I begin to look at one of his books, I know I will be taken on a wonderful journey and he never disappoints. I see in some of the reviews, there are those who purchase the books for children. Some of them are too complex for a small child, so I'm thinking perhaps he's not necessarily drawing for only children? I can't say enough about The Bird King - it's a book with only drawings and sketches and they are incredible.

Shaun Tan is one of my all time favorite artists/authors currently working today. "The Arrival" remains one of the top books I give to new graphic novel readers. This book doesn't share a complete story like Shaun's other works, instead it gives the reader insight into how he creates his works and what some of his inner thoughts are. It gives us a chance to see the stories from their bare beginnings, mere sketches and doodles beginning on the page that grow into something more wonderful as it progresses. This book is a gem and a must have for any fan of Shaun Tan.

Anything Shaun Tan does is intriguing, vitally different and with touches of genius is so many directions. Since his thinking and drawings may not be to the liking of some, that ‘some’ may be disappointed. But because his drawings are so delightful and unique, that’s doubtful!

Never disappointing, you'll love the book whether you are an anime fan or an art fan, or a fantasy fan. Beware, however, that the same book with the same title and author but different cover is also on sale elsewhere. I love Shaun Tan, so I gave the other to someone else as a present, but I was left to wish Shaun Tan had made two books.

This is a book full of concepts, rough-drafts and interesting ideas. There are "sneak-peeks" that can be recognized in Shaun Tan's other published works and definitely in his most recent publication. :) This item is a must have for all fans and especially aspiring artists interested in the work-in-progresses of this amazing artist.

Curious about what goes into the pages of an artist’s notebook? I was. I was curious enough to buy this little book with snippets from Tan’s pre-publication scribbles in his sketchbook. And it was worth the price to see the cleverness and amazing-ness of these rough draft drawings.

It’s an inspiration for my art