4.17

5

Feb 06, 2016

I haven't drawn since I was in elementary school but now I can actually draw things. This is a great book if you're an absolute beginner and are motivated to learn how to draw (ie you're willing to put in some time and effort). If you read a chapter or 2 and put it down for a month and don't draw anything over that time, nope you're not gonna get any better at drawing. But if you keep at it and go at a comfortable pace that's good for you, you'll get better.

I read the first 4 chapters, which I haven't drawn since I was in elementary school but now I can actually draw things. This is a great book if you're an absolute beginner and are motivated to learn how to draw (ie you're willing to put in some time and effort). If you read a chapter or 2 and put it down for a month and don't draw anything over that time, nope you're not gonna get any better at drawing. But if you keep at it and go at a comfortable pace that's good for you, you'll get better.

I read the first 4 chapters, which give you an good base of skills, and you can start picking and choosing where you want to go from there. You don't want to learn how to do portraits right now? Not a problem, skip that chapter.

The downside it that, as with all endeavors of this sort, you're doing it on your own so you don't have an instructor to give you personalized feedback. The upside is that instead of following an art course's syllabus or agenda, you're going at your own pace so it's entirely up to you what areas you want to work on and what areas you want to skip. ...more

0

Dec 01, 2008

I have learned to draw a stick figure owl. This book might be amazing.

5

Oct 22, 2016

The *perfect* book for the grown up who wants to learn how to draw, or for the pro who's been in a rut and needs to refresh the basics (exhibit A, represent!).

From a more meta level, the use of other student drawings is a novel touch for a how-to book, and does help in bring out the specific benefits of the workshop model of learning.

Best quote:

"Approach drawing as a magical activity to do, to learn, and to see- profound, mysterious, and gratifying".

5

Apr 30, 2015

I can actually draw now--a little bit--thanks to this book. I know I would be able to draw much better if I gave it some time and effort. I would have thought such a thing impossible before I opened this book. The author taught me how to stop and look at what is really there in front of me, not simply to rely on my ingrained symbolic representations of things.

2

Apr 19, 2013

Starts off strong, and then I always get overwhelmed at some point. This time around (my third or so with this book), it was later than others, but still in chapter 3 or so. I don't know what it is, but I guess this just isn't the book for me.

4

Oct 12, 2016

Для совсем начинающих. Но и продолжающим тоже будет интересно. Самая интересная глава про поиск авторского стиля. И про исправление ошибок. Все чётко и по делу.