The Confident Creative: Drawing to Free the Hand and Mind

by Cat Bennett

Using simple methods and yogic theory, this unique guide focuses on the art of drawing as a way to unblock creativity and create artistic confidence. Both practicing and beginning artists will learn to develop drawing skills, overcome creative blocks, and enter the meditative state in order to find creative connections and confidence. Featuring full-color examples from professional artists, three different drawing methods, and exercises tested and developed in the author's own drawing class, this is an invaluable tool for artists, writers, musicians, and all who wish to access their creative strengths and live inspired, authentic lives.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Drawing, Personal Development, Creative

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2010

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok look at using drawing as a sort of mindfulness meditation. Definitely a book and reader mismatch on this one - I read the whole thing, but I was annoyed at it/about it most of the time. YMMV.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you creative? Do you harbour a private wish to be creative. It’s not just about whether you are a secret Damien Hirst, or a Salvador Dali in Disguise. Creativity can also be seen as a mindset where you are more at one with yourself. This is also not restricted to the ‘artistic’ world. The knowledge-based economy is built upon the vision and mind-freedom that creativity begins. As an engineer by training, I can name Concorde, the Space Shuttle and the Channel Tunnel as great feats that were started by someone with a creative epiphany.

Cat Bennett has written a book, called ‘The Confident Creative’, in which she uses the medium of art to draw out that centre inside you that you wish other people saw, but you were either unafraid or unaware of how to tap it.

I have always wanted to draw, and some of the techniques that Cat uses, such as drawing the object upside down I had heard of before. (The idea is that by drawing it upside down, you break the psychological link between what the object is, and what you actually see so your judgement is not prejudiced). Others, such as contour drawing, were new to me, but there are a whole block of techniques that you can use to draw creatively.

This is not to say that if you are not an artist, this book is not for you. Far from it. The ideas that Cat has written about are readily translatable across into writing, video filmmaking, teaching, science…. any place where exploration is fundamental to the process. The Confident Creative is a gem of a book, that is more subtle than the traditional ‘How to draw’ book, and this is to its credit. It is a book that is thoroughly deserving of being in the possession of anyone who wants to free their mind and be more than a ‘follow-by-numbers’ person.

[Sue Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great book to get you started on just putting your pen or pencil to paper and doing it!! I like how it's emphasized that all of us can do art - and should! Putting aside the fear to try and just getting on with it is the key! It really is an exhillarating feeling to just get in the zone and create, and it's nice to find a book to help facilitate that. The best idea, for me, was to get a group going and do it together. Having taught folkart to people who thought they couldn't paint and then seeing all their creations is incredibly rewarding. Having been out of a group for a decade now, I can see how much fun and how inspiring it was. It's a much more forgiving environment and encouraging too. A true epiphany for me!!!

[Katherine Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I begin - I must tell you I contributed a piece of art to this book - but the book is one I often recommend to others. As an artist, and someone who has never been 'blocked' or uninspired, I get a lot of people asking my advice on getting 'unblocked". I think this book is not only very well written, it does a good job helping people open their minds up to ways they can 'see', and once you start seeing things in new perspective, it can unleash many things. But it's more than that too. It helps readers who might not have thought of doing any art at all, do art, and see it as a connection to a quiet place in themselves, a place that can open them up to feeling, emotion, or just have fun drawing and being in the moment. And, I love Cat's whimsical art.

[Elusive.Mystery · Rating 1 out of 5]

Despite a trendy, edgy cover, and with only four pages of interesting exercises at its end, this book written in an insufferable, cutesy style is not worth the paper it is printed on.

[Samantha Grenier · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t think I’m the intended audience for this book, so take my 2-point rating with a grain of salt. I’m not suffering through artist’s block and I’m not new to keeping a sketchbook. I am a seasoned artist. I do think a newbie draftsman or student would benefit from this more. I’m sitting here now thinking why DID I reach for this text? –> Always seeking inspiration <– I figured I’d meet something to kickstart a morning sketchbook session at least.

I’m reminded of my college days, but you know, exploring blind contouring and blocking out a drawing entirely with color plains. But this book lacks assignments, which I was seeking out throughout; there are exercises in the Appendix, but I would have liked to see them within the body of the text. The synopsis mentions using yoga as a springboard to creative confidence, but it was only mentioned in a couple chapters; I didn’t quite get all the connection as I’m not up on Yogi practice, but I would have loved it if this book explored that more.

[Laysea October · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure. I really wish I had read it before starting my art degree, there is such a good balance of practical advice/ activities, as well as reflections on the mental/emotional approaches of making art. Can't reccomend this book enough, especially as an introduction to creative life!

[Jacobscj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Cat’s approach to art. I’ve been taking classes from her and find that being creative or artistic is much more approachable than our inner voice or past art teachers might lead us to believe.

[Claudette Hasenjager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Beate · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5 stars]

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really clear, to the point, with short, easy-to-digest chapters.
It spoke to me right from the start when the author mentioned how her "heart breaks a little" when adults insist that they can't draw (a loss of "that childlike freedom of expression"). This book was encouraging, with practical how-to's.

11. .. "We each have our own art journey and life journey. The important thing is to be ourselves and to be happy to be ourselves" - Cat Bennett.

And, each section starts with quote, and I love those.
"My secret for drawing is not a secret. It is sitting down and drawing." - Maira Kalman

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the new age slant, this book provides a good incentive toward becoming more creative through the practice of drawing.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I puttered my way through this book. Found some of suggestions useful, but overall I much preferred Frederick Franck's "Zen and Seeing" and "Art as a Way"

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for anyone even the slightest bit creative.

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helped me think about drawing in a whole new way.