Beginner Books

[Becca Lynn]

Over the past year I've been trying to improve my non-existent skills in drawing. Writing has always been my specialty, but I decided, especially after taking a trip to an art museum a few months ago, that learning to draw, if only to achieve a mediocre skill level, would be interesting.

I don't have the money to take any art lessons in my area, so that idea is kind of scratched out.

With that said, what are some books that I should consider picking up? I'm in need of basic help for a lot of things, though I know the two seemingly simple things that I need to work on are proportion and shading.

So if any of you have any books that you might have used when you were starting out (and when I say "starting out", I don't mean when you just got accepted into that famous art school :P I mean, when you first decided to take up drawing) that I should look at?

Thanks :)

[Creeper]

I have the same problem.
some help would be appreciated.

[tensai]

Two good general drawing books for the beginner are

Drawing on the right side of the brain (http://www.amazon.com/New-Drawing-Right-Side-Brain/dp/0874774241/ref=sr_1_1/105-4560335-5046834?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186301995&sr=8-1) by Betty Edwards

and

Keys to drawing (http://www.amazon.com/Keys-Drawing-Bert-Dodson/dp/0891343377/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-4560335-5046834?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186302009&sr=8-1) by Bert Dodson

Both of those will get you started with seeing more than anything else. I personally find the Keys to drawing a bit more practical and well written, but both will teach you to look at anything and draw what you see. Very practical as a start.

Then, depending on what you want to learn the most it is often useful to get a good anatomy book, like Bridgman, or Peck,
or, if you want to get more into tech and environments first, get some perspective book like Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators (and the anatomy stuff later).

You can also look up and download any or all of the Loomis books. They're all great sources of information.

If you want to get a book about creative thinking on paper you could go with Keys to drawing with imagination (http://www.amazon.com/Keys-Drawing-Imagination-Strategies-Confidence/dp/1581807570/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/105-4560335-5046834?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186302009&sr=8-2).

Finally, one other book that is a bit more about drawing as a creative discipline is Drawing - A contemporary approach (http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Infotrac-Contemporary-Teel-Sale/dp/0534613357/ref=pd_bbs_2/105-4560335-5046834?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186303140&sr=1-2). This is almost an art history book of drawing that also discusses the elements you use when drawing (eg. line, value, shape, space etc) with different examples and assignments. Although I see that it is now kind of expensive.

I'm sure there are many many other books that are also good, focus on something slightly different, teach in different ways etc.. As a good general starter though, I think the 'Right side' and 'Keys to drawing' books really serve their purpose.

The only other book you really need is a sketchbook. Keep filling that thing up with ugliness and experiments and trials every single day. Remember not one single drawing book will teach you how to draw. Only milage will do that.

Have fun.

[Ellingsworth]

Dude! I just purchased this book and it's amazing, it helps a lot because I'm terrible at anatomy and also takes an awesome approach to teaching it, can't wait to start copying his sketches. They look cool also, so that makes it funner. :)

Constructive Anatomy by George B. Bridgman (http://www.amazon.com/Constructive-Anatomy-Dover-Books-Instruction/dp/0486211045/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/105-6445536-4755630?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186330412&sr=8-2)

[subversive-imaginati]

Try Drawing for dummies, that taught me a fair few tricks early on.

[Flake]

Link for the Loomis books Tensai mentions, hosted by CA member Acid.
http://acid.noobgrinder.com/Loomis/