Books Reviews

Just Draw It! – Book Review

By Angela Youngman Feb 10, 2013, 16:14 GMT

The drawing course that sets free your creativity Aimed at anyone who would like to be able to pick up a pencil and just draw, this book provides a foolproof way to pick up the skills - and most importantly the confidence - to sketch and experiment without the hang-ups and inhibitions that can all too often get in the way of our creativity. Just Draw It! is suitable for ...more

Picking up a pencil and drawing can be a daunting prospect for many people.  All too often people are told at school that they are useless at art, and feel inadequate when they compare their efforts to those of practicing artists.  Yet most people can achieve reasonable success with just a little practice. 

Not everyone will be good at drawing perfect representations of scenes, flowers or lifelike portraits but you can pleasure in sketching items around you.  This book is a good introduction to the subject of drawing; it provides basic information but most of all a lot of ideas and inspiration using modern artists like Henry Moore and the Futurists as examples. 

There are lots of simple exercises to encourage creativity and not all are pure drawing for example creating a clay impression of a hand, on which tattoo like designs are drawn.  Suggesting that you buy a box of chocolates and then try drawing each one is definitely an exercise in resisting temptation!  Overall it is innovative, interesting and challenging.