Drawing

Book excerpt: Contrary to assumptions that drawing is a gift that cannot be learned, this book demonstrates that it is a highly teachable skill. As well as instructing the student how to draw, the book also serves as a visual handbook for artists and designers who need to express ideas through drawing. Each chapter addresses a key topic in drawing method and theory in order to improve technique and understanding. Issues such as perspective and the manipulation of tones and marks to make 3-D forms are tackled in a simple and direct way, with a wealth of drawings by the great masters of the medium, in addition to diagrams and tables. Each section also offers ways for the student to put into practice the ideas and concepts discussed. These 'Ideas to Explore' range from practical exercises in drawing to the selection of drawing surfaces (such as paper) and subjects to discovering ways of thinking.