Overview
Students are instructed in various line-drawing techniques, including cross-hatching to create shadow effects, and methods for suggesting a variety of textures and surfaces—stone, wood, glass, and fabrics with folds, to name just a few. Finally, art students are instructed in applying these techniques by drawing landscapes, cityscapes, human figures, and many other subjects. Titles in the new Drawing Academy series guide beginning students step-by-step through a highly detailed training course in the art of drawing. The books are profusely illustrated in color and black and white. They open with basic instruction, then proceed to analyze the details that make up a successfully executed drawing. Drawing Academy titles are fine self-instruction manuals and are also ideal as textbooks for use in formal art classes.
Synopsis
[back cover]
Titles in Barron’s Drawing Academy series guide beginning students through a detailed training course in the art of drawing. The books open with basic instruction, then proceed to analyze the details that make up a successfully executed drawing. Drawing Academy titles make fine self-instruction manuals and can also serve as textbooks in formal art classes.
LEARNING BY DOING
Constant practice teaches you to analyze the characteristics and understand the difficulties you must overcome in developing linear techniques. Exercises will teach you mastery of strokes, contour and cross-contour drawing, how to outline through shading, and how to develop tonal ranges.
ANALYSIS
It is not enough to practice. You must also learn to see. The Analysis Section following each exercise shows how professional artists resolve difficulties and achieve desired graphic effects in their drawings. You’ll learn to profit from others’ achievements and incorporate some of their solutions and effects into your own work.
SKETCHBOOK
A section at the end of each chapter is the sketchbook section. It allows you to analyze the difficulties you encountered and isolate different parts of your overall composition to measure your success in attempting linear effects, tone-building processes, applying tonal scales, and fully developing your draftsman’s skills.
Library Journal
These two volumes by Barron's introduce a new "Drawing Academy" series on drawing for beginners. If they are at all typical of future volumes, it will be a series to watch, perhaps even one to purchase in total. Designed and printed in Spain, the books provide a wide variety of exercises illustrated with fresh and exciting images and accompanied by a clear and straightforward text. Basics takes readers from materials and supports to controlling form, light and contrast, and the third dimension. The exercises are beautifully illustrated by eight artists. In Line and Shade, readers are instructed on various line-drawing techniques that include cross-hatching to create shadow effects and methods for suggesting an assortment of textures and surfaces-stone, wood, glass, and fabric. A fine team of artists displays the lush scope of what can be accomplished by adding the exploration of line and shade to the basics of drawing. Highly recommended. If small collections can afford to add only one book on drawing, the best is still Jenny Rodwell's comprehensive Drawing: A Complete Course. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.