Andrew loomis.

[Validinfection]

I'm going back to the basics of drawing. Which Andrew Loomis book should I dive into first? Is there any particular order I should go in reading Andrew Loomis?

[bad_painter]

Umm, does it really matter? I mean, they are all useful, so just pick one and go for it! ;)

[Noah Bradley]

Fun With a Pencil is probably the most basic. Then Figure Drawing For All Its Worth. Then either Successful Drawing or Creative Illustration.

[armando]

Fun with a pencil.

[Xeon_OND]

I would say Fun with a Pencil, then Successful Drawing, then Figure Drawing For All It's Worth (either this, or Drawing the head and hands).

Successful Drawing teaches a lot on perspective, which according to Andrew Loomis, is the first subject that should be first taught at the beginning learning journey of every new art student.

[Zimmit16]

I feel like the kid in class afraid to ask his question, fearing his peers thoughts. When reading the loomis books, how do i use them without missing anything important. When do i start with studies. Maybe im not studying correctly. Ive read all of the text up to the first sets of pictures in figure drawing but im not sure when i should be drawing and what should be going through my head. Not trying to be an exception to the rules or anything but my head SPINS when start drawing. I have songs, sounds, frustrations, you name it, all running through my head as soon as the pencil hits the papuh!

[PieterV]

Relax! Always remember baby steps, divide and conquer.
You shouldn't be afraid to screw up, they're just studies afterall, not museum pieces.
Try to just start out by doing some basic shapes and enjoy the feel of putting lines down on the paper. Just loosen up and try to be confident in your drawing, if your lines are confident then mistakes won't seem as bad.

I'dd recommend to study from Michael Hampton's and Vilppu's figure drawing books along with Loomis, I think Loomis tends to be formulaic in his approach, the other books I mentioned more about drawing freely.

[AsaB]

I personally liked starting with "Drawing the head and hands", but I guess different strokes for different people :)

You can find them all over here (http://acid.noobgrinder.com/Loomis/), in case!

[Leonor]

Successful Drawing teaches a lot on perspective, which according to Andrew Loomis, is the first subject that should be first taught at the beginning learning journey of every new art student.

I find his teaching on perspective very confusing. Might it not be better to learn one's perspective from another book?

[Helaine]

I find his teaching on perspective very confusing. Might it not be better to learn one's perspective from another book?

I think Loomis's method of teaching perspective is great. I learned a lot.



Perhaps you should use another book if it's not for you :D I guess it depends on each individuals.

[dpaint]

You ask about how to use them. I think going through and read it first cover to cover then copying every image is worthwhile, do ithem twice the size, at least 16x20, better 18x24, and then when you finish the book reread it. Things will make more sense if you read it, practice it, then read it again. This is what Faragasso suggests in his figure book. There are no shortcuts
Carl Barks the great Disney Illustrator said 'An artist is going to do about ten thousand bad drawings in their lifetime, make them the first ten thousand.'

[Raoul Duke]

start with whatever you feel comfortable with. Then move on to whatever makes you uncomfortable.

[JeffX99]

dpaint has it right - just go through one - copy the images larger - while standing with your board on an easel - go back and read it again. Loomis is a great place to start but you also need to work from life to really understand drawing. Get two books: Jim Gurney's "Imaginitive Realism" and Deborah Rockman's "Drawing Essentials". Enjoy!