The Bottom Line
A great book for encouraging kids to have fun with drawing, once they are confident with basic shapes and their own simple figures. Steve Barr explains the basics of creating cartoon characters and builds from basic shapes and expressions to more complex characters.
Pros
- clear and simple, easy to follow
- appealing friendly characters
- achievable and confidence-boosting
Cons
- generic style might not appeal to TV fans
- won't develop observational skills
Description
- Paperback,64 pages, published by Peel Productions ISBN: 0939217465
- Step-by-step approach begins with basic shapes then uses them to create fun faces and hairstyles.
- Demonstrates creating a range of facial expressions with simple changes to the eyes and mouth.
- Learn to draw a variety of hand shapes using just a few lines.
- Use familiar shapes and a few lines to create figures, standing, walking and running.
Guide Review - 1-2-3 Draw Cartoon People by Steve Barr
Steve Barr's terrific book is a great starter for kids who have done a bit of drawing on their own, are beginning to add more detail to their drawings, and enjoy a touch of humour. The steps are easy to follow, and the characters are happy and fun. The drawings in the book have a friendly pencil-drawing feel (preferable to the slick 'look what I can do' finish that some how-to books favour). In places colored pencil is used to add color in a hand-drawn style, which will be quite achievable for most kids. A carer or sibling might need to help non-readers, though the drawings are mostly self-explanatory. I recommend this book for kids aged 5-10.
