Start Here: Draw: 50 Ways To Be an Artist Without Trying

by Moira Clinch

If you’ve always wished you could draw, but have no idea where to start, this guide is the place—offering progressive art activities that develop skill and confidence.

Start Draw gives you exciting prompts for kickstarting an artistic practice centered on drawing. By exploring how simple motifs, such as lines or circles, can be repeated to draw more intricate images and patterns, Start Draw builds up your understanding of shape, color, and technique without the usual intimidating jargon or theory.
 
With Start Draw as your bright and beautiful creative companion, you’ll learn how to draw and never want to stop.

Start Draw is a companion title to Start Paint , which guides you through the basics of painting, including color mixing, value, and shadow, and using ink, watercolor, and acrylic.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published June 4, 2024

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Start Here: Draw is a great book for beginners or people wanting to get back into drawing after a long time.
The book starts off with the basics such as doodles, lines, shading, etc, and built-up. At the back of the book is information on materials and equipment.
The aim of the book is to practice each skill until you have more confidence and skill in using it and working your way through the book, then combining certain skills and techniques in your drawings.
The book was easy to understand and use and has some great tips and information throughout.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Start Here: Draw begins in a very accessible and encouraging way for someone who wants to learn how to draw. Simple exercises to begin include drawing lines, curves, circles, and curved lines. Then it’s on to brush drawing, tone, layers, texture, and adding dimension.

The second section starts by telling the reader to get a sketchbook. Clinch then guides you through how to fill the sketchbook with various prompts and provides examples, including flowers, pasta, cats, dogs, and people to name a few.

Next is the third section, which is mostly about patterns and repetition with many suggestions like flying fish, paisley patterns, leaves, and flowers.

The fourth and final section is more about style and finding your own with tons of prompts and ideas to apply your art, such as bird mobiles, rock painting and drawing on sneakers.

While every page of this 190+ book includes doodles or drawings, you won’t want for ideas of what to draw or doodle. If anything, Start Here: Draw might overwhelm the budding artist if one glances through the entire book. For those that need a more structured approach to learning how to draw, this might not be the best option. There aren’t really lessons or step-by-step instructions. It’s more of a free-form creative approach to learning how to draw.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry Books and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[PinkPanthress · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.

This is a non-fiction art book, and I, the long-suffering wanna-be stick-figure artist, thought I should try working with this one.

It’s divided into 4 sections:
•Start here
•Get a Sketchbook
•Practice makes perfect
•Make it your own

¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦

The Author used a wide range of topics to help learn drawing.
For example you get flowers, peas, and pasta as topics but also dogs or patterns.

And while this isn’t a step-by-step tutorial-style book… she gives you enough information and techniques to start your drawing adventure, or to rekindle your interest. While the exercises are more loosely given, you will find many of them in this book to work on your art.

3.9 stars for this book, which will be rounded up to a full 4-star rating!

𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈.

[rollifräulein · Rating 5 out of 5]

ein guter Überblick über verschiedene Techniken mit leichten Einstiegen und ein bisschen Technik.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun- and a good introduction to drawing. But it is not a book about techniques. Certainly for beginners. Works for many ages.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book with loads of information and gorgeous drawings. I’m a total amateur and I’m trying to learn the basics of good drawing technique and this is an excellent place to start. Ms Clinch covers everything you need to know to begin producing decent drawings, including a full list of resources. Unlike some art books I’ve seen, she isn’t insisting we all buy the most expensive stuff.

The book starts gradually with line and shape and colour and guides you into painting in various mediums. I’m still at the graphite and charcoal stage but there’s lots of reassuring information in here to get even the least confident artist up and running.

A good starting point for a beginner but even an intermediate artist might learn something useful.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

[Claire Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun intro to learning how to draw! I appreciated how it started easy and accessible and included a lot of starting doodles and ideas and examples from the author. The book covers a good number of concepts at a high level, but still in enough detail to give you a place to start from and grow. I also appreciated the materials breakdown at the back, though definitely wanted to know a little bit more about what some of the things, like the paper weight, meant in more detail, but what's provided gives enough for you to go off of to purchase the materials you might need.

The only other slight downside was I did feel like some pieces, like explaining the various ways to add color to your drawing, got a little repetitive. But overall, I thought this was a great book for someone who doesn't have much technical background in drawing and painting!

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start Here: Draw is a refreshing adventure in the world of drawing and creativity. In a simple and gradual way, the books goes through diverse techniques that you can apply to sketch in a easy way since types of media and small lines, until how to apply it on your day to day life, passing through the importance of practice and get the habit of drawing. I believe that this book encourage all the one who are afraid of trying, showing some simples tactics on how to be creative with your own means. I truly recommend this book to the beginners until more advanced drawers (even the last ones should remind how simple things can be beautiful too).

[Lee]

Start Here: Draw is a book that is crammed with a lot of information. It's split up to give those who are trying to start drawing.

This isn't a step-by-step guide book either. With Start Here: Draw, the reader is walked through the basics of starting to explore art. I found this to be nice. A good walk through of where to start with supplies and everything. It's encouraged to experiment with the styles and basics that are talked about.

I think for a beginner this is a great point to start and it could even be good for those who are a little more advance when they might be in an art block and unsure of how to get out of it.

[Tawney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look – a stress free introduction to drawing. It starts with such simplicity that you can’t talk yourself out of trying. Moira Clinch leads you on until you finally reach a point where it feels like you might fail if you try - but then you look and realize what you draw might not look great, but you can certainly do it so you stretch a bit. I think this works so well because there is no pep talk, no critique, but there is structure. Start Here: at any age, with minimal fuss : Draw

I received a digital advanced copy of this book compliments of Quarry Books and NetGalley.

[Lana Artley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Do you love to draw? Are you thinking about getting started in drawing? This book covers a variety of topics about getting started in drawing such as brush drawing and adding dimension. It takes you through setting up your sketchbook and practicing different patterns then making them your own. I enjoying drawing and was able to add some new drawing skills to my work. I feel it's perfect for any drawing level.

[Sofya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start Here: Draw
Author: Moira Clinch
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such a great book for learning to draw. You really get the basics down like tone, lines/curves, textures, and angles. I really like how the author covers different mediums for drawing as well and the results that each gives. This would be a great book for anyone wanting to learn to draw.

Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing, and Moira Clinch for an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts in this review are my own.

[Lisa Schandle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations and examples in this book we so adorable! I will say it quickly passed my current sketching levels very quickly and is a great resource for different techniques for both adults and children. This is not a step by step guide to drawing a certain picture, but building blocks to allow one to draw whatever they want!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible book! I have been working on my art skills lately and this was so helpful and informative. It is.a Great jumping off point for the beginner or experienced artist.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Carlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book contains some very useful tips on topics such as perspective, as well as numerous fun exercises to do, all of which will improve your drawing! Easy to read and to apply on a sketch book, this one is a book that can be read and re-read whenever needed.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent for getting over the fear of getting started; lots of examples.

[Danielle Vasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is great if you're new to drawing. lots of little exercises and doodles.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good advice and references mixed in with fun drawing prompts

[Karen Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book, with good ideas for fundamentals. I ended up not doing many of the exercises because it was not my style of drawing and found other books that fit more of my drawing goals.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that's wonderfully dense with drawing exercises while also remaining accessible for beginners and those who are uncertain of their skill. Superbly grounded in art theory without ever being overwhelming. Highly recommended not just for a single read-through, but to keep as a reference book.

Many thanks to Quarry Books and to NetGalley for early access.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start Here : Draw was an insider guide to starting journey into the creativity through drawings. I am totally newbie at this art and found this book really helpful.

The book starts with basic line, shape and colors. Then introduce us to different techniques to apply the basic lesson we got into sketch with diversity of media. The book is great for beginning but this skill really need practice daily to mastering and strong will to explore so we can build our own styles.

Thank you Netgalley and Quarry Books from Quarto Publishing Group for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting Publication : 4 June 2024