Product Description
"Drawing from Within" is an introductory guide for those wanting to explore the use of art with clients with eating disorders. Art therapy is a particularly effective therapeutic intervention for this group, as it allows them to express uncomfortable thoughts and feelings through artistic media rather than having to explain them verbally. Lisa D. Hinz outlines the areas around which the therapist can design effective treatment programmes, covering family influences, body image, self-acceptance, problem solving and spirituality. Each area is discussed in a separate chapter and is accompanied by suggestions for exercises, with advice on materials to use and how to implement them. Case examples show how a therapy programme can be tailored to the individual client and photographs of client artwork illustrate the text throughout. Practical and accessible to practitioners at all levels of experience, this book gives new hope to therapists and other mental health professionals who want to explore the potential of using art with clients with eating disorders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

structure the freedom!
this is a very thoughtfully organised and informative book. It covers important topics of the eating disorders in an developmental way: the past, present and future of the patient's history, as well as the developing stages of the therapy. It offers an introduction to each theme and suggests art directives (about 60 in total) as well as discusses possible themes that might appear in therapy. There is a clear emphasis on a specific structure- throughout the book chapters- which is also suggested in the process of therapy. I was a bit uncomfortable with the suggestion of using merely size A3 sheets of paper as it is not explained whether there is a reason to give specific size boundaries for the specific patients (apart from making a nice portfolio of the work at the end of therapy). The 28 figures in the book are very informative.I wish there were a few more. The bibliography is excellent.

It's the hands-on application of theory to results which makes DRAWING FROM WITHIN so essential
Drawing from Within: Using Art to Treat Eating Disorders is a fine reference for practitioner who wish to explore the therapeutic use of art with clients with eating disorders. Art therapy has been successfully used as intervention with this client group: chapters cover themes which can embrace programs, offering suggestions for creating and implementing exercises and translating results to therapy. It's the hands-on application of theory to results which makes DRAWING FROM WITHIN so essential for any working with clients with eating disorders - and for college-level libraries strong in psychology. ... Read more

Product Description
Verdant fairy forests. Whispering mountains. The fallen towers of ancient kings. Spirit-filled lakes. The distant strains of elven bards. For over thirty years, the fantasy art of Charles Vess has been acclaimed worldwide, his rich palette, striking compositions, and lavish detail second-to-none in the field. Vess has been the illustrator of choice for countless publishers and writers, and is perhaps best known for his collaborations with bestselling author Neil Gaiman, including the illustrated novel Stardust, whose major motion-picture adaptation from Paramount Pictures launched in Summer 2007. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

One of the Most unique Artists
Charles Vess has been one of the preeminent American fantasy artists for over thirty years.In this new collection from Dark Horse, four decades of Vess' whimsical fantasy and comic book are on display in a handsome, hardcover volume.This includes some of Vess' most early work from the 1970s which has never been previously published.To me, Vess is the consummate fantasy artist.His work has an eldritch and lyrical quality to it that seems to come naturally.His illustrations of the Fairie Realm are the standard by which all other artists should be judged.Yet it is his comic book work that Vess has perhaps found his greatest success.

Included within are some of his best-known cover work including Web of Spider-Man #1 with its gothic setting of Spider-Man perched atop a pair of gargoyles; his many covers for DC's Swamp Thing and The Spectre, and his work with Neil Gaiman on The Books of Magic.Also included are examples of Vess' work for novels, gaming products, children's books, theater posters and albums.His Theater Bristol illustrations especially are gorgeous and capture the look and feel of earth 20th century American folk art.

Vess provides a commentary on many of the pieces inside and each illustration is noted with title, year, and art form used. This is an astonishing edition devoted to a true master of fantasy.

Drawing Down the Moon
This is a large (9.25" x 12.25") 200 page hard back book. Every page has beautiful examples of Charles Vess' artwork, often the full size of the page. The artwork includes both his color and ink work. Vess has included some narration of his career history and insights into some of the pieces. Chapters are separated by heavy vellum pages.

A book to treasure.
A beautifully designed retrospective of Charles Vess' 35-year-plus career. From unpublished early and personal work to his latest collaborations with some of the finest fantasy writers working in the field, Vess' style in line and a rich palette of colored inks would be very much at home in the Golden Age of fantastic illustration. His work can be compared to the likes of Dulac, Rackham and Robinson in the late 19th and early 20th c. but he can just as compellingly illustrate today's children's books, comics, mythic fiction and urban fantasy. This book is an absolute treasure; long overdue. Highly recommended.

Gobsmackingly beautiful
I haven't had a chance to read the text yet, but as soon as I pulled it out of the box I sat down and absorbed the pictures on every page.I really like the chapter heading pages with the transparent page before it.The layout is really good and so is the printing quality.It's just a fantastic art book brimming with Vess' beautiful works.Even his Spiderman stuff is pretty.

Magical
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R24LCAKZUY3PVO I like Charles Vess' style. The scenes and images are magical, watercolours are beautiful, and there's a classic feel to his art. He's perfect for illustrating fantasy stories. By the way, he was won three Eisner Awards among others.

Drawing Down the Moon is a well constructed hardcover from Dark Horse. There are 200 pages and a couple are translucent with line art that overlays on the finished coloured piece beneath on the next page. Unfortunately, the overlay is just slightly misaligned, for my copy.

Over two hundred pieces of paintings and comic art are featured, from covers, comics, private commissions and personal pieces, along with them notes from Charle Vess. Creating enchanting backgrounds and fairytale characters is his specialty. So much so that it makes you want to find out more about the story after looking at the pictures.

He has created a whole lot of art for countless publications. The most notable ones are probably the paintings he did for Neil Gaiman's Stardust, which was made into a movie (I love that movie!). A few of the 175 pieces created for Stardust are featured here, not the concept art though. He's able to capture Neil Gaiman's imagination perfectly and make them come real.

The book finishes off with an interesting look at his creation process, how he handles a commissioned project, though there are no pictures of how he actually paints.

This is an inspiring retrospective for Charles Vess. Highly recommended to fantasy artists.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.) ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Using simple shapes, Ed Emberley shows would-be artists how to draw over 400 things, such as an airplane, anteater, submarine, train, kangaroo, gondola, and much much more! This classic book is packed with cool things that kids - and adults too - really want to draw. Easy and fun, the book provides hours of art-full entertainment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Not at all creative
Folks, art is supposed to be fun and creative.The drawings in the book are boring and unimaginative. Really just a bunch of mundane 1980's clipart.

Title Says It All
Ed Emberley is one of the most amazing children's drawing book authors.His simple, yet dynamic and very recognizable illustrations, encourage the most inhibited children to dive in and draw.In my opinion, this book could be used by art instructors in combination with DRAWING WITH CHILDREN, by Mona Brookes, to provide warm-up exercises.They are both very compatible, since they break drawings into lines and shapes as the foundation to drawing.It could also be used by any child interested in learning how to draw and create a world of his/her own independently.

Emberley's Make a World drawing book
The pictures are a bit small, but the variety of things one can draw allow scenes to be drawn. Combining all of the images is fun for the kids to make elaborate drawings.

Fun, Easy, Anyone can do it!
This is a great book for those of us who believe that we can't draw.It's not going to turn you into Rembrandt, but it will show you how to draw little figures for your doodles, artwork, journals, whatever.

Make A World
My son who is an artist commented recently that he wondered what had happened to his childhood Ed Emberly books. Thirty years and many moves later they were no longer around. His birthday was approaching so I ordered this book. He was totally delighted. He related that he credited muchof his early success in drawing from using the step by step forms to create more complex drawings. He also delighted in introducing his nieces to this drawing style. It was a great homecoming and a "pass the torch" moment from one generation to the next. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

An in-depth resource
This book is a great resource.Sometimes I have to read and re-read it to understand what the author is talking about.But it's a great, robust resource on perspective.It was recommended by my art teacher and I've been pleased with it.

Perspective Drawing Handbook
Detailed Perspective drawing instruction book.
A great thing for the Professional, but a difficult
Hell for the Amateur who is trying to get a grip on
the problem. It looks more like a Blueprint than
anything else. I am saying that this looks so
professional drawn for professionals that an
amateur will have problems trying to handle the
drawing. I cannot recommend this for an amateur.
Only for another professional who already knows
what he is doing. It is, a complicated book.----
Luisa Felix, FelixHoboken@aol.com

I really improved a drawing using techniques from this book
I was trying to draw a picture of a building with an extended cover over the driveway from a kind of different point of view and this book really helped me out.Good, understandable info on perspective drawing.

Just plain wrong
Please don't buy this inaccurate text. It has at least one major flaw. The author incorrectly claims that the horizon is always at eye level. It's easy to see that's false. Walk into the Grand Canyon and you'll notice that the horizon is well above eye level.

Excellent!... It's my #1 choice in my Top 3 perspective books...
This is currently my favorite perspective book! My Top 3 being: Perspective Drawing Handbook; Perspective Made Easy; and then Perspective! for Comic Book Artists. Perspective Drawing Handbook is my favorite because it's clear, concise, slim & to the point. It's very enlightening! In my opinion, Joseph D' Amelio was a genius in his understanding of perspective & his ability to communicate this to others. Because this book is so slim, clear & reasonably priced, I would highly recommend this to anyone & *everyone* interested in learning about perspective-based drawing. Even if it doesn't become your favorite overall, it's certainly worth having in your collection, as perspective is such a difficult topic that it's really best to buy a number of books. And if you're going to buy a number of books, it would help to know which are the *best* while at the same time being reasonably priced. This is at the top of my list! Three-point perspective *is* covered here, although he mostly avoids this term and instead calls this "looking up & down". It's simplistic in its approach, but that's what great teachers are about: taking difficult concepts & making them easy to understand. The writing can be a little stiff, but this book relies mostly on visuals, which is exactly what I prefer! There really aren't that many words here, especially when compared to another book I recently bought: Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators. If you think Perspective Drawing Handbook is a bit too wordy, than you'd definitely want to stay away from Creative Perspective! Perspective Drawing Handbook: my highest recommendation! ... Read more

Product Description
In a series of step-by-step demonstrations and illustrations, the author shows how to create the look of metal, wood, hair and other remarkably realistic textures. The book will appeal to both doodlers and more advanced pencil artists.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

If you hate still life, don't buy this book
I was hoping I had happened upon another book that would be a decent supplement to Bert Dodson's "Keys to Drawing", which is wonderful.

I'm sure that eventually I will find some good techniques in here that I'll be able to apply to things I like to draw.This book only gives you FOUR -- only FOUR -- examples to work on, and every single one is a still life example.

I hate still lifes.I've never drawn one, never painted one, and I don't particularly like to LOOK at them regardless of what important artist portrayed one -- well, I have to admit that I like Van Gogh's still life paintings, but they're almost always flowers, and I like doing flowers.

It will take a long time before I pick this book up and go through it again after giving it my first look-see after the book arrived.Had I realized I was buying a book full of still life drawing examples, I wouldn't have purchased it.

I also wish that Amazon would list the PUBLISHER along with its pre-click "go to" option, because there are publishers of "art" books that I do not like and will not buy.

Maybe I'll page through this book again when I'm buried in the house in the middle of a winter blizzard, and hope I'll find some nuggets of information that I need to know.

But this guy can't hold a candle to Bert Dodson's "Keys to Drawing", which I highly recommend to anyone who wants relevant, varied, interesting drawing methods.THAT book I absolutely love.

This one -- I could have picked up another tube of Titanium White and made a better investment.

Great business!
Great Business!

The item works well and was in brand NEW condition. Thank you!

High quality and advanced techniues
A very good book from an author that is very good at what he does. Very focused on study cases of a few specific complex textures. Everythign well explained. Only non perfect part would be, lack ofhints/observations for people that desire to use graphite ONLY or charcoal only, as most of the book is laid aroundthe combines usage of Wolf Carbons (hard to find in some countries), Graphite and charcoal combined.

One of the best reference books for pencil artists1
I have purchased many books that I had hoped would help better my skills as an artist.I found this book to be the best that I have ever purchased.The amount of detail that the author-artist demonstrates was an excellent fit for me.I have a passion for detail in my work and few published works have been able to satisfy my need to improve that aspect of my avocation.J. D. Hillberry is a true artist/craftsman and works magic with the pencil.

I highly recommend this book for beginners to the advanced artist.It should be on every bookshelf of every artist, established or newcomer.

Brilliant!

AP

Inspiring and practical
I come from an artistic family (mother a watercolorist, grandmother a sculptor, sister a painter) and I've been a professional photographer for 25 years. So I am inspired by images and the skills that produce them. Having dabbled in pencil drawing for years (with only mediocre results) I came across this book and got really fired up. Imagine, pencils and paper; and that's it. Nothing could be simpler---or more complex. Mr. Hillbery opened my eyes to the incredible possibilities locked up in the most basic artistic tools. Now, after being led along by this wonderful book, I have found yet another creative outlet to fall in love with. And it's been profitable too, as I'm now able to add "professional illustrator" to my resume. Get this book and dive into it. It will lead you on an amazing adventure. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Fast Service
FAST AND REPUTABLE SERVICE.THE BOOK WAS EVERYTHING THAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Contemporary art not much drawing
Art is in a very sad state when photography is considered drawing. The book should have been labeled works on paper not drawing. Also, the art is not very interesting. ... Read more

Product Description
A handbook of step-by-step instructions, advice and tips on how to draw animals ranging from parrots to polar bears, using all sorts of pens, pastels, paints and pencils. It includes details of selected Web sites which contain more information on materials, famous artists and techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Inspiring to young artists
My five year old daughter loves the step by step instructions and takes great pride in being able to draw the different animals in the book.I appreciate that it shows how to draw with various media.We have alot of fun doing art time with this book! ... Read more

Product Description
This is a breathtaking new practical art course that completely demystifies the drawing and sketching techniques of master fantasy artist John Howe. Learn the basics of drawing as John reveals the secrets behind choosing the best materials and the correct methods for holding and using pencils. Presented as a practical art course, the book progresses from basic linear and energy drawing to more advanced drawing and colouring techniques - ideal for both aspiring and experienced artists. Noble warriors and mystical elves stand side-by-side with savage orcs, dragons and other iconic fantasy characters in this highly practical, must-have guide for all aspiring and improving fantasy artists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

John Howe Fantasy Drawing Workshop: A Drawing Course in 10 Step-by-Step Projects
In the nature of "fairness" and "disclosure," I really like John Howe and his work, and because my opinion of him and his book is somewhat biased, I simply can't be impartial; but I didn't purchase it as a "Fanboy Art of," and if that's what you're looking for from it, look elsewhere because its title clearly states its purpose, "John Howe Fantasy Drawing Workshop: A Drawing Course In 10 Step-By-Step Projects. I purchased this book after I read the inside cover flap, which has John Howe's purpose statement for his writing it:

`Drawing allows you to move between two worlds, the physical and the imagined, with fantasy subjects as your stepping stones. I confess to being a serial sketcher. Without sketching, sketching and more sketching, I would not be able to create the work that I do.

`This book has been created in the hope of closing the gap between those who draw and paint professionally and those for whom it is an aspiration but perhaps not a reality... or not just yet.

`But will this book teach you to draw ten fantasy characters? Possibly, even probably, but I hope it will do much more than that. I hope simply that it will help you unlock the freedom of hand and eye that can lead you further; because with that freedom, there will not just be ten, or even ten times ten, but infinite themes and ideas that appear at the tip of your pencil.'

To me this is not a "beginner-how-to," although it would certainly do better that most if you're new to drawing/sketching; it's more for "advanced beginners" through to "professional artists" who are interested in improving their entire "drawing process." After a brief overview of sketching versus drawing ("What really differentiates drawing and sketching, then, is not so much technique as intent"), the "student" is introduced to drawing materials and techniques. Personally, I think any artist of any level can improve or refine their techniques when they study how other artists (especially accomplished artists) use their respective tools, even for such seemingly basic things as sharpening a pencil and its usage, and here John Howe does a fine job.

Notwithstanding the other outstanding elements of this book, to me its true value remains with the clearly illustrated "step-by-step" project approach that John Howe uses to teach his drawing process. You'll be familiar with it if you've ever followed and possibly completed a project through any of the more useful "how-to" special interest magazines (automotive, crochet, etc) that use large clear pictures accompanied by minimal, non-invasive, concise text where necessary and not the inverse (large blocks of text that often incongruently refer to some tiny blurry figure, picture, or graph on a separate page). In lieu of attending an actual John Howe workshop or viewing an over-the-artist's-shoulder instructional DVD, this book functions quite well as a "next best thing."

Sketches only, and some average figures
I'm a big fan of John Howe, as far as Fantasy artists go I think his work is unrivalled. Even people who think they are very gifted at drawing, pencilling, painting have to admit when coming across his work that he is a giant in the field. His sense of atmosphere and nuance is pitch perfect. And I can't draw anything decent myself which only serves to increase admiration.

Having said that, I don't like this one as much as "John Howe Fantasy art", which was published in 2007. This one is clearly more of how-to draw than the other one, but John Fantasy art" ( this one can be distinguished because it is called John Howe Fantasy Drawing workshop) is much prettier because it includes colour. That one has lovely paintings as well as sketch work, but it also shows the complete picture, fully coloured. This new book doesn't do that, it shows you step by step what he does ( as if you could actually draw like that even if told flat out how it works, which is not Howe's fault of course), but it is only sketches, and that disappointed me. In addition, some of the figures just don't seem right to me. Howe's Dragons have never worked for me, nor has his Balrog, and both are featured here, as well an Orc that seems more like a knight, a feminine looking Lancelot and a downright poor final sketch of Thor and a Giant (I've seen that one done much better by the recent Marvel comic artists). The only one I really like is his Merlin, which looks excellent, and I'd love to see Howe colour that one and finish it. Would love that on my wall.

Conclusion: more of a how-to book than "John Howe Fantasy art" but certainly not as beautiful to look at as that one is. Coincidentally I also just bought "Lost Worlds" which John Howe just released, a 96 page hardcover in which he provides the paintings for lost worlds of our mythology as well as real world history, and does the text. This is all in colour and very beautifully done. ... Read more

Product Description
outstanding studies, including sketches for David, Sistine Ceiling, Last Judgment, etc. Nudes, figure studies, children, animals, mythical and religious works, more. New volume in Dover Art Library affords insight into mastery of proportion, anatomy, perspective, shading, contrast. Essential for artists, museum-goers.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great for the price!!
This is a thin book with nothing but drawings(46 it says, I only count 43?? but thats ok), no words. Some drawings aren't anything special but there are some great drawings from some of his popular works and gives a hint to his creative process and the changes he made, which I enjoy seeing. For what this book cost (I paid a dollar or two for a used copy), it is totally worth it. Who better to learn from than the master.

Just like the title
This book is filled with Michelangelo life drawings, just like the title says.It delivers what it promises at a good value.

okay, not great
The images are not the highest quality, but if your goal is to get a taste, maybe to have something to copy to learn the style, this book will do fine, and it is not terribly expensive.

useless
What is the point of buying having the book when you can't even see it.The print quality of this book is so poor.The images are either too dark or just can't see at all.

Inexpensive renderings of classic drawings.
A good buy for any student of art or anatomy. ... Read more

Product Description
Using simple shapes, Ed Emberley shows would-be artists how to draw a variety of fun and wacky faces. This classic book is packed with fun things that kids - and adults too - really want to draw. Easy and fun, the book provides hours of art-full entertainment ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Great fun!
This book is full of clever and fun ideas!Instructions are simple, clear and easy to follow.

I bought this to use with my toddler and pre-schooler but I think it would be much better for a slightly more 'experienced' crafting age bracket...there are tons of neat ideas and sooooo much potential for fun :)I will be keeping this in my library and enjoying for a loooong time to come!

This book is for everyone!
My kids looooove this book!I loooove this book!I wanted to encourage my kids to draw more so I bought this book.The book teaches simple line drawings that my 5 & 6 year old can do.I even find myself sitting with them and drawing things from the book as well.We love it!

Excellent Book
This book has opened up a whole new world for my 8 year old.She loves to draw and after just a few minutes with this book she was delighted at all the new things she was learning.Thank you for sharing your gift with the world Ed Emberley.

TURN THE TV OFF!!!!!
Need to do some housework?Homework?Give your child this book and some paper and pencils.This book will keep your childs attention for hours!!!

6 year old loves this book
This book teaches kids how to draw simple faces. The steps are easy to follow. My 6 year old has gained artistic confidence and has begun to make her own unique faces using the ideas she first learned from the book. ... Read more

Product Description

“Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw with some degree of proficiency,” Bert Dodson proclaims.

In this book he shares a complete drawing system that you can use for any subject or type of drawing-even if you doubt your ability to draw. It’s based on fifty-five “keys to drawing,” which are introduced at a comfortable pace. The keys are interspersed with dozens of practice exercises that help you learn by doing.

You’ll learn how to:

• Restate, focus, map and intensify.
• Free your hand action, and then learn to control it.
• Convey the illusions of light, depth and texture.
• Stimulate your imagination through “creative play”

Customer Reviews (46)

Thank you vey much
The book arrive on time for my first day of class. I cant thank you enough

I love this book!
I've got a fair pile of art books stashed around my home, and Bert Dodson's "Keys to Drawing" jumped to the top of the pile almost instantly once I'd opened the Amazon shipping box and I'd had chance to flip through a few pages.

Dodson doesn't bog you down with learning how to hold a pencil or asking you to draw lines and circles you are later told to erase.He has respect for his readers, and it shows.

It also bounces right back to him; Dodson has the amazing ability to make what looks impossibly difficult, possible.Right at the beginning, you start drawing SOMETHING, and that approach continues throughout the book.He shows you the importance of line and shading by asking you to draw what initially seemed to me to be way beyond my capabilities -- but once I simply followed his instructions [I expect he'd call them "suggestions"}, I suddenly discovered that I'd drawn something that has line and shading and the beginning of a personal style.That,in turn,creates in his readers instant feelings of capability in an area where you may earlier have fallen flat on your face.[Yes, I know that's an awkward sentence, but you get the idea.]

I started tinkering with the book last week [Tuesday, 6/2/10 to be precise] and by Friday Dodson had me emulating Van Gogh -- and I was 1) doing a very decent job of it, and 2) I realized that in just DAYS he'd taught me to do things that had flummoxed me for years.

The only area where I continue to be flummoxed is his system of determining perspective.I doubt that this is a difficulty he created in the way he suggests one determine perspective; I think that in this particular area we simply think in different ways.Which, in the end, turns out to be a good thing, because I realize that already, he's taught me to do things I never thought I'd be able to do in pencil or in any other medium.

I've also picked up his newer book, "Drawing with Imagination", which is utterly wonderful, and once again, Dodson knows how to push all the right buttons to get you thinking about ordinary things in very UN-ordinary ways.I really wish I could just leap instantly into that book, but I wanted to see what he'd published earlier to get a better "feel" for the way the man teaches, so I purchased "Keys to Drawing," and it's been a revelation.I'll finish "Keys" before I move into "Imagination," and not be unhappy about it, because I already know this man is GOOD.

To be precise, I think the man's a genius, and were I male I'd tip my hat to him.I really can't say enough good things about this book, and what I'll say to others will be simply:"Buy this book."

Once you do, you'll discover that you've launched yourself out into a marvelous adventure.

Because Dodson has chosen to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Highly recommended
The best drawing book out there!I recommend this one to all of my adult and teen students.

Straightforward, insightful and effective
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R27B82B4AIGAX3 Here's a pretty good book for anyone who's thinking of picking up drawing. Bert Dodson has written it in a crisp straightforward manner. The are 55 keys of drawing, introduced at a very comfortable pace. Alongside are 48 easy-to-follow lessons.

The examples are all sketches from Bert Dodson, his students and selected pieces old art masters. They are all pretty sketchy but this book isn't about techniques on realistic drawings. It's also not about specific technical rendering techniques, although some are briefly introduced.

This book is really about the approach to drawing, which aims at helping students tackle any subjects confidently.

The principles are very similar to The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: A Course in Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidence. I prefer this book as the lessons are shorter but effective, and the book can be picked up at anytime after reading for some inspiration.

This book is recommended to beginner artists.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Mixed feelings
I have purchased this book enthusiastically reading all the excellent reviews, and it is with mixed feelings that I write this review, since I was fooled by the good reviews which all lacked a neutral point of view. One thing that is crucial is do I want my drawing to be artistic, similar to painting, or do I want it to be illustrative, as in comic books? It is the difference between art and illustration. This is a book for illustrators, there is no doubt about it, and the author is an illustrator. This does not mean that the book is bad, but the book is a bad choice if you try to be an artist in the classical sense--it lacks information of the drawing's decomposition, upon making correct lines on the first try, detailed analysis on the changing of angles and on drawing the change, and it lacks the detailed discussion of the scope of the drawing tools, as would be needed for academic drawing. On the other hand, the author does not try to hide that this is a book on illustrating, and moreover that is a book mainly for beginners, so in a way my criticism is a bit unfair, since the ones to blame for the ill purchase I made of this book is not the author, but the reviewers.

Anyone who draws for some time know not only how to draw with an HB and a 4B pencil, but also how to draw with a songle pencil on any surface, but this could be a better subject than simple perspectives.

Or better to say, a book dealing with the analysis of the traces made by Escher or Kokoschka, i.e. what pencils did they use and how on which drawing would be more in the line of what I was looking for, and what the title suggested-- keys to drawing in my mind means tips on drawing, not drawing for beginners.

This book offers none of that. In my opinion, a better title would be ''Illustration for beginners'' or something similar, and in that case I would give it five stars, but the title is too badly misleading,and most of the reviews do nothing to correct the wrong impression one could have, so my final verdict is three stars: one star down for the misleading title and one star down for taking in account only the illustration part of drawing ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing is a skill that you can take with you anywhere--and it lasts a lifetime! Drawing For Dummies tells you how to render anything that catches your eye, including your family and friends, nature, and cityscapes. Brenda Hoddinott, a self-taught artist, shares her decades of drawing experience through step-by-step instructions online drawing, perspective, and shading, among other techniques. She also provides scores of helpful drawings that show how you can turn your vision into reality.
Brenda Hoddinott (Nova Scotia, Canada) is a visual artist, graphic designer, portraitist, forensic artist, (in conjunction with Canada's Royal Mounted Police), and professional illustrator. Ms. Hoddinott is a teacher of both adult art education and pre-school art classes. In 1998, Brenda established Hoddinott Fine Art, an art publishing company. In September 2000, Brenda launched her second Web site, "Fine Art Education," which offers free downloadable and printable drawing classes featuring Brenda's unique style of drawing. Students of all ages, levels and abilities have praised the simple step-by-step instructional approach. She is the recipient of over twenty prestigious awards from both provincial and regional art competitions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Drawing For Dummies
Great book.On time delivery and well worth the investment.Don't be afraid to use this service.

Not very useful.
I have been working on teaching myself drawing for a while, working primarily through books and online demos. Of all the sources I used, I found this to be the least useful. I didn't feel this really helped me with useful techniques, nor did the examples given break down what they did enough to help me figure out -how- to draw them. "Figure Drawing for Dummies" is more useful, perhaps primarily because it had a tighter focus. This is not a book that goes far enough to be useful for the beginner.

Drawing for Dummies .. . more words than drawing
This book does offer a great deal for the novice drawer.I am amazed at how wordy a book on drawing can be.

Drawing for Dummies
Was very infomative...Would recommend it to someone who is looking to expand their drawing skills!Kinda wordy but in all not bad!

Not for me
I didn't care for this book although it might be helpful to someone else. I thought the chapter on perspectives was OK but the rest wasn't for me.



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Product Description
ust add Ed Emberley's simple 'alphabet' to your thumbprints and fingerprints, and you can create funny thumbprint faces, animals, and bugs, as well as colorful fingerprint pictures including frogs, trains, and flowers. Easy and fun, these books provide hours of art-full entertainment.Amazon.com Review
With little more than some ink, paper, and your own fingers, you can become an artist! Caldecott recipient Ed Emberley, author of Go Away, Big Green Monster!, as well as many creative art books (Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint Drawing Book, Ed Emberley's Drawing Book: Make a World, etc.), shows readers how to turn fingerprints into lions, basketball players, reindeer, "bean buddies," submarines, rainbow dragons, trees, even watermelon. Emberley provides straightforward information about materials and techniques on the very first page, then sets readers free to discover and explore. Step by step, Emberley takes artists through the process, showing, for each picture, a fingerprint first, then adding simple lines and other fingerprints to make the print evolve into an entirely new entity. A mouse, for example, starts out as a brown oval fingerprint. Next, two pink fingertip-print ears are added. A black dot makes a nose. Two smaller dots become the eyes, and finally a few lines turn this blob into a bewhiskered mouse head. Young artists can spend hours creating designs, patterns, and decorative scenes with this fun technique, especially if they move on to advanced finger-printing on the last page. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Sweet and clever ideas!
This book has some VERY cute and clever ideas.The instructions are simple, clear and easy to follow (hooray!)

I had purchased this book to use for ideas involving my toddler and pre-schooler but they are a liiiiittle too complicated for that to work well...however for slightly older kids it would be GREAT!

I discovered that washable markers applied directly to the thumbpad/fingerpad make one perfect print and then there is almost nothing left on the finger (so you don't 'find' finger prints on random surfaces around your house)...it leaves the print just where you want it on the paper but little mess to clean-up otherwise (hooray again!)

Lots of cute creative ideas and I strongly recommend this book :D

fingerprint book
great subjects in the book for all ages-step by step instructions were fantastic!! simple enough for preschoolers

Cute
A fun book to get cute ideas. I got it with the Melissa & Doug stamp pad in rainbow colors.

Ed Emberley Fingerprint Drawing Book
This is a great book for the young aspiring artist. The instructions and techniques are simple and easy. Anyone of any age can create a fun drawing or picture.

fun fingerprints drawings!
This is a great book that shows how to make wonderful critters, creatures and scenes, just by usingfingerprints and some imagination.

To give you an idea about how cool I think this book is, I'm not going to sell it, like I do hundreds of other books.I'm saving it for my daughter who is studying to become ateacher.This books is full of dozens of ideas and hours of fun! ... Read more

Product Description
In 300 extraordinary drawings, Hogarth shows how to draw the head from every angle, age the face from infancy to old age, and delineate every feature and wrinkle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Speedy guide to drawing the head
For artists who want to get up to speed with drawing heads, Drawing the Human Head will get you creating them in no time.

There are six sections in the book. The first illustrates and describe the basic head structure -- bones, form and proportion -- and the major features on the head. One has to note that Burne Hogarth's drawing for heads are a bit stylised. So they are not 100% realistic in that sense.

Section 2 is probably why you're buying the book for. Here, a simple model is introduced for drawing heads. It is actually the one that's shown on the cover. It helps to locate features on the head in any angle easily, and makes basic construction from memory a breeze.

In section 4, there are drawings of heads from babies to old men, showing the wrinkles and sagging skin. Section 5 talks about head types and presents a gallery of heads highlighting the features of people from different countries. The last section 6 looks at some sculptures and paintings from old masters, interesting but not necessary.

Overall, this is really a speedy guide to learning head drawing. But for truly realistic heads, you have to look elsewhere.

4 out of 5 starts. Recommended for the beginner artists.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Learn how to draw innacurate portraits
I bought this book thinking that it was a concrete way to reduce the uncertainty of feature placement on the human head.After applying the book's techniques it occurred to me that I could photograph actual people from variety of angles (from a longer distance and with a med/long camera lens, to reduce distortion).I laid a transparent sheet of paper over the photos and traced the main facial feature lines (simplifying the face to its component forms).I applied the rules to a theoretical face with the same width and height of two friends I used as subjects. Using the books suggestions led to drawings that did not appear obviously wrong, but bore no relation to reality. This process took me 3 hours.Take my word for it, or try it yourself.

A Marvelous Book
If you want to improve your understanding and skill in depicting the human figure, you must read Hogarth's books.And you must reread them and draw and read them again and draw again.

A worthwhile addition to the reference library
I picked up this book while taking a drawing class on portraiture, and I found it to be an excellent supplement to the material I was learning in class. Hogarth takes the reader through the basics of measuring facial proportions, shadow and light planes, and anatomical details that are important to keep in mind when trying to draw realistically. While some of it may seem like overkill at first, with practice it becomes clear how paying attention to such small details (such as the various areas of light and shadow on a nose, or around the eye socket) can help improve one's ability to create a convincing human head in any medium of artwork.

There are reasons to be critical of the book, however. As my art teacher pointed out, Hogarth's illustrations are extremely high contrast, emphasizing light and shadow for teaching purposes much more so than they should be in a realistic drawing. Some sections are more filler than actual useful information as well, such as the "Gallery of Great Heads"; I could have used more detail on taking the anatomical information of the earlier sections and how to apply it to portraiture and creating a specific likeness.

Overall, though, this is one of the better books I've found on the subject and I do find myself using it as a reference when needed.

A popular standard in learning to draw heads from memory...
Maybe 3-1/2 stars... A popular, intermediate-level effort- It's definitely *great* for memory drawing, and it's recommended *mainly* for this reason...

In recent decades there have been 3 main teachers in learning to draw heads from memory. For cube-based construction we have George Bridgman. For ball/sphere-based construction we have Andrew Loomis. And for oval/ellipse-based construction, we have the famous teacher of the Dynamic Drawing series- comicbook artist Burne Hogarth. Many of today's Japanese animation & comicbook instructionals are using these very same principles, along with some of the teachings by the Famous Artists School. My current interest is in oval & cube-based construction, and it's exclusively *oval-based* construction that is emphasized in this book.
For me, the *best* section in this book is the 2nd of its 6 sections- which is oval-construction simplified. It's just 21 pages out this book's 160- but it's actually worth getting if you're interested in drawing from memory. The rest of the book, in my opinion, is mainly filler- to justify an entire book on this subject. In fact, Burne Hogarth's 1st book, Dynamic Anatomy, gives us a *very* brief intro into this exact same oval-based construction, and I think many people will prefer getting Dynamic Anatomy for this reason. I highly recommend getting the 1990 printing *original* version of Dynamic Anatomy- since I'm not a fan of the new, 'revised and expanded' version available today.

Really, the *main* sections in this book that seem interesting to me are that 2nd, 5th, and maybe 6th sections. In the 5th, many different head-types are depicted and compared, including about 30 specific ethnicities- giving this book a somewhat 'international' feel. The 6th section is a 'gallery' of heads as shown in ancient sculpture, as well as more modern western art. It's interesting information overall; just not really necessary in learning to draw heads from memory. In short: For *beginners*, I highly recommend getting Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm before getting this. For everyone else, this book is *moderately* recommended, although I greatly prefer Dynamic Anatomy.
P.S. For photo-reference of different ethnicities, check out Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference For Artists; also here on Amazon! ... Read more

Product Description
Clear instruction on supplies and references; shapes and values; a variety of people, animal and nature subjects; refining your drawings; and more. It is easy enough to use so that even complete beginners will have the confidence to give it a try, but it also has enough information that readers will get hours of enjoyment while refining their skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Carrie could teach a rock to draw!
This book is wonderful.I grew up drawing stick figures.With Carrie and Rick's techniques, I have been able to draw faces of my family that actually look like the people.This book is chock full of techniques and helps.When I say that Carrie could teach a rock to draw, I mean that she and Rick do not teach anyone how to draw, they teach people how to SEE...and when you actually see what you are looking at, then you can draw it.

The book also teaches techniques for overcoming the patterns we all have in our heads...the round happy face, the stick arms, all the things that we get stuck on.You will not go wrong with any of her books...I recommend them all.Look at their website, [...] to see all about their books and their classes...wonderful!!

Fantastic resource!
I have purchased several other books about drawing recently, however this book is by far the best one I have come across.After reading it I am amazed at how many tips and techniques it contains that none of the other books felt like mentioning.Some of the many great areas of instruction this book covers are:

-Combining from several photo references

-Proper smudging and blending techniques (Even after reading three other books on drawing this is the FIRST one that actually teaches exactly how to do this properly)

-Erasing techniques to enhance your drawings

-Using custom and self-made templates

-The art of measuring

-Enlarging photos

-Measuring curved surfaces

-Using a proportional divider

-Optical indexing

-Compare by tracing

And a lot more!All this and more is just found in the first half of the book.Most of the rest of the book covers specific details with drawing faces and portraits. The problem I have noticed when deciding which book to purchase here is that almost all of them have stellar reviews.This book is far better than any of the other "five starred" drawing books I have found on Amazon.It is perfect for someone that already knows the basics of drawing and can draw fairly decently but who doesn't know very much about how great pencil artists manage to create such awesome drawings.

My other five star rated drawing books are now collecting dust, but this book is rapidly collecting tattered corners from me using it so much.If you are a complete beginner to drawing buy a book like "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", if you are already a great pencil artist and want to polish your skills even greater buy a book like "Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil", if you are anywhere in between these two extremes with drawing BUY THIS BOOK. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Dover (2008) unabridged republication of the edition published by Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1958
This information appears on the back cover of this book, but not in the description of Amazon's ad. So, if you have the first edition of this book from 1958, do not let the redesigned cover fool you.

However, if you don't have the first edition, buy this one--it's a great book by a great artist.

Interesting instruction- sketchy images...
I like this, even though it's filled with mainly sketchy & preliminary images.

Take a good look at the current cover images- not a single illustration inside is much more finished than these. This is an exceedingly rare example of a title that's more interesting to me for its words than its pictures! There are *lots* of great insights into the art of drawing & illustration inside. Fawcett was a founding member, along with Rockwell and others, of the Famous Artists School, which is currently best represented by The Figure: The Classic Approach to Drawing & Construction, one of my favorite figure books. I highly recommend Walt Reed's The Figure to everyone, with On the Art of Drawing being more for enthusiastic collectors of how-to-draw type books.

Contents= 1. The Why of Drawing; 2. Drawing for Information; 3. Questions and Answers; 4. On Drawing Naturally; 5. On Technique; 6. Variety in Drawing; 7. Drawing as Understanding; 8. Round or Flat; 9. From Light to the Scene; 10. On Taste; 11. Seeing and the Medium; 12. Economy; and then Illustration and the Contrived Picture. Original copyright= 1958. ... Read more