The Bottom Line
See sample pages on the author's website
- Illustrations by 30 artists
- lay-flat spiral binding with enclosing hard cover
- easy to read in bite-size chunks
- can't think of any.
Description
- Publisher: North Light Books 2006
- ISBN-10: 1581807570 - ISBN-13: 978-1581807578
- 10.3 x 9.5 x 1.1 in - 2.2 lbs / 1kg
- spiral binding with hard cover and spine (so it will still shelve neatly and the spirals won't dent other books)
- 192 pages, packed with illustrations
Guide Review - Keys to Drawing with Imagination
The basic theme of the book is that you can use familiar techniques of transformation - like embellishment, combination, modification and distortion - to move from the known to the unknown. Some examples begin with the realistic - using a drawing from life - a portrait, animal or piece of machinery - and combining it in an unusual way with another drawing, or distorting it, or adding to it, and so on. Some exercises begin with an abstract pattern - a doodle or an organic form - and look for design elements or recognizable forms within it.
The techniques in this book offer useful, practical ways to let your imagination back out of its box. Dodson does a marvelous job of setting out the myriad ways that an artist can explore ideas. I'm fairly sure that even an obstinately 'uncreative' person could successfully 'fake it' using some of these strategies, while those with an active imagination might find it a useful way to add new dimensions to their work or to kick off new projects. I wondered how much this book would interest me, as I never consider myself stuck for inspiration, but it is remarkably engaging to read and I find myself wanting to reach for my pencils to explore the ideas for myself.
North Light's design team deserve credit for their work - the clean design and emphasis on illustration rather than text shows understanding of reader's needs and the artist's and author's work.
