Drawing: The Only Drawing Book You'll Ever Need to Be the Artist You've Always Wanted to Be »

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-This first-class introduction to essential drawing techniques builds from the starting points of lines and simple shapes. Typically, books for this audience present step-by-step directions for rendering specific objects, animals, or people; with Temple's work, children can use the skills taught here to go beyond the examples and draw their own unique illustrations. The author limits the scope of the book to drawing with pencils. Eight concise chapters explore seeing with artist's eyes, line drawing, light and shadow, proportion and scale, perspective, drawing faces, drawing bodies, and using imagination. The succinct text reads smoothly and is written in a clear, understandable style. Sample sketches and crisp, color photographs extend the text and often serve as the basis for many purposeful exercises. These illustrations are precisely placed with the appropriate corresponding text and are enhanced by supplementary details that have been highlighted with sweeps of color. Librarians looking for materials that focus more on the process of drawing than on the product will find this refreshing selection to be a useful resource for budding artists.-Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.