Just for Fun: Drawing by Lise Herzog

Just for Fun: Drawing by Lise Herzog ISBN-13: 9781633222816 Paperback: 160 pages Publisher: Walter Foster Released: May 1, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
With Just for Fun: Drawing, aspiring artists and art enthusiasts who have never before picked up a pencil can follow incredibly simple step-by-step instructions and discover how to draw everyday subjects. Each featured subject starts with basic lines and shapes, and slowly progresses with each new step to a fully rendered, completed drawing.

Saving the nitty-gritty technical aspects of drawing for the more advanced student, Just for Fun: Drawing simply touches upon key drawing concepts and fundamentals, including perspective, proportion, volume, shading, and composition, among others, that are relevant to a beginner's core understanding of the craft. With its abundance of approachable and contemporary drawings, as well as loads of tips, instruction, and inspiration, Just for Fun: Drawing will have even the most artistically challenged individuals mastering the art of pencil drawing in no time.


My Review:
Just for Fun: Drawing is an art book to help beginners learn how to draw. It combined text describing what to do and why you do it with simple, step-by-step drawings. This allows the person to learn how to draw cats in general, for example, not just the pose shown in the book.

I'd recommend this as a good beginner artist book for tweens and teens (or older). It's done in a style that should keep a younger person interested, but it also taught some basics found in adult drawing books. So we learn how to draw basic shapes--in perspective--and how to add simple texture and shading.

The book began by describing what drawing tools to use, and you can start out with as little as a common pencil and a sheet of computer paper. Other tools were described, but you don't have to start fancy. We then get the step-by-step "add a circle here and here, combine the shapes, add some texture" instructions. These usually involved four steps that were easy to understand and weren't complex to draw.

We're taught to draw animals like cats, big cats, dogs, wolves, rabbits, horses, cow, and birds. There were brief descriptions on how to draw people standing and in motion, the parts of the body, and clothing. And we learn to draw nature in part (like a tree, flower, or water) or as a whole landscape drawing. The finished drawings should look recognizable without being complex to draw.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Foundations of Drawing by Al Gury

Foundations of Drawing by Al Gury ISBN-13: 978-0307987181 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Watson-Guptill Released: June 13, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Blogging for Books.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
From a leading art instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, a complete survey of drawing as an art form covering its history, materials, and key techniques.

Foundations of Drawing is a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the history, aesthetics, methods, and materials of the drawing medium. Throughout, clearly defined demonstrations provide easy access to the practice of drawing as well as the history and development of core drawing techniques. Richly illustrated, the book contains reproductions of the finest master drawings from the fifteenth century to the present.

Unlike other drawing instruction books that focus on step-by-step lessons exclusively, Foundations of Drawing provides readers with the context and background to help understand just why these materials and methods are so vital for successful drawing.


My Review:
Foundations of Drawing is an art book about the history, tools, materials, and techniques of drawing. I wish I had this book when I started learning how to draw. My original art instructor and many art books assumed that I already understood what various drawing terms meant or what mediums best worked with what paper. This book is cheap considering it'll save you money by explaining what supplies you really needed for what you want to do.

The book started off with a brief history of drawing, which looked at the various periods to see what styles dominated or changes took place. The author then described the various drawing tools and materials, including how to best use them and what papers or brushes work best with which mediums. This was so helpful and explained why I've felt frustrated at times. He also explained the advantages and disadvantages of the various mediums. He included watercolor and other paints when used in a "drawing" style.

He then covered a wide variety of drawing skills, like how to hold drawing tools; use grids; blend; erase; use line, shape, and hatching; create light and shade, and more. He clearly explained the various terms and how to do the skill. There were illustrations either showing a finished work that used a technique or demonstrating how to do it. A lot of the drawings were of nudes or figures, though he did describe the steps to take to compose and draw still life, interiors and architecture, as well as portraits and figures.

I expect to regularly consult this book until I settle down to a favored medium and style. I'd highly recommend this as a reference book for students and self-taught individuals who are serious about learning to draw. Don't expect a lot of step-by-step drawing projects but rather the basics of how to draw well that you can apply to any project.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Anywhere, Anytime Art: Watercolor by Barbara Roth

Anywhere, Anytime Art: Watercolor by Barbara Roth ISBN-13: 9781633221956 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing Released: May 1, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
Whether in your backyard or while traveling the world, Anywhere, Anytime Art: Watercolor is an inspirational, easy-to-use reference guide for artists who seek to expand their artistic horizons in new and adventurous ways.

After a basic overview of tools and materials, learn how to find inspiration and beauty everywhere and in everything. Discover how to create a portable pack-and-carry supply box to create art spontaneously, even while on the go. Basic drawing and painting techniques, approachable step-by-step projects, and instructions for working with tools outside the studio demonstrate how easy it is to draw and paint without too much advanced planning.

Anywhere, Anytime Art: Watercolor inspires artists of all skill levels to embrace their creative side to create beautiful works of art wherever they might be, from Monet's garden in Giverny, France, to sitting in their car on a rainy morning.


My Review:
Anywhere, Anytime Art: Watercolor is a art book that will help you create a portable watercolor kit or get set up to paint during short breaks. The author described what tools and materials are best suited for portable watercolor painting. She briefly described how to sketch a scene and then paint it, and how to do this from a photo. She very briefly described color theory and different watercolor techniques. She then provided 12 step-by-step painting projects that are fairly simple to draw and paint. The cover painting is one of those projects.

The author's basic technique is to sketch out a scene then paint in the colors with watercolor (without getting too detailed). While the author did give some tips that would be helpful for beginners, it's aimed at people already familiar with the basics of watercolor. For example, there are no pictures of what a "puddle of paint" looks like or how to do a flat wash. She assumes that you know what that means or can guess based on her text descriptions.

In the step-by-step projects, she tells the reader what colors to use for different objects and what technique to use to apply it. The changes between the steps were small enough that I could see what was being done and didn't feel confused about what she was describing. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who like her style and want to go more portable.

I've tried a few of the step-by-step projects, and my end product looked better than my watercolors ever have in the past. I think it's having the pencil or ink along with the watercolor. I'm glad I tried out this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Quest for Security, 1715-1740 by Penfield Roberts

The Quest for Security, 1715-1740 by Penfield Roberts Paperback: 300 pages Publisher: Harper & Row Released: 1963

Source: Bought at a Friends of the Library book sale.

Book Description:
Series about changes in Europe from medieval period to "modern" period.


My Review:
The Quest for Security, 1715-1740 is the eighth book in The Rise of Modern Europe series. It covered all of Europe during 1715-1740. The chapters were organized by topic. Some quotes from people from that time helped make it more interesting. The author's writing style was also more readable and interesting the the earlier books in this series that I've read.

The author talked about the changes in political and religious power, how wars affected things, economic and social changes (especially the changing concept of personal property), and new ideas in art and science. I was very interested to learn that the people we think of as "land owners" didn't actually own the land but merely had certain rights regarding the land (like rents, annuities, etc.). Now I wish I had a book that solely explored this topic as this book only covered one point in time.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Mysteries of the Ancient World by National Geographic

Mysteries of the Ancient World ISBN-13: 9780870442544 Hardback: 233 pages Publisher: National Geographic Society Released: May 1, 1979

Source: Bought at a Friends of the Library book sale.

My Book Description:
The book covers cave paintings, neolithic Jericho, Çatal Hüyük, the Egyptian pyramids, the oldest known Indian cities, the various megaliths in Europe, the Minoans, the Mycenaens, the Etruscans, and the Easter Islander stone heads.


My Review:
Mysteries of the Ancient World looks at some ancient, mysterious civilizations. The author(s) write about visiting site, what they see, and what the people working on the site think about what the various structures were used for (which involves a lot of speculation). The basic attitude was that these ancient builders were intelligent, capable people. They simply didn't leave behind explanations of some of their more mysterious works.

The book covered cave paintings, neolithic Jericho, Çatal Hüyük, the Egyptian pyramids, the oldest known Indian cities, the various megaliths in Europe, the Minoans, the Mycenaens, the Etruscans, and the Easter Islander stone heads. About half of the book is full-color pictures of the sites and artifacts found there. I really enjoyed the pictures, and the text was interesting (though it's more a survey of ideas than a close look at the structures).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.