'Learn to Draw and Paint' is loaded with illustrations and examples, and offers useful project ideas and technical tips. The artwork appears achievable but is of a high standard and done by various artists. It covers every genre from still-life, figure and landscape to abstract art, and everything from dry media - pencil and pastel - to watercolor, oils and acrylics. A useful book, especially for intermediate artists or teachers, but a little too broad, with insufficient detail for beginners.
A Visually Appealing Sourcebook of Ideas and Inspiration
'Learn to Draw and Paint' is beautifully produced, artful touches such as occasional brushmarks, sketchbook pages printed complete with sticky-tape and hand-lettering, and 'paperclipped' notes add to the visual appeal. The variety of themes and mediums makes this a great source of ideas for people who have done some guided drawing and painting and are ready to set out on their own, or who have done some art classes in the past and want to rediscover their creativity. Teachers may also find it a useful reference for lesson ideas. Topics covered include line and tonal value, landscape, portraiture and figure drawing. still life and abstract composition. A strength of the book is the contributions from different artists, which allows the reader to gain exposure to a wide range of apporaches to the mediums.Themes and Mediums in 'Learn to Draw and Paint'
Mediums covered include pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oils and mixed media. Technical aspects include working with line, line and form, negative shapes, composition, depth and perspective, basic color theory, use of color, and abstraction. Subject matter is broad-ranging, covering man-made and organic objects, buildings and interiors, sketching people - including life drawing and figures in motion, painting from nature including water and reflections, and painting portraits.Good Book, Bad Title
I feel that this book would be more aptly named something like 'Drawing and Painting Projects'. While it touches on materials and techniques, there is simply not enough detail for beginners. This is a common problem with books that attempt to cover such broad material. Many topics jump straight into reasonably complex projects, with basic information - such as the method of applying a wash - given little attention. Beginners might select this book thinking it will teach them to learn to draw and paint, but will soon find that they need more specialized books to properly learn the techniques.A Useful Source of Ideas
If purchased as a companion to or books or art classes, 'Learn to Draw and Paint' is a great source of ideas and tips. The range of different styles from various artists can help the beginner discover ways to explore different subjects. Many of the projects in the book would make excellent supplementary exercises to the simple lessons in other beginner volumes. Many step-by-step projects are simple and acheivable, and would easily be adapted for use in the classroom. Overall, a worthwile addition to the beginner's bookshelf, but you'll probably want additional books - certainly on watercolor and oil painting - for essential technique.
