Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner

by Claire Watson Garcia

Based upon the author’s own successful workshops, Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner helps new artists create competent, often eloquent drawings. A series of progressive lessons demonstrates such essential skills as recording edges, creating dimension, adding accuracy, developing value, balancing compositional elements, and drawing the human face, both frontal and profile views. Step by step, readers learn how to create a reasonable likeness of an object and give it spatial depth using such simple black-and-white mediums as pens, pencils, charcoal, and graphite wash. Inspirational examples and tips for success from beginning students who have worked on the same material confirm readers’ successes, and allow readers to consider the advice and impressions of others at the same level.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help, Crafts, Ebooks

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2003

Reviews

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't drawn since I was in elementary school but now I can actually draw things. This is a great book if you're an absolute beginner and are motivated to learn how to draw (ie you're willing to put in some time and effort). If you read a chapter or 2 and put it down for a month and don't draw anything over that time, nope you're not gonna get any better at drawing. But if you keep at it and go at a comfortable pace that's good for you, you'll get better.

I read the first 4 chapters, which give you an good base of skills, and you can start picking and choosing where you want to go from there. You don't want to learn how to do portraits right now? Not a problem, skip that chapter.

The downside it that, as with all endeavors of this sort, you're doing it on your own so you don't have an instructor to give you personalized feedback. The upside is that instead of following an art course's syllabus or agenda, you're going at your own pace so it's entirely up to you what areas you want to work on and what areas you want to skip.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first began reading Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner, Revised I found myself frustrated because the author kept saying "Draw what you see" and I thought, "but I can't draw what I see, that's why I'm reading this book!" Once I read further, I understood that the point is, you have to start somewhere, and drawing what you see is that point.

The book then goes on to explain how to improve on your drawing, and make it more realistic. I came to realize that a lot of learning to draw is to tune your vision into the things that our eyes and mind take care of automatically for us. You must see the different types of shadows, and tones (light to dark), the angle at which the object is placed etc. and learn how to duplicate them. Another large part is just to keep practicing by drawing anything and everything, and not to be ashamed of any attempt. It's all part of the pathway to growth.

This book does a very good job of explaining concepts, giving practice exercises and showing examples of other students' exercise attempts. It also covers a wide range of topics and techniques.

I had a lot of fun working my way through many of the exercises, and consider it a good learning and reference tool. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to draw.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for allowing me to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Teri-K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great beginning drawing book. You do have to take your time, and I'll probably never be good at drawing faces, but that's not really my interest. Take your time and work through at a pace you can enjoy. Also, it's perfectly fine to skip learning to draw things you're not interested in. (I say this because some reviews have complaind that the book goes too fast, or it includes items they aren't interested in drawing.) When I started I could only draw very basic figures and shapes, like a child would draw. Now I'm better and having more fun, too.

[Camilasc · Rating 5 out of 5]

The *perfect* book for the grown up who wants to learn how to draw, or for the pro who's been in a rut and needs to refresh the basics (exhibit A, represent!).

From a more meta level, the use of other student drawings is a novel touch for a how-to book, and does help in bring out the specific benefits of the workshop model of learning.

Best quote:

"Approach drawing as a magical activity to do, to learn, and to see- profound, mysterious, and gratifying".

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent book on how to draw. I did a lot of drawing in my childhood, but I really enjoyed this from someone re-learning how to draw as an adult.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this! It got me back into drawing after a longgggg pause. I will say the portrait section was really hard. I feel like it would’ve been smart if they had had me trace a photo or something first as my proportions were way off. I lost steam by the end of the book but that’s a me problem!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite I've seen for teaching technical side of drawing. Good for use with ~8yo through adult.

[Susan Underbrink · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I am by no means an artist, and I have the utmost respect for artists. It is not easy. I thought it would be fun to try. Wow am I terrible. I apparently have no artistic skill. This book explains things relatively well and I was still lost! I need Drawing for dummies with many more examples. I think that I needed more not complete examples. This book showed complete examples. I need step by step examples with photos all the way. The other thing was it expected you to have some knowledge. I have none. I didn't even know there were different kinds of erasers. See total novice!! I think others can benefit from this but I am a lost cause. I rated this a 3 due to my frustration.

[Mika Kurisu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not even a complete beginner, but this still was difficult for me to follow. It was an interesting read, I learned a bit more about different mediums of drawing. Not as much about drawing itself, even if it does give some tips. This is more of a book of "seeing" and recording what you see. There were also few images of the process itself, and more text and finished student drawings instead. Being a visual person, it was difficult for me to follow the instructions at some points in the book. This is not a favorite instructional work on drawing.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to improve their drawing skills, especially beginners. It goes through a variety of drawing mediums and techniques. I love that it starts with just trying to capture a wire, and goes from there. The tips throughout the book on how to correct common problems was super helpful, too.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can actually draw now--a little bit--thanks to this book. I know I would be able to draw much better if I gave it some time and effort. I would have thought such a thing impossible before I opened this book. The author taught me how to stop and look at what is really there in front of me, not simply to rely on my ingrained symbolic representations of things.

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starts off strong, and then I always get overwhelmed at some point. This time around (my third or so with this book), it was later than others, but still in chapter 3 or so. I don't know what it is, but I guess this just isn't the book for me.

[Elizabeth Matthews]

looks like a great starting point

[Terrie]

Finally a drawing book that is geared to my level.

[Yuliya Skripnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Для совсем начинающих. Но и продолжающим тоже будет интересно. Самая интересная глава про поиск авторского стиля. И про исправление ошибок. Все чётко и по делу.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 15th anniversary of this classic reference book. The book helps to start from scratch drawing with useful suggestions and tutorials.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Kim]

Honestly can’t rate this because I quit for my own reasons, not due to the book. With the wealth of YouTube art tutorials out there, plus my greater interest in painting, I’ve moved on.