Books on drawing

Having previously stated that I neither buy nor know much about art books, or go crazy for equipment, I have recently succumbed. The reason may be down to the Art Bootcamp I've been involved in for February.

It goes like this:

• I get inspired by lots of great art from fellow participants in the bootcamp
• Realising that the longer timescales of my main art isn't in the spirit of daily creations I decided that drawing was a better option. 
• I think my draughtsmanship is fairly good, but I'm aware that some aspects of my drawing definitely could improve (don't we all?), so I thought I should look again at which books might help. 

First off:

Compendium of Drawing Techniques: 200 Tips and Techniques for Drawing the Easy Way

This one had glowing reviews on Amazon and I can see why in a way. The price is fair, the illustrations are wonderful and inspiring. It's up to date and the text (not too much) is helpful and written in a nice tone.

There were some nice tips and I learnt a few new tricks, but I doubt I'll be using it that much. If I was starting out, or curious about techniques, materials and ideas, this would be a great book. An important problem for me is that it's a thinnish paperback and tightly bound which makes it awkward to hold open.

I should've known really as I've seen similar books and for me they are a bit like a shopping catalogue: lots of pretty stuff to buy and tempt, materials to check and a bewildering array of things one can do. Admittedly, this book is definitely one of the best of this type of book at this level

Ultimately, not for me and maybe a waste of money.

Second one:

Lessons in Classical Drawing 

Lessons in Classical Drawing by Juliette Aristides

Again, well reviewed on Amazon and I sensed it was loved more by professional and established artists. Thankfully, this is a well bound hardback with an accompanying DVD - which I haven't had a chance to watch yet.

I wondered whether it would be a bit stuffy and full of "mausoleum" images devoid of life and colour and passion i.e. very classically orientated. Well there are images like that, but not too many. This book suits me much more. She is very much about the principles underlying drawing and that is going much deeper than the more superficial prettiness of the other book. She writes wonderfully well and every page seems to have text that inspires, provokes thought and can help one to progress. I immediately produced a drawing inspired by the book.

Although this book is aimed at the more advanced student and professional looking to refresh and train, I really feel it would still work for someone starting out because of this emphasis on the process and principles; even if you aren't ready to draw like these illustrations, and let's face it, in some instances, who is, you will have the foundations and understanding in place to take your drawing to the highest levels.

A superb book and one that's definitely a keeper. Here's a couple of quotes from her book that gives an idea of her ethos and writing style:

"Rising artists are frequently expected to tap their knowledge directly from the ether, disconnected from history and labor. However, when the instincts of the individual are elevated above education, the artist can become stuck in a perpetual adolescence where passion outstrips his ability to perform."

"Once a student knows how to draw, lack of skill will not hinder the development of personal vision. We can learn from the past not by blindly adopting historical methodology but by interpreting it and adapting it for our own needs,"

"A figure drawing needs to be more than just technically proficient; it must have a strong gesture or expression that contains life and feeling of purpose. When this challenge is handled by a master, the result can be sublime. For many, there is nothing more rewarding to see than a compelling representation of the human figure. Neither is there anything more difficult to accomplish."

"Unlike a cake, which has a recipe that, if followed correctly, will produce a consistently good dessert, a drawing has too many variables to predict any one outcome... unfortunately, there is no quick trick that will enable the student to avoid traveling the long road necessary to becoming a well-trained artist"

I'll discuss my new pencils in a later blog.