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"I think Hitler was a beginner compared to the comic-book industry!"

The book every beginner should read first

The text is straightforward. The exercises are simple. And the book builds your skills from the ground up. You start by learning to draw a straight line freehand and finish drawing compositions and portraits.

This book won't make you an artist. But, I don't know how I could ever become one without these skills.

Click here to see more reviews for: How to Draw What You See (Practical Art Books)

For Anyone Who Thought They Couldn't Draw

The best strengths of the book are the sections that actually teach techniques and tricks that break down how to see and draw. For a rank beginner who has never tried drawing before this getting down to the nitty-gritty is essential to get them headed in the right direction. Before Ms. Edward's book there were few art books (none,in fact, to my knowledge) that gave such low-level basic instruction in such a clear, concise manner. Now many of the techniques she teaches have actually been in use by artists for centuries - witness for example, the grid and the picture plane as teaching tools and concepts. She gives a nitty-gritty explanation of sighting techniques that have been used by artists since at least the Rennaissance and possibly earlier. The reason so many people have given this book 5 stars is that this was one of the first drawing books to realize simply telling someone to compare object 'a' to object 'b' and draw each in proper proportion to the other is not detailed enough. It's the case of an expert forgetting what it's like to be an absolute beginner. This book does not make such statements. Instead you get very detailed diagrams and analysis of exactly how you "compare 'a' to 'b' " and draw accordingly. So the book is full of "assignments". Each chapter introduces more techniques, continues giving nitty-gritty instructions on use of classical methods of drawing to build your skills. Essentially these techniques are drawn upon by anyone who draws in a realistic manner.

Once the reader has spent a lot of practice and time drawing objects around them using these sighting techniques Ms. Edwards shows how to use them for portraiture. I personally think it was good decision. Portraiture is widely (and rightly) perceived as being a difficult thing to do. But everyone who begins a portrait uses exactly the same techniques introduced earlier in the book. The methods are exactly the same no matter what the subject. She just gives again a blow-by-blow, nitty-gritty account of using those techniques to draw someone's portrait and do so believably. Now whether the before portraits had more charm than the after portraits (as one reviewer said) can be debated. I don't think this book is concerned with such higher aims - at least not for someone who has been faithfully following the instructions so far. You have to walk before you can run.

Now as far as the drawing assignments in the book I have a mixed opinion. On the one hand, this latest edition relies a lot more on aids such as 2 different sizes of plastic viewing planes, L-shaped frame borders, etc for the assigments. She offers a kit on her website and through mail-order in the back of the book if you would rather not construct your own drawing aids and tools. The first edition of the book didn't depend nearly so much on all these many aids and still helped many people learn to draw. I rather prefer the older methods but it may be that her workshop experience has taught her that people have more success when they start out with these mechanical sighting aids. And as she mentions in the book eventually you can put them aside because you'll have in-grained the habit of seeing as an artist sees.

I would also like to comment about the constant R-L Brain theories that pepper this book and have so many reviewers split. In my opinion the book would be just as good without any references whatsoever to R-L Brain theories. And I do say theories because technically they still are. That's why Ms. Edwards mentions in the book that some scientists have grumped about her writing about something she doesn't have research experience in. Current research on brain lateralization is ambiguous at best. Some experiments suggest strong lateralization, some suggest it's weak and malleable, and some suggest lateralization doesn't really exist at all. The field of brain research is still quite a young science so the jury is still out on whether there truly is such a thing as a R-Mode or L-Mode dominant brain state for various tasks. There are a lot of good books and articles published every year on brain research. Maybe Ms. Edwards book will encourage more people to read such books for themselves.

Finally, I would like to mention one final thing. Anyone who enjoys this book should by all means get Mona Brookes "Drawing for Older Children and Teens: A Creative Method for Adult Beginners Too". I can not stress this strongly enough. The Mona Brookes book is a 5 star-book and deserves to be far better known than it is. It is DEFINITELY the equal of Drawing on the Right-Side of the Brain. If you want to learn to draw and do so with a much greater focus on your own personal creativity - do yourself a favor - get the Mona Brookes book too. You won't regret it.

Click here to see more reviews for: The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

The best how-to book on drawing -- bar none

Then I happened across Dodson's book and everything changed. He doesn't spend the whole first chapter describing the tools you need. He doesn't launch into a zen discussion of the "is-ness" of art or play amateur psychologist. He just tells you to sit down, cross your legs, and draw your feet -- and he explains, in very simple terms, just how to go through the process. Look, hold, draw. Look, hold, draw. And it works, it really does. I'm sure all this is old hat to you artists out there, but Dodson is exactly the sort of teacher I've been looking for all these years! There are about fifty exercises on methods and techniques throughout the book and I'm taking my time with them. After three months, I'm about a quarter of way through the book, and my sketch book is looking pretty good. I've learned to restate rather than erase, and I'm getting along just fine with two pencils (HB and 4B) and a Micron pen. I cannot recommend Dodson's methods too highly to anyone who, like me, just wants to learn to draw!

Click here to see more reviews for: Keys to Drawing

A must for the lost

Very good but for child serious about drawing

Outstanding - Every Step of the way!

A Portable Classroom

Art like a land mine