Vic Bearcroft has been named Winner of the Endangered Species category in the BBC WILDLIFE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2012 competition for his painting of 'Makaku' which is featured in this book. "The main topics are cats, ungulates, bears, pachyderms and apes, as good a division as any and one which separates out quite different builds that have different requirements and approaches, to which Vic gives proper attention."  — The Artist (August 2012) "Vic is a master of his craft, but also a good and generous teacher and the book is full of helpful information that makes it one of the best guides to the subject that I've seen in a long time." — Paint magazine (September 2012) Vic Bearcroft is a professional wildlife and pet portrait artist who specializes in pastel on velour but also works in pencil, watercolor, colored pencil, charcoal, and acrylic media. He works with a large number of animal welfare and conservation organizations worldwide, donating prints, merchandise, and funds.