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Sketch!: The Non-Artist's Guide to Inspiration, Technique, and Drawing Daily Life Paperback – November 4, 2014
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First published November 4, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 16, 2016
In January I received Sketch!: The Non-Artist's Guide to Inspiration, Technique, and Drawing Daily Life from the publisher.
And I started drawing.
Drawing.
A little every day.
In my notebooks.
During long meetings.
In the library.
Sometimes adding a little color.
Sketch is the perfect book for the non-artist who loves to draw. We non-artists who love to draw need a lot of inspiration to get us over the hurdle of daring to draw. Sketch offers bucket loads of inspiration. We non-artists who love to draw need technique; we were never brave enough to take drawing classes at school. Sketch offers bucket loads of technique. Mostly, though, we non-artists who love to draw need to draw our daily lives. Sketch offers bucket loads of daily life drawings.
Reading Sketch! led me to seek out other good books about drawing: Drawing With Children...Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner...Cartooning for Kids...Mark Kistler's You Can Draw in 30 Days...Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People...and even Danny Gregory's new Art Before Breakfast and Natalie Goldberg's Living Color.
And isn't that what good books do? Send you out into the world, in search of other good books?
I'd tell you more, but I really want to get back to my drawings. If you know of other helpful books for us non-artists, please let me know.
And I started drawing.
Drawing.
A little every day.
In my notebooks.
During long meetings.
In the library.
Sometimes adding a little color.
Sketch is the perfect book for the non-artist who loves to draw. We non-artists who love to draw need a lot of inspiration to get us over the hurdle of daring to draw. Sketch offers bucket loads of inspiration. We non-artists who love to draw need technique; we were never brave enough to take drawing classes at school. Sketch offers bucket loads of technique. Mostly, though, we non-artists who love to draw need to draw our daily lives. Sketch offers bucket loads of daily life drawings.
Reading Sketch! led me to seek out other good books about drawing: Drawing With Children...Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner...Cartooning for Kids...Mark Kistler's You Can Draw in 30 Days...Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People...and even Danny Gregory's new Art Before Breakfast and Natalie Goldberg's Living Color.
And isn't that what good books do? Send you out into the world, in search of other good books?
I'd tell you more, but I really want to get back to my drawings. If you know of other helpful books for us non-artists, please let me know.
June 26, 2017
I would give this book six stars if I could!
I have learned sooo much about drawing and painting since reading this book for the first time. Picking up a small, inexpensive sketchbook, a number two pencil and just freaking Doing It for like ten minutes a day will yield amazing results over time. Here's a great, versatile sketchbook to start with: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...
I've bought lots of more expensive ones since but this is my favorite because I never worry about wrecking it with a quick sketch. Some of my best work has come from these books because the pressure is off. 100 pages takes quite awhile to fill, and if you look through this book there are TONS of sketches to inspire you. This is the book that got me started. I took four years of high school art and never could draw, but I never told myself to do it every day.
Practice is key. To everything! A very relaxing hobby is drawing. A way to document your life, your family's life, vacations, the every day, etc. France's book will show you that the every day is a terrific place to start. She can make balled-up socks into art. She is amazing.
A quote: I am not sure whether having a sketchbook on hand encourages the desire to draw or whether wanting to draw encourages the carrying around of a sketchbook at all times. Either way, the habit of sketching breeds more sketching, and by doing quick sketches throughout the day, you will remove the ceremonious aspect of drawing.
Her sketches throughout this book and endless tips of how to turn a few minutes a day into a filled sketchbook inspired me to fill over a dozen sketchbooks in just over two years. If I can do it, you can do it.
Summer is a wonderful time to draw birds, flowers, leaves, the possibilities are endless! Even if all you do is appreciate her beautiful sketches, that is reason enough to pick up this book. I should buy it, and copy her sketches. I know it would improve my work. She works a lot with pen, and her strokes give a nice road map to follow.
If this review inspires even one person to buy a $5 sketchbook and draw for ten minutes a day, it was well worth my time to write it.
***Original review from 2014***
Picked this up from the library and read the whole thing in just over a day. Wonderful book. If you've ever wanted to start a sketchbook, but weren't sure how or what to draw, this book will inspire you to finally do it. It's not so much about drawing instruction, although you'll find some of that here too. It's more about inspiration.
I've recently learned that art is apparently something I have to do daily or almost daily to achieve balance. It's taken me over 45 years to figure this out, but I'm glad I finally did. In order to anchor this habit for 2015, I've decided to start a blog: http://createarteveryday.wordpress.com. I think we can all find ten minutes a day to make a quick sketch, no matter how busy our lives have become.
The author of this book only had art classes up to middle school. Her work is proof that if you do something every day, even if its only for ten minutes a day, your work will improve and ... who knows where it will take you. She's inspired me, for sure. I'm taking up the challenge for 2015. Who's with me?
I have learned sooo much about drawing and painting since reading this book for the first time. Picking up a small, inexpensive sketchbook, a number two pencil and just freaking Doing It for like ten minutes a day will yield amazing results over time. Here's a great, versatile sketchbook to start with: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...
I've bought lots of more expensive ones since but this is my favorite because I never worry about wrecking it with a quick sketch. Some of my best work has come from these books because the pressure is off. 100 pages takes quite awhile to fill, and if you look through this book there are TONS of sketches to inspire you. This is the book that got me started. I took four years of high school art and never could draw, but I never told myself to do it every day.
Practice is key. To everything! A very relaxing hobby is drawing. A way to document your life, your family's life, vacations, the every day, etc. France's book will show you that the every day is a terrific place to start. She can make balled-up socks into art. She is amazing.
A quote: I am not sure whether having a sketchbook on hand encourages the desire to draw or whether wanting to draw encourages the carrying around of a sketchbook at all times. Either way, the habit of sketching breeds more sketching, and by doing quick sketches throughout the day, you will remove the ceremonious aspect of drawing.
Her sketches throughout this book and endless tips of how to turn a few minutes a day into a filled sketchbook inspired me to fill over a dozen sketchbooks in just over two years. If I can do it, you can do it.
Summer is a wonderful time to draw birds, flowers, leaves, the possibilities are endless! Even if all you do is appreciate her beautiful sketches, that is reason enough to pick up this book. I should buy it, and copy her sketches. I know it would improve my work. She works a lot with pen, and her strokes give a nice road map to follow.
If this review inspires even one person to buy a $5 sketchbook and draw for ten minutes a day, it was well worth my time to write it.
***Original review from 2014***
Picked this up from the library and read the whole thing in just over a day. Wonderful book. If you've ever wanted to start a sketchbook, but weren't sure how or what to draw, this book will inspire you to finally do it. It's not so much about drawing instruction, although you'll find some of that here too. It's more about inspiration.
I've recently learned that art is apparently something I have to do daily or almost daily to achieve balance. It's taken me over 45 years to figure this out, but I'm glad I finally did. In order to anchor this habit for 2015, I've decided to start a blog: http://createarteveryday.wordpress.com. I think we can all find ten minutes a day to make a quick sketch, no matter how busy our lives have become.
The author of this book only had art classes up to middle school. Her work is proof that if you do something every day, even if its only for ten minutes a day, your work will improve and ... who knows where it will take you. She's inspired me, for sure. I'm taking up the challenge for 2015. Who's with me?
April 30, 2018
Originally, I was going to give this book 4 stars but I decided to go with 5 because there were some invaluable lessons I learned from the first half of the book.
Let me start out by saying, I know it says "technique" in the title but this is not a learning to draw type of book. If that's what you're looking for you might be disappointed. Belleville-Van Stone does mention her supply list along with some drawing techniques and digital art programs that have worked for her. But, in the few drawing techniques that she does mention there are no step-by-step directions but more like suggestions or tips. For example, she mentions cross-hatching, how you should curve your lines to give dimension, and not to over cross-hatch. But, she doesn't give a tutorial of how to cross hatch. For that you'll need Google or some other book.
However, this is a great book for anyone who is learning to sketch or even learning a new medium. Sometimes as a newbie you may feel intimidated or lack motivation as you compare yourself to others or maybe what you are making is not what you had in mind. Whatever the case, the key is getting out of your head and not worrying about making great art but thinking about the process and journey.
She also goes into taking the time to practice and how to do it with limited time. We're so rushed these days that sometimes just taking 5 minutes even if it means drawing on post-it notes, napkins, or meeting notes can be invaluable.
Throughout the book Belleville-Van Stone features her artwork as examples and some of it was surprisingly not good, like works from her practice sessions. But, this was good inspiration for me as well because it shows that even someone like her doesn't constantly pump out "great art."
Overall, I think this was more of an inspirational book for me than learning about techniques and supplies. The first half or so of the book was more interesting to me. If you're into digital art, she does include an entire chapter on it that may be informative to someone starting out. The last chapter goes into art prompts, which again can be useful for someone who needs it.
Let me start out by saying, I know it says "technique" in the title but this is not a learning to draw type of book. If that's what you're looking for you might be disappointed. Belleville-Van Stone does mention her supply list along with some drawing techniques and digital art programs that have worked for her. But, in the few drawing techniques that she does mention there are no step-by-step directions but more like suggestions or tips. For example, she mentions cross-hatching, how you should curve your lines to give dimension, and not to over cross-hatch. But, she doesn't give a tutorial of how to cross hatch. For that you'll need Google or some other book.
However, this is a great book for anyone who is learning to sketch or even learning a new medium. Sometimes as a newbie you may feel intimidated or lack motivation as you compare yourself to others or maybe what you are making is not what you had in mind. Whatever the case, the key is getting out of your head and not worrying about making great art but thinking about the process and journey.
She also goes into taking the time to practice and how to do it with limited time. We're so rushed these days that sometimes just taking 5 minutes even if it means drawing on post-it notes, napkins, or meeting notes can be invaluable.
Throughout the book Belleville-Van Stone features her artwork as examples and some of it was surprisingly not good, like works from her practice sessions. But, this was good inspiration for me as well because it shows that even someone like her doesn't constantly pump out "great art."
Overall, I think this was more of an inspirational book for me than learning about techniques and supplies. The first half or so of the book was more interesting to me. If you're into digital art, she does include an entire chapter on it that may be informative to someone starting out. The last chapter goes into art prompts, which again can be useful for someone who needs it.
December 29, 2015
"The process that you go through, be it for ten minutes or three hours is the drawing. Like a visually impaired person has to feel someone's face with their hands to tell their features, I sit and gradually take in the details of a place or a person through the pen. While taking pictures with an SLR or smartphone is great fun, I feel involved on a much deeper level through the act of drawing. I sometimes walk through or past places I have drawn and am so well acquainted with them that I have the uncanny feeling of having lived there."
This delightful book is full of inspiration, tips, and wonderful sketches. The author walks you through supplies, how to start, drawing exercises, and ends with a list of A-Z prompts. I dare anyone to read even a couple of pages of this and not pull out a piece of paper and draw something. I'd recommend it to all creative souls, and anyone who wants to see more clearly the spaces they inhabit.
This delightful book is full of inspiration, tips, and wonderful sketches. The author walks you through supplies, how to start, drawing exercises, and ends with a list of A-Z prompts. I dare anyone to read even a couple of pages of this and not pull out a piece of paper and draw something. I'd recommend it to all creative souls, and anyone who wants to see more clearly the spaces they inhabit.
February 5, 2016
Apart from the chapter on digital drawing (which doesn't concern me as I don't own a stylus), it was a good inspiration with some tips on loosening your grip and unfettering your mind. It made me feel less shamed to be doodling on post-its and odd bits of ephemera. It also made me look on the bright side of my house and my office being always messy - it's an inspiration (to both draw and to clean up, either way is fine by me)! It gave me an idea of how many random things I can draw. I wouldn't recommend it to people who want technical tips, though. The author has received as much art education or training as I have- virtually nil. She's a high school french teacher, not a professional artist. However, her drawings are definitely something and it motivates amateur doodlers like myself to try harder.
December 27, 2018
A beautiful book. Borrowed from the library, but am going to purchase my own copy when I get the chance, so that I can refer back to the motivating suggestions to keep sketching a part of one’s life.
The author doesn’t focus too specifically on literal sketching technique, but it’s actually a kind of art book we all need. It is simple for non-artists and artists alike to understand, while it expresses the interesting relationship between sketching and being present in our daily lives.
The author doesn’t focus too specifically on literal sketching technique, but it’s actually a kind of art book we all need. It is simple for non-artists and artists alike to understand, while it expresses the interesting relationship between sketching and being present in our daily lives.
July 3, 2022
I like to doodle and I love books about the artistic practice: this book provides plenty of tips and inspiration on both fronts. Written in down-to-earth, easy to enjoy prose and accompanied by richly detailed sketches by the author, this is the exact kind of craft book that delivers on both its practicality and charm. I love that the artist included a few details about her life alongside her descriptions of artistic techniques.
This is a no-stress instructional book to spark your muse. I particularly love the author's focus on drawing in the odds and ends of time frames in our days (like the minutes waiting in an office/at a garage/in a meeting/etc.) as well as relieving the pressure of having to draw every single item or detail in a scene. The author maintains that ten-minute drawings, even when unfinished, are perfectly great (and fun to make), too, which is very encouraging and soothing to hear.
The author recommends drawing ordinary objects as subject matter in a way that is sure to make readers see the potential all around them, especially in the messes and clutter of desks and coffee tables.
The sections on the tools and paper the artist uses as well as the alphabetical list of prompts add another layer to this delightful book that make it a great staple for all levels of artists, from the casual practitioner to the arts student. I think that doodlers who are 30+ who haven't drawn in a long time but who want to give drawing a whirl again will love this book and find much to return them to filling pages again.
I read a few pages at a time, and then I felt jazzed to picked up my drawing pad--which is one of the nicest compliments I can think of for a book about sketching. I'd recommend this book for teachers of arts (high-school or college/university), too. This would make an excellent gift volume for a friend's birthday or another special occasion as well.
This is a no-stress instructional book to spark your muse. I particularly love the author's focus on drawing in the odds and ends of time frames in our days (like the minutes waiting in an office/at a garage/in a meeting/etc.) as well as relieving the pressure of having to draw every single item or detail in a scene. The author maintains that ten-minute drawings, even when unfinished, are perfectly great (and fun to make), too, which is very encouraging and soothing to hear.
The author recommends drawing ordinary objects as subject matter in a way that is sure to make readers see the potential all around them, especially in the messes and clutter of desks and coffee tables.
The sections on the tools and paper the artist uses as well as the alphabetical list of prompts add another layer to this delightful book that make it a great staple for all levels of artists, from the casual practitioner to the arts student. I think that doodlers who are 30+ who haven't drawn in a long time but who want to give drawing a whirl again will love this book and find much to return them to filling pages again.
I read a few pages at a time, and then I felt jazzed to picked up my drawing pad--which is one of the nicest compliments I can think of for a book about sketching. I'd recommend this book for teachers of arts (high-school or college/university), too. This would make an excellent gift volume for a friend's birthday or another special occasion as well.
May 7, 2019
The techniques that the book promises in the title for non-artists are almost zero.
Better techniques are scrawled on zillions of blogs around the net. Same goes for inspirations that the book mentions in the title.
The book is just a shopping catalogue for pen, pencils, colours, tablets, styluses and Applications.
Two stars only for the graphitis in the book. Else, this book is just a Scam. There are better books out there like Betty Edward's book on drawing, which delivers as promised.
Better techniques are scrawled on zillions of blogs around the net. Same goes for inspirations that the book mentions in the title.
The book is just a shopping catalogue for pen, pencils, colours, tablets, styluses and Applications.
Two stars only for the graphitis in the book. Else, this book is just a Scam. There are better books out there like Betty Edward's book on drawing, which delivers as promised.
June 5, 2021
Dobre motywujące dla nieprofesjonalistów.
January 10, 2019
Scared to draw/sketch?
If you have a desire to draw or sketch and you don’t ever do it because you’re afraid to mess up a good piece of paper or your afraid it won’t look right or for whatever silly reason you find to not draw, read this book.
If you have a desire to draw or sketch and you don’t ever do it because you’re afraid to mess up a good piece of paper or your afraid it won’t look right or for whatever silly reason you find to not draw, read this book.
August 28, 2015
This book is all about routines taken by the writer. It is not about how to sketch.
January 29, 2018
Lovely drawings and an inspiring look at this “untrained” artist’s tools and routines. A good reminder that the only way to improve at drawing is to draw. Not a drawing course manual
September 22, 2019
Great
Great book. A good read. Interesting. Helpful. Learnt a lot and will read it again. Highly recommend it. Thank you
Great book. A good read. Interesting. Helpful. Learnt a lot and will read it again. Highly recommend it. Thank you
May 7, 2020
Approachable and inspiring. Shame all the digital apps are Apple only.
March 17, 2021
I love this excerpt from the front part of the book :
On Being Untaught
Sad to say, the rest of the book is not so helpful in regards to drawing technique. I would direct you to Samantha Dion Baker's Draw Your Day which share the similar concept of incorporating drawing into your daily routine but that's an unfair comparison since Samantha is a professional illustrator.
A few good points that I take away from this book when it comes to drawing when time and resources are limited include : gridding your pages, blind contour, limit your drawings in 5 to 10 minutes, accept unfinished pieces, draw daily objects from different POV and drawing an isolated pieces from a whole object.
On Being Untaught
I teach French and every year I explain the difference between "language learning" and "language acquisition" to my freshman students. In a nutshell, we acquire our mother tongue but learn a foreign one. When you acquire a language, you figure it out on your own. You figure out that the seemingly sharp stainless steel object that you see your parents slicing bread with is what they call a knife. You are not given a quiz on it to assess if you got it. There is no homework. It's just you, experiencing the language firsthand, both as a witness (listener) and a performer (speaker and doer). The language you acquire as a child is not something you study; it is something you do. Your own curiosity, which is driven by the need to understand and communicate, is the fertile soil where your language grows.
The same goes for drawing. The beauty about not having been taught drawing is that you are in a position of the acquirer: the process of figuring it out might take a while, and you will most likely continue to figure out what stuff out as you go, but that process is yours.
There are no shortcuts and no tricks, just the plain practice of drawing, screwing up, and drawing some more. Not unlike the infant who has listened to thousands of hours of language before uttering their first word, I observed, page after page, drawings of the greats: Michelangelo, Van Gogh, and Mebius.
Sad to say, the rest of the book is not so helpful in regards to drawing technique. I would direct you to Samantha Dion Baker's Draw Your Day which share the similar concept of incorporating drawing into your daily routine but that's an unfair comparison since Samantha is a professional illustrator.
A few good points that I take away from this book when it comes to drawing when time and resources are limited include : gridding your pages, blind contour, limit your drawings in 5 to 10 minutes, accept unfinished pieces, draw daily objects from different POV and drawing an isolated pieces from a whole object.
August 20, 2019
I picked this up as a resource, for when I teach sketching to young people...I knew there would be much in there that i already use as my practice, but it's always good to get other perspectives. It's a lovely book, full of good advice and fun drawings of everyday life, especially for someone who really wants to get drawing, but thinks they don't have the time/skill/ability. If it gets people drawing, and it does seem to do that, it is achieving a good thing, and I'm all for it.
My only complaint is the constant self-deprecation. Belleville-Van Stone has clearly put in untold hours of drawing, and it shows...even her failures are great, useful drawings. I wish she had emphasized this MUCH more, as opposed to the "I was never formally trained.../ these drawings are failures, but.../I don't know anything about materials, but..." It would have been a better book, if she had actually talked to other people, or experimented a little more to get some sense of these things, so it was a positive conversation instead of negative.
My only complaint is the constant self-deprecation. Belleville-Van Stone has clearly put in untold hours of drawing, and it shows...even her failures are great, useful drawings. I wish she had emphasized this MUCH more, as opposed to the "I was never formally trained.../ these drawings are failures, but.../I don't know anything about materials, but..." It would have been a better book, if she had actually talked to other people, or experimented a little more to get some sense of these things, so it was a positive conversation instead of negative.
August 28, 2024
I enjoyed the book, read on Kindle on my phone (a color display is required, but not necessarily a large display).
It's a light read, advocating drawing or sketching even without formal training.
This gave me renewed fondness for a costume designer who sketched (or doodled) at all meetings, decades ago. The author here is a French teacher, drawing through meetings.
I enjoy drawing, and found this book to be a helpful guide to supplies, links to further ideas (single-topic sketch books, sketch notes, the Noun project, etc.). There's a pleasant collection of ideas expanding on the general idea of "draw anything."
So far, I've found it to be an effective encouragement to do a little more drawing, and I appreciate it.
It's a light read, advocating drawing or sketching even without formal training.
This gave me renewed fondness for a costume designer who sketched (or doodled) at all meetings, decades ago. The author here is a French teacher, drawing through meetings.
I enjoy drawing, and found this book to be a helpful guide to supplies, links to further ideas (single-topic sketch books, sketch notes, the Noun project, etc.). There's a pleasant collection of ideas expanding on the general idea of "draw anything."
So far, I've found it to be an effective encouragement to do a little more drawing, and I appreciate it.
December 20, 2020
This just wasn’t what I hoped it would be. There were almost no real tips for a non artist outside of ‘just draw,’ ‘process over product,’ and cross hatching. Also, the author kept giving examples of perfectly good sketches as if they were horrible trash, which I found incredibly frustrating. But then, I’m not trying to create super realistic drawings and was hoping for help with quick approximations of objects for sketchnoting. (Also, I skipped the chapter on digital sketching, which I have no interest in).
July 1, 2019
I keep going back to this book to look at, learn from, and appreciate the sketches. I enjoy France Van Stone’s technique and her openness about her affordable supplies. If you were looking for instructions on how to draw like her, you won’t really find that here. She does have videos online you can watch for tips. You will hopefully be as inspired as I was to start drawing everyday items around you too.
June 4, 2021
Great Inspiration to Draw, Draw, Draw!
I thoroughly enjoyed the spirit of this little book. France transparently and charmingly invites wannabes and those who have dabbled to jump in and enjoy drawing whatever, anywhere, anytime. It is loaded with tips and encouragement. Even if you’re a pro, you might enjoy this little jog into the mind of a pen, pencil, and even Procreate and Paper app artist.
I thoroughly enjoyed the spirit of this little book. France transparently and charmingly invites wannabes and those who have dabbled to jump in and enjoy drawing whatever, anywhere, anytime. It is loaded with tips and encouragement. Even if you’re a pro, you might enjoy this little jog into the mind of a pen, pencil, and even Procreate and Paper app artist.
February 7, 2022
I really liked this. It's a little low on instruction but never said it was that kind of book. It has tips on what kind of gear to get by with to just make a drawing habit and not go full blown pro artist. Compared to other "inspiration ideas" drawing books I didn't like, this one doesn't feel like the author showing off a portfolio since all of the drawings are everyday objects to make a point about how that could be fun to draw. If you don't consider yourself an artist, check this out.
August 19, 2023
A fun & educational book!
I learned a lot about all things sketching! I learned about the various ways to sketch, the best supplies to use, time management, and what to draw...when you are feeling uninspired to draw. This is a book to keep close-by because the reader can always pick it up at a later time, if you need a quick inspiration tool to get you drawing again.
I learned a lot about all things sketching! I learned about the various ways to sketch, the best supplies to use, time management, and what to draw...when you are feeling uninspired to draw. This is a book to keep close-by because the reader can always pick it up at a later time, if you need a quick inspiration tool to get you drawing again.
February 28, 2018
Delightful and inspiring!!! I loved the pen/watercolor sketches throughout this book. They inspired me to practice my craft more, to try sketching old cars, to start including more crosshatching in my drawings and to practice more in public places. This book also has a lot of great references.
June 3, 2018
Not as much as I was expecting
Some nice tips on how to make sketching a daily activity, and some good cheerleading, but she talks more about using pens than anything, and there weren’t that many tips on how to achieve certain effects. I was expecting more.
Some nice tips on how to make sketching a daily activity, and some good cheerleading, but she talks more about using pens than anything, and there weren’t that many tips on how to achieve certain effects. I was expecting more.
February 28, 2021
A good encouragement for professional and ordinary artists to join the sketchbook movement, and this particular book advocates the use of the most basic items, often just a pad of paper and a pencil or ballpoint pen. Recommended reading for all doodlers.
July 24, 2021
A wonderfull book on every day drawing. It contains A to Z information and tips
On drawing. Written in easy to follow instructions. This is one great art book,
for any stage artists. I know I will be putting mine to a lot of use.
Debra H.
On drawing. Written in easy to follow instructions. This is one great art book,
for any stage artists. I know I will be putting mine to a lot of use.
Debra H.
February 23, 2022
though she's not a professional artist, this author could be one due to her immense gifted talent. Sketching comes so easily and naturally to her. I wish I could sketch as quickly as she does. Her ability to capture images is beyond amazing. Inspiring for sure!
August 7, 2023
I liked this book as a back to basics instruction manual for how to get (back) into sketching. A lot of this is stuff I learned in high school art, BUT I also haven't really drawn consistently since then- and I was a much better artist then vs now so it helped to have it re-hashed.
September 5, 2024
When you have nothing to say, but you’ve got the guts to spin out a whole book out of it. The useful information in this book can be summarized in a single page (if that); the rest is just rehashing over and over to fill out the blank space.
February 7, 2025
I'm a lifelong doodler but new to sketching and drawing "real things". I checked this book out at my library and really enjoyed it. I liked Belleville's tips and approaches to just draw even if for a few minutes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews