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Everyday Sketching and Drawing: Five Steps to a Unique and Personal Sketchbook Habit
Everyday Sketching and Drawing offers an easy-to follow, 5-step formula, which teaches beginner-friendly techniques for learning the skills necessary to make drawing and sketching an everyday habit. For those who have always wanted to or tried and failed to learn to draw it provides simple step-by-step instruction, plus easy-to-follow practice exercises, and provides the motivation and inspiration readers need to be successful. For those who already draw, Everyday Sketching and Drawing offers another technique to add to their drawing arsenal.
Why do so many adults come to view drawing as difficult or fraught with anxiety? Traditional art instruction is often bogged down with jargon, rules, and admonishments that unintentionally stifle the joy of drawing for its own sake.
Steven Reddy's new and easy approach to drawing instructs sketchers to document their unique and compelling lives in realistic yet playful sketches that record the places, spaces, and objects that help define them as individuals. He reminds artists to slow down, notice, and attend to the sketch-worthy scenes and subjects that are unstaged and always there in our everyday lives. He offers a versatile technique that can lead to a skill that fills sketchbooks with the visual details that differentiate one life from another. This approach is a meditative, relaxing alternative to academic concerns about perspective, proportion, and accuracy. Reddy encourages artists to capture in whimsical but detail-specific illustrations their unique, subjective interpretation of their visual surroundings.
Steven Reddy's drawing method produces extremely detailed and realistic scenes of objects and scenes in everyday life in a relatively short period of time (60 minutes to 3 hours or more, depending on the sketcher's preference). Modifying a technique utilized by Old Master oil painters, the drawings pass through 5 clearly articulated stages where each step focuses on one visual concept at a time.
Why do so many adults come to view drawing as difficult or fraught with anxiety? Traditional art instruction is often bogged down with jargon, rules, and admonishments that unintentionally stifle the joy of drawing for its own sake.
Steven Reddy's new and easy approach to drawing instructs sketchers to document their unique and compelling lives in realistic yet playful sketches that record the places, spaces, and objects that help define them as individuals. He reminds artists to slow down, notice, and attend to the sketch-worthy scenes and subjects that are unstaged and always there in our everyday lives. He offers a versatile technique that can lead to a skill that fills sketchbooks with the visual details that differentiate one life from another. This approach is a meditative, relaxing alternative to academic concerns about perspective, proportion, and accuracy. Reddy encourages artists to capture in whimsical but detail-specific illustrations their unique, subjective interpretation of their visual surroundings.
Steven Reddy's drawing method produces extremely detailed and realistic scenes of objects and scenes in everyday life in a relatively short period of time (60 minutes to 3 hours or more, depending on the sketcher's preference). Modifying a technique utilized by Old Master oil painters, the drawings pass through 5 clearly articulated stages where each step focuses on one visual concept at a time.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 19, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 14, 2022
Change my entire perspective of sketching as I knew it. Couldn’t wait to, once finished the book, get to sketching/drawing and when I finally sat down to do it my art was so enhanced by his recommendations that I think I finally discovered that my goals are somewhat tangible. As someone that suffered from homesickness before I really liked how I could relate with what he was going through and that is definitely something I never thought I would take away from an art book. I read this cover to cover in one day, almost in one sitting. Thank you, steven! I loved your book.
March 12, 2022
This is one of the most down to earth and inspiring books I’ve read on drawing and sketching. It’s not strictly a how-to book, but contains just enough advice and encouragement to just start and stop worrying about perfection!
February 4, 2021
I loved Reddy's encouraging words and I love his style, but the main take-away from this book is "do greyscales first before putting color down". I loved flipping through the book and reading about his process, but there wasn't much for me to take away with for my own cartoon-style drawings. I did start using diluted India ink for shading though, so there is that. Otherwise it was nice to look at, but not very instructional (for me).
Definitely recommended for all you urban sketchers out there!
Definitely recommended for all you urban sketchers out there!
April 5, 2020
If you want to get into sketching but aren’t confident about your abilities or don’t know where to start, you can pick up this book to get inspired. Then start sketching!
The book contains many beautiful drawings, and step-by-step guides. There are very practical instructions on how to start. It is quite satisfying to see the different steps that lead from a blank page to a gorgeous representation of the world.
I found the book motivational and inspiring. The author does not maintain proportions. The people he draws are usually unrecognizable. The colors are faded. Yet something happens: the drawings are moving and trigger emotions. The lack of realism is owned by the author, and presented as a form of artistry.
The book contains many beautiful drawings, and step-by-step guides. There are very practical instructions on how to start. It is quite satisfying to see the different steps that lead from a blank page to a gorgeous representation of the world.
I found the book motivational and inspiring. The author does not maintain proportions. The people he draws are usually unrecognizable. The colors are faded. Yet something happens: the drawings are moving and trigger emotions. The lack of realism is owned by the author, and presented as a form of artistry.
December 21, 2018
I have been getting into Urban Sketching and randomly picked up this book from the library. I had no idea he lived in Seattle as well! Half of the book is his drawing from around the city. I love his style! Fun to look through, and really great tips.
August 25, 2023
Some great advice and examples. I never thought to use ink in such a way.
October 26, 2020
I'm not yet finished reading it, but it's really working for me. The whole grayscale underlayer is right up my alley. Some folks like it, some don't. As with anything, it's really about where you're coming from. There are certain things I'm not crazy about in the book - his color schemes in the still life section start to look the same as one another due to his limited and monotonous palette - and don't get me wrong, I think limited palettes are necessary. The main thing is what you can take away and apply to your art. My art didn't turn out looking anything like his, but it improved my art by using his methods, and for that, he gets a 5-star rating!
July 21, 2022
This book is a guide for the beginner sketchbook keeper, but deals with it from a different perspective.
Rather than a model for any style of sketching, the author has created a guide for the style he knows best, and it’s actually a great approach.
Featuring one of the best descriptions for using the Grisaille technique that I’ve seen in any art book, he uses his own sketches for step by step directions to creating lively and vivid imagery.
It’s not a comprehensive book, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a down to earth one, with very practical tips and ideas for creating a colourful sketchbook in your own personal style. He doesn’t try to instruct the user in traditional artist techniques, but rather relies on an informal method as befits a personal sketchbook.
This is an excellent guide for those who want to keep colourful watercolour sketchbooks, and aren’t trying to make detailed paintings, but instead are illustrating their life as it happens. It prioritizes an ink and wash approach, so if those are not your media of choice, you might want to try a different book. If, however, you’re looking for a good guide to keeping a quick and quirky sketch habit, then this is an excellent choice.
Rather than a model for any style of sketching, the author has created a guide for the style he knows best, and it’s actually a great approach.
Featuring one of the best descriptions for using the Grisaille technique that I’ve seen in any art book, he uses his own sketches for step by step directions to creating lively and vivid imagery.
It’s not a comprehensive book, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a down to earth one, with very practical tips and ideas for creating a colourful sketchbook in your own personal style. He doesn’t try to instruct the user in traditional artist techniques, but rather relies on an informal method as befits a personal sketchbook.
This is an excellent guide for those who want to keep colourful watercolour sketchbooks, and aren’t trying to make detailed paintings, but instead are illustrating their life as it happens. It prioritizes an ink and wash approach, so if those are not your media of choice, you might want to try a different book. If, however, you’re looking for a good guide to keeping a quick and quirky sketch habit, then this is an excellent choice.
August 10, 2022
I greatly enjoyed the writing style of Reddy’s book. It is written for anyone who has doubts about their sketching, whether beginner or advanced. It took me a while to get used to his drawing and painting style. I may try out the dilute ink method at some point. What I loved were his examples of imperfection, such as a staircase that suddenly ends because he miscalculated the end of the stairs (I never would have noticed if he had not pointed that out). I would have loved it if he had shown some of his students’ work. Since it is a book about learning to draw, it would have been helpful to see more than one style.
January 3, 2020
Mom got me this for Christmas, and it was just in time to inspire me to take some art supplies for my trip to Israel in a few days. So we’ll see what comes of that. The actual instructions are very specific to the author’s very distinctive style, and all of the (many, excellent) examples are in that style. It is a very pleasing style, though after a bit I would have liked more variety, especially since he emphasizes that you can and should find your own style. But it’s very good, regardless, and if it gets me drawing again, then it did its job!
March 27, 2023
Fantastisk flot og meget inspirerende bog. Jeg har fået nye teknikker som skal testes af men samtidig har jeg også fået en kæmpe indsigt i hvor meget mit mindset har af betydning. Jeg elsker at tegne og male, men jeg er min egen værste fjende og det satte bogen ord på og gav mig nogle ideer til at arbejde med.
January 7, 2024
3.5 I really liked this book and have been sketching daily as a result of reading it.. And I’ve done so confidently whereas I was very hesitant and precious with my sketchbook before. 3.5 because it got a bit repetitive and didn’t offer a whole lot of useful info in the second half of the book. I did enjoy the demonstrations!
August 5, 2020
This book is amazing! Easy to approach as a beginners, Inspiring for practiced sketchers. It has really helped me get into sketching and to take a more laid back and relaxed approach that just make my sketches better overall
July 14, 2021
Steven Reddy really inspired me to make sketching an everyday routine. I'm not there yet but looking at his sketches in this book gives me confidence that it can be done. I just have to do one sketch, then another, and another. Every day.
January 1, 2019
Main take away: putting a grayscale down before adding color. I'm liking the results!
April 19, 2019
Well-written but the use of the gray scale before applying watercolor does not appeal to me. Many drawings, while well-done, are far too complex to be interesting.
May 10, 2019
Excellent, have quite been enjoying this technique, thanks awfully much for your books. Highly recommend.
July 6, 2019
#BookBingoNW2019
DIY (gardening, cooking, crafting, etc.) Square
Just draw and don't be so fussy. Good advice for anything really.
DIY (gardening, cooking, crafting, etc.) Square
Just draw and don't be so fussy. Good advice for anything really.
January 7, 2021
Learned tons from this book. It’s eye-opening and not too prescriptive. I love Reddy’s approach.
November 18, 2021
I loved revisiting the Seattle spots, especially coffee shops, through his sketches.
Definitely helpful to read his process and learning about grisaille as a shading technique.
Definitely helpful to read his process and learning about grisaille as a shading technique.
January 6, 2026
I would say this is a pretty good book for people who want to learn quick sketching. It's about getting over perfection.
September 7, 2021
Inspirational book with many useful tips inside. Wonderful style of drawing/sketching and many objects that can be used in the learning to draw process.
But the author's method of applying grays before coloring does not work for me because the colors become muted. Instead of so much gray I prefer coloring with layers, using the traditional method-- coloring first, then mixing watercolor grays for shadows. Also, his examples are too detailed, more work than fun.
But the author's method of applying grays before coloring does not work for me because the colors become muted. Instead of so much gray I prefer coloring with layers, using the traditional method-- coloring first, then mixing watercolor grays for shadows. Also, his examples are too detailed, more work than fun.
August 14, 2020
read it cover-to-cover (now I will go back and apply what Reddy teaches :) I just loved reading it.
update August 14, 2020- I re-read the book! (Goodreads says that counts). but! now I will have to go back to do some of the instructional samples (and picking my own scenes)
update August 14, 2020- I re-read the book! (Goodreads says that counts). but! now I will have to go back to do some of the instructional samples (and picking my own scenes)
May 21, 2018
excellent resource! really great instruction on using ink wash underneath color application.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews