Good morning,
I was browsing the art shelves at a great little used book store, "The Used Book Emporium" in Longmont, Colorado. I was on a sketchbookbinge, and what should reveal itself on that shelf, but a copy of Sketching School by author Judy Martin.
It's dust jacket front promised 'complete with projects and a gallery of inspirational drawings. The back of the dust jacket followed up with 'let sketching school be your personal tutor, 40 specially designed projects, stepbystep instruction, sketching demonstrations by leading artists'. What's not to love about all that, right?
The book opens, and it's full of Stan Smith drawings (plus others) which is an auto-magnet. Of course, I purchase the book.
We return home to Iowa, perusing the visual content of the book on the way :). Back at home I decide I need to get into the text of the book as well. After all, it is a project book, designed to help me learn.
I've found the best way to do an instructional book is read the project and then DO IT, before moving on to the next. Hmmm. The problems begin. Where are those promised projects? Where is that stepbystep instruction? Ok, I did find a couple of 'sketching demonstrations by leading artists', but what about those '40 specially designed projects' the dust jacket print told me about? I tried to keep going, tried to find the 'meat' of the text, kept telling myself just keep working your way thorough it. The author's message will become clear shortly. Nope. Didn't happen.
If I were a betting woman (I'm not) I'd bet that this book was the result of a difference of opinion between author and editor. One of them thought it should be instructional, the other wanted it to be inspirational. So whoever wanted it to be inspirational kind of won. I will keep the book on my shelf because of the very inspirational Stan Smith sketches included in the book. Will I ever attempt to read the text again? Not any time soon.
Do I recommend you buy a copy? Only if you think your checkbook owes you some eye candy! I regretfully report the text of the book as 'not helpful'.
Later, Cooper
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Book Review, "Bodyworks, A Visual Guide To Drawing The Figure
Hello and welcome to my journal blog.
Always at the focus of this blog is the ongoing investigation of what makes artists paint the way they do! And always a major influence at this artist's studio, is a good book.
Is the "s" not the curviest letter in the alphabet? Of course it is. And that's where "Bodyworks, A Visual Guide To Drawing The Figure" begins, with, think like an "S"!
Marbury Hill Brown is the author of this not too thick book, a nice,managable 112 pages.
Brown, with a sideview look, visually traces that "s" from the base of the skull, down the spine to the pelvis, out to the front of the upper thigh and down to the arch of the foot.
Mr. Brown attributes a lot of human figurative qualitites to this posture note:
1. Balance
2. Flexability
3. Mobility
4. Grace
5. Resiliency
Likening the s-curve in the figure to a spring, he encourages the reader to think of it as a cushion against the impact of movement, as it counters the downward pull of gravity.
An especially agreeable writing skill Brown possesses is the ability to give the human figure motion, with words, that describe both the action and the reaction. Everything has a reason in the big picture, which is a definite bonus for all the right brain-ers of the world.
Oh, and did I mention the drawings? :) Yeah, I was just saving the best for last. The marvelous drawings are the absolute essence of this book. I've already told you Brown puts balance, mobility, flexability, grace, and resiliency right up front in his book, in word. And then he follows that with page after page of visual examples in the form of wonderfully descriptive drawings. It would be perfectly acceptable :) to buy this book for the drawings alone---you may consider the text as a bonus!
I recommend this book to any artist interested in drawing the human figure, but especially to those who are captivated by posture and using body language to inform.
And because no blog post should ever be without color, here's a newly completed painting for you: Morning News.
Nice s-curve, huh? Details of Morning News are on my daily painting blog and also my website portfolio. So, enjoy the painting and enjoy the book!
Always at the focus of this blog is the ongoing investigation of what makes artists paint the way they do! And always a major influence at this artist's studio, is a good book.
Is the "s" not the curviest letter in the alphabet? Of course it is. And that's where "Bodyworks, A Visual Guide To Drawing The Figure" begins, with, think like an "S"!
Marbury Hill Brown is the author of this not too thick book, a nice,managable 112 pages.
Brown, with a sideview look, visually traces that "s" from the base of the skull, down the spine to the pelvis, out to the front of the upper thigh and down to the arch of the foot.
Mr. Brown attributes a lot of human figurative qualitites to this posture note:
1. Balance
2. Flexability
3. Mobility
4. Grace
5. Resiliency
Likening the s-curve in the figure to a spring, he encourages the reader to think of it as a cushion against the impact of movement, as it counters the downward pull of gravity.
An especially agreeable writing skill Brown possesses is the ability to give the human figure motion, with words, that describe both the action and the reaction. Everything has a reason in the big picture, which is a definite bonus for all the right brain-ers of the world.
Oh, and did I mention the drawings? :) Yeah, I was just saving the best for last. The marvelous drawings are the absolute essence of this book. I've already told you Brown puts balance, mobility, flexability, grace, and resiliency right up front in his book, in word. And then he follows that with page after page of visual examples in the form of wonderfully descriptive drawings. It would be perfectly acceptable :) to buy this book for the drawings alone---you may consider the text as a bonus!
I recommend this book to any artist interested in drawing the human figure, but especially to those who are captivated by posture and using body language to inform.
And because no blog post should ever be without color, here's a newly completed painting for you: Morning News.
Nice s-curve, huh? Details of Morning News are on my daily painting blog and also my website portfolio. So, enjoy the painting and enjoy the book!Later, Cooper
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Book Review: Fill Your Paintings With Light And Color
Howdy!
Well folks, at 2:00 this afternoon, February 10th, it was a -6 degrees in Spencer, Iowa. Lovely. (yes, that's dripping with sarcasm, probably in icicle form) Let's get on to better things! In an earlier post, I promised to write about the three artists whose work I had just read/about. I had hoped for contrast but when I went back in a second time, I realized it would be comparing apples to green beans. (an apple fresh from the orchard, or just picked green beans, steamed lightly and topped with just a bit of butter---I show no partiality!)
But for now, let's talk about the Kevin Macpherson book. Speaking of good things to eat, first glance tell you this book is chock-full of eye candy! It starts with several pages given toward the 'well equipped painter' ---pretty regular list, but with the addition of a 'thick chisel pointed black marker' for sketching. Keeps the prep sketch big and simple. "If you use a pencil you may draw things instead of shapes" (guilty!)
The book includes great demos, example: Practicing Simplicity With Figure Studies "The big shapes. Do not think separate objects. The ear, face, and neck are all one interlocking shape" Must be a good place to jump right in with that aforementioned big black marker. He works through still life and landscape demos as well, eight total. Regarding the big shapes, he gives a clear example on page #55: "Thinking simply will build your painting quickly. Look at your subject and ask what one color choice best represents that mountain, tree or sky. Imagine you are cutting the shapes out of colored paper; this helps you to think big. If you also imagine you will be charged one hundred dollars for every piece of colored paper you use, you will be very selective."!
And don't forget the paintings---page after page of beautiful paintings to look at.
I tend to have a half circle of open books on the floor around my easel while I work. Sometimes they are there for inspiration, sometimes for problem solving, sometimes it's the eye candy thing and I'm hungry! I got this copy I read from the library, but am planning on ordering my own soon. I wonder what Macpherson would say if he knew he was joining my open book circle with Renoir and Morisot? Have a great day!
Later, Cooper
Well folks, at 2:00 this afternoon, February 10th, it was a -6 degrees in Spencer, Iowa. Lovely. (yes, that's dripping with sarcasm, probably in icicle form) Let's get on to better things! In an earlier post, I promised to write about the three artists whose work I had just read/about. I had hoped for contrast but when I went back in a second time, I realized it would be comparing apples to green beans. (an apple fresh from the orchard, or just picked green beans, steamed lightly and topped with just a bit of butter---I show no partiality!)
But for now, let's talk about the Kevin Macpherson book. Speaking of good things to eat, first glance tell you this book is chock-full of eye candy! It starts with several pages given toward the 'well equipped painter' ---pretty regular list, but with the addition of a 'thick chisel pointed black marker' for sketching. Keeps the prep sketch big and simple. "If you use a pencil you may draw things instead of shapes" (guilty!)
The book includes great demos, example: Practicing Simplicity With Figure Studies "The big shapes. Do not think separate objects. The ear, face, and neck are all one interlocking shape" Must be a good place to jump right in with that aforementioned big black marker. He works through still life and landscape demos as well, eight total. Regarding the big shapes, he gives a clear example on page #55: "Thinking simply will build your painting quickly. Look at your subject and ask what one color choice best represents that mountain, tree or sky. Imagine you are cutting the shapes out of colored paper; this helps you to think big. If you also imagine you will be charged one hundred dollars for every piece of colored paper you use, you will be very selective."!
And don't forget the paintings---page after page of beautiful paintings to look at.
I tend to have a half circle of open books on the floor around my easel while I work. Sometimes they are there for inspiration, sometimes for problem solving, sometimes it's the eye candy thing and I'm hungry! I got this copy I read from the library, but am planning on ordering my own soon. I wonder what Macpherson would say if he knew he was joining my open book circle with Renoir and Morisot? Have a great day!
Later, Cooper
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