[Drawing] Can somone recommend a 'how to draw' book?
- Thread starter Grapeshot
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Krail Stromquism
First Post
http://www.draw123.com/
hell yeah.
think what you may, naysayers. but this stuff is really the poop!
I watched the how to draw animals and its the same basic concept, it makes things really simple. This is one of the guys Justin Sweet swears by, and alot of other pros do as well. If your in Cali try to get to a class he teaches.
now these arent exactly books for drawing but they may help you draw.
Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland. sets you up for doing great stuff and just doing it. If your ever in a slump or feel unmotivated, start reading this book!
The other is WAY more self helpish, but if your in a slump or lack confidence in your art or anything else than this book will help.
Dreams into Action by Milton Katselas, I laugh every time I read that cause its so corny but its really good at motivating you. My sister took acting lessons at his acting school in LA.
Other advice? Personally I'd page thru LtDtMWAY at a book store and then go find some artists you like and just try and redraw their stuff.
Learning from Masters, that part of any BFA or MFA program.
If your wanting to produce comic style art, then just grab some comics by an artist you like and redraw some panels you like. Thats the best way to keep your interest up. Always enjoy what your doing.
Draw from obseravtion. if that means a still life with bananas or spawn action figures or your cat. do it. Try to make it engaging and fun.
all the books mentioned earlier can be helpful it depends on your style and personality. Check some out at your library and if you like them go out and buy them.
Drawing from the right side of your brain book can be a lot of fun.
heres a guy that rules, check out his how to section. so sweet.
http://www.artbyfeng.com/
good luck,
I expect you to post some sketches soon!
Oh, that reminds me the best art teacher I ever had is named Susan Pelz, shes a good artist but a shrewd business woman. She broke it down like this. Lets say your doing your art what ever it may be and only say 10-25% of it is any good. Even after you practice and are comfortable with waht your producing. YOu only manage to sell 25% of your pieces. Then theres only one thing you can do. Produce four times as much.
So simple and so true. No matter how many books or videos you buy or read or watch, if you dont practice and dont produce it wont matter. It will all be for naught!
So pick up a pen, pencil or sharpened cat and start doing what you can do, and dont stop doing it til somebody makes you.
word up
hell yeah.
think what you may, naysayers. but this stuff is really the poop!
I watched the how to draw animals and its the same basic concept, it makes things really simple. This is one of the guys Justin Sweet swears by, and alot of other pros do as well. If your in Cali try to get to a class he teaches.
now these arent exactly books for drawing but they may help you draw.
Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland. sets you up for doing great stuff and just doing it. If your ever in a slump or feel unmotivated, start reading this book!
The other is WAY more self helpish, but if your in a slump or lack confidence in your art or anything else than this book will help.
Dreams into Action by Milton Katselas, I laugh every time I read that cause its so corny but its really good at motivating you. My sister took acting lessons at his acting school in LA.
Other advice? Personally I'd page thru LtDtMWAY at a book store and then go find some artists you like and just try and redraw their stuff.
Learning from Masters, that part of any BFA or MFA program.
If your wanting to produce comic style art, then just grab some comics by an artist you like and redraw some panels you like. Thats the best way to keep your interest up. Always enjoy what your doing.
Draw from obseravtion. if that means a still life with bananas or spawn action figures or your cat. do it. Try to make it engaging and fun.
all the books mentioned earlier can be helpful it depends on your style and personality. Check some out at your library and if you like them go out and buy them.
Drawing from the right side of your brain book can be a lot of fun.
heres a guy that rules, check out his how to section. so sweet.
http://www.artbyfeng.com/
good luck,
I expect you to post some sketches soon!
Oh, that reminds me the best art teacher I ever had is named Susan Pelz, shes a good artist but a shrewd business woman. She broke it down like this. Lets say your doing your art what ever it may be and only say 10-25% of it is any good. Even after you practice and are comfortable with waht your producing. YOu only manage to sell 25% of your pieces. Then theres only one thing you can do. Produce four times as much.
So simple and so true. No matter how many books or videos you buy or read or watch, if you dont practice and dont produce it wont matter. It will all be for naught!
So pick up a pen, pencil or sharpened cat and start doing what you can do, and dont stop doing it til somebody makes you.
word up
Last edited:
tetsujin28
First Post
I will second Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I still have my copy that I purchased in high school in '81.
RangerWickett
Legend
Really, though, the best way to learn how to draw is to do tons and tons and tons and tons and tons and tons and tons of life drawing, doing boring illustrations of boring objects and boring people so you can learn how to draw things the real way.
Every tenth picture can be something you make up, but the other nine need to be life drawing. Books can help with the basics, but experience and practice are what you need if you really want to be good.
If you're just casually drawing for fun, though, skip the life drawing, and go for drawing whatever you want. Just remember, though, you don't have to copy the style that is necessarily common. Draw the way you like.
Every tenth picture can be something you make up, but the other nine need to be life drawing. Books can help with the basics, but experience and practice are what you need if you really want to be good.
If you're just casually drawing for fun, though, skip the life drawing, and go for drawing whatever you want. Just remember, though, you don't have to copy the style that is necessarily common. Draw the way you like.
RangerWickett said:
I agree books are good for the basics and that it is drawing all the time from life is what is going to make a sound artist. I would also recommend finding a good instructor with strong drawing skills and will actually demo for the students (seeing a skilled artist actually draw makes you realize there is a process (although this may vary) and seeing an instance where the artist makes a mistake makes you realize that not every drawing is going to be perfect the first time).
Tracing is also a good tool. If done right it is an excellent learning and development tool. Furthermore, a lot of illustration is done via tracing or projection of various elements of photographs. Wally Wood used to say don't draw what you can copy, don't copy what you can trace and don't trace what you xerox.
alsih2o
First Post
Castellan said:
this is an amazing book. i firmly believe most books of the type are horrid, and offer little to no useful instruction, unless you just want to copy what someone else has done.
"drawing from the right side of the brain" is completely different.
it EXPLAINS drawing, and does a marvelous job. i highly reccomend it.
MeepoTheMighty
First Post
MadScientist
First Post
I said consonant vees!! 
tetsujin28
First Post
Consumate vees!
Last edited:
hellbender
First Post
I will also chip in with another Betty Edwards book, ' Drawing on the Artist Within'. Another great book on drawing and seing things from another perspective. I still have my copy from high school and it was a real help, I still refer to it at times for inspiration. You may also find 'Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters'. And the Chris Hart books are handy as well. Just remember, once you get human anatomy down, you can draw pretty much anything.
hellbender
hellbender
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