Nov 08From the popular How to Paint series, this book is a welcome treat. Drawing is a sadly neglected skill and one that both amateurand professional artists will need to spend time practicing, to get the best from their artwork.In this book Quentin gives clear advice on choosing materials, how they differ from each other, and the best way to use them to achieve the effects we want. Each material he describes is accompanied by an illustration produced with that medium andso we can see exactly what effects can be achieved.For people starting from scratch the section on observation is very useful, we think we know how to observe, but in reality many people need to train themselves to look carefully and see form light and angles in what they are watching. Artists seethe world in a special way and it doesn’t come naturally to everyone but by working at it it’s a skill that can be learned. Quentin starts with an analysis of basic shapes, circles, blocks and triangles and goes on to explain how to use these withinthe creation of basic structures. There are further descriptions of such techniques as cross hatching, scribble shading and blending, with small demonstrations to show how they are used most effectively.There are further sections dealing with composition, surfaces and textures, perspective – both linear and aerial, all essentialto hone drawing skills. There are some very clearly illustrated drawings using pencil, sanguine and charcoal and he showssome useful hints on how each was used to get the best effect.This book ends with five clearly detailed demonstrations to put into practise what he has talked about. It’s a real treat to find a book covering basic drawing skills, as this area has been sadly neglected by the publishing industry until Search Press have taken up the challenge. Anyone who wants to develop their drawing skills will find this book truly inspiring.
