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Product Description
Product Description
Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw.
In this book, Bert Dodson shares his complete drawing system--fifty-five "keys" that you can use to render any subject with confidence, even if you're a beginner.
These keys, along with dozens of practice exercises, will help you draw like an artist in no time.
You'll learn how to: Restore, focus, map, and intensifyFree your hand action, then learn to control itConvey the illusions of light, depth, and textureStimulate your imagination through "creative play"
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First Sentence
The art of drawing is an act of uncanny coordination between the hand, the eye, and the mind. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The art of drawing is an act of uncanny coordination between the hand, the eye, and the mind. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
70 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson is one of the first drawing books that I bought after I got back to doing art after a break of over 15 years. It opened my eyes, stimulated my enthusiasm for drawing again and provided me with some really excellent guidelines about what to think about when drawing.
My edition is a North Light Books paperback published in 1990. Amazon indicates the current edition was updated in 2001 and, although I've not seen that I think it unlikely that it departs much from the sound advice provided in earlier editions.
I see the synopsis on Amazon says that it "Describes the drawing process, discusses proportions, light, depth, texture, pattern, design, and imagination, and tells how to evaluate one's work." And it does do all of those things - but it also does a lot more. He has 55 keys to drawing which are introduced as he goes through each of the topics in turn - and he provides lots of practical exercises to see how they can be applied.
It needs to be pointed out that this book is NOT a manual for how to draw in a hyper/photo realism manner - there are other books that do that.
What I like most about this book is it starts by encouraging people who want to develop their drawing to develop their own 'handwriting' for their drawing. Dodson explains:
* how we draw is as individual to us all as how we write.
* all artists combine freedom (intuitive, looser, sketchy drawing) and control (analytical, precise, careful drawing) in their work - they just do it differently
I just loved the idea that this author wanted me to be me - and not like him or somebody else. What's more in illustrating the different ways in which people draw he introduced me to a better understanding of how different master artists, such as Delacroix, Rembrandt, Matisse, Van Gogh, Degas, Morandi and Kollwitz approached their drawing. Consequently I began to understand an awful lot more about how drawing is done and why it looks as it does. What's more the images of their drawings in his book impressed me so much that they have stayed firmly lodged at the front of the drawing bit of my brain over the years.
One of the especially helpful bits about the book is that it encourages the development of self-evaluation right from the start. This means that the things one needs to think about when drawing become internalised that much quicker. It really helps the budding artist to become much more self-reliant and less dependent on others for insight into how they are doing.
This is a book that I can pick up and reread and dip into over and over again and never ever get bored. It's one of the best 'how to' books on drawing that I've ever read and I can highly recommend it to all of you who are:
* interested in the art of drawing,
* wanting to develop your own skill in self-evaluation and/or
* wanting to develop your own individual style of drawing.
(Update: 27th May 2006 Interestingly since first reviewing this book on my weblog I've also discovered a lot of fellow artists who own this book and also rate this book very highly as well)
My edition is a North Light Books paperback published in 1990. Amazon indicates the current edition was updated in 2001 and, although I've not seen that I think it unlikely that it departs much from the sound advice provided in earlier editions.
I see the synopsis on Amazon says that it "Describes the drawing process, discusses proportions, light, depth, texture, pattern, design, and imagination, and tells how to evaluate one's work." And it does do all of those things - but it also does a lot more. He has 55 keys to drawing which are introduced as he goes through each of the topics in turn - and he provides lots of practical exercises to see how they can be applied.
It needs to be pointed out that this book is NOT a manual for how to draw in a hyper/photo realism manner - there are other books that do that.
What I like most about this book is it starts by encouraging people who want to develop their drawing to develop their own 'handwriting' for their drawing. Dodson explains:
* how we draw is as individual to us all as how we write.
* all artists combine freedom (intuitive, looser, sketchy drawing) and control (analytical, precise, careful drawing) in their work - they just do it differently
I just loved the idea that this author wanted me to be me - and not like him or somebody else. What's more in illustrating the different ways in which people draw he introduced me to a better understanding of how different master artists, such as Delacroix, Rembrandt, Matisse, Van Gogh, Degas, Morandi and Kollwitz approached their drawing. Consequently I began to understand an awful lot more about how drawing is done and why it looks as it does. What's more the images of their drawings in his book impressed me so much that they have stayed firmly lodged at the front of the drawing bit of my brain over the years.
One of the especially helpful bits about the book is that it encourages the development of self-evaluation right from the start. This means that the things one needs to think about when drawing become internalised that much quicker. It really helps the budding artist to become much more self-reliant and less dependent on others for insight into how they are doing.
This is a book that I can pick up and reread and dip into over and over again and never ever get bored. It's one of the best 'how to' books on drawing that I've ever read and I can highly recommend it to all of you who are:
* interested in the art of drawing,
* wanting to develop your own skill in self-evaluation and/or
* wanting to develop your own individual style of drawing.
(Update: 27th May 2006 Interestingly since first reviewing this book on my weblog I've also discovered a lot of fellow artists who own this book and also rate this book very highly as well)
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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Length:
0:28
Mins
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.
(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
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.
(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Now i'll just let you know, i'm quite the avid researcher when i plan on buying a specific product. I'm quite picky, and want to know exactly what the item is about and what other people think of it. Hopefully i'll big this book up enough for you to quit umm-ing and arrr-ing over it in the midst of other how-to-draw/get-your-art-mojo-back books.
This book coherently, and simply as possible, explains important steps to help you develop an understanding of what i call, 'routine drawing'.. the factors you should be thinking about when you're wanting to start a new art piece, or even just wanting to experiment. After the summaries of each step, that come with helpful example images, there's a mini-lesson that will help you understand the step even more, so long as you try it. When i wasn't happy with my attempt, i would re-do it on a fresh page until the technique became second nature. Topics included are: the drawing process; artist's handwriting; proportions; light; depth; texture; pattern; imagination.
Your knowledge of art or level of skill isn't being tested here at all. In fact, i studied art at school and college, and i'm pretty confident in saying i learnt more than both systems put together.. True story. Maybe it's because i was too busy being pretentious in my art studies and faking it, whilst this book really stripped me bare of that facade.
That's what i love about the book. Most of the drawings aren't hyper-realistic; that's not what this book is about. Most of the drawings are messy scribbles that promote thinking of logical form and structure BEFORE all the fancy styling you think will make the drawing unique.
If you want a extremely detailed step by step, hold yer hand sort of art book, this isn't it. However this book does help reinstate that creative spirit within you, whilst remaining sincere and down to earth in its tone. Dodson helps you realise what makes a drawing a drawing, and how you should nurture your own style as it emerges through the help of this book. So, yeah, i guess you could say i like this book. Heh.
This book coherently, and simply as possible, explains important steps to help you develop an understanding of what i call, 'routine drawing'.. the factors you should be thinking about when you're wanting to start a new art piece, or even just wanting to experiment. After the summaries of each step, that come with helpful example images, there's a mini-lesson that will help you understand the step even more, so long as you try it. When i wasn't happy with my attempt, i would re-do it on a fresh page until the technique became second nature. Topics included are: the drawing process; artist's handwriting; proportions; light; depth; texture; pattern; imagination.
Your knowledge of art or level of skill isn't being tested here at all. In fact, i studied art at school and college, and i'm pretty confident in saying i learnt more than both systems put together.. True story. Maybe it's because i was too busy being pretentious in my art studies and faking it, whilst this book really stripped me bare of that facade.
That's what i love about the book. Most of the drawings aren't hyper-realistic; that's not what this book is about. Most of the drawings are messy scribbles that promote thinking of logical form and structure BEFORE all the fancy styling you think will make the drawing unique.
If you want a extremely detailed step by step, hold yer hand sort of art book, this isn't it. However this book does help reinstate that creative spirit within you, whilst remaining sincere and down to earth in its tone. Dodson helps you realise what makes a drawing a drawing, and how you should nurture your own style as it emerges through the help of this book. So, yeah, i guess you could say i like this book. Heh.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent
This book is great fun to learn from. It is structured in a way that it can be used as a main curriculum with projects dotted throughout the book and questions at the end of each... Read more
Published 4 months ago by hughpearse
One of the best books on drawing
Even after reading the wonderful reviews of this book I was not expecting as much as it actually delivered. Read more
Published 6 months ago by zrtf90
Excellent!!!
Book essential for drawing as a main basis and tool for progressing in any pictorial technique. The exercises help to fix the concepts.
Published 8 months ago by limpzx
Dodson
This book was just what I asked for. I very good condition, clean and looks brand new. I have put it to good use and it was delivered to me quickly.
Published 18 months ago by pearlywhite
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