Essential Techniques of Landscape Drawing: Master the Concepts and Methods for Observing and Rendering Nature

by Suzanne Brooker

This beginner's guide to drawing in graphite pencil uses step-by-step exercises to teach fundamental methods for rendering all aspects of the natural landscape, with additional lessons on using charcoal, colored pencil, pastel, and other media. Following in the footsteps of author, artist, and art instructor Suzanne Brooker's previous title The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, this book pairs the most universally-pursued topic for artists (drawing) with the popular subject matter of the natural landscape. Brooker breaks down landscapes into their various elements--including the earth, water, air, and trees--to convey how the fundamentals of drawing are applied to capture each aspect. Using the graphite pencil as her baseline instrument, Brooker provides you with step-by-step lessons that help you improve your rendering skills and re-create the beauty of the world outdoors. Examples from art history and contemporary masters supplement these lessons. The end result is a drawing instruction book that provides artists with everything they need to render landscapes no matter their skill level.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Nonfiction

549 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 7, 2018

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-designed survey of drawing techniques specific to landscape. Brooker covers essential materials and mark-making before exploring how to apply the techniques to the four basic elements of Sky, Water, Terrain, and Trees.

I would recommend this book to intermediate artists. A first-year beginner might find this challenging, however, if you are a beginner, definitely add this book to your list for next year, once you've got the basics under your belt.

Recommended.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great examples and advice on drawing. She used descriptive language to get her points across very well.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book teaches the basic techniques of drawing and how to apply them to landscape drawing. The author started by talking about the different tools and materials for drawing. She explained various terms and techniques, like foreshortening, perspective, proportion, and such. She also covered the basics like how to hold a pencil, the grid method, composition, light and shading. She talked about how to apply these concepts to a drawing when you begin a drawing.

Then she specifically talked about how to draw sky, terrain, trees, and water. In each section, she provided several step-by-step demonstrations showing how to draw different types of clouds, trees, etc. The first part of the book focused on pencil drawing, but she did cover charcoal pencils, colored pencils, and pastel pencils and included one demonstration for each. Overall, I'd recommend this informative book.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

[Robert Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book very much. She starts out by running through a lot of the basics of drawing. She was great at explaining how to convey distance by using atmosphere. Many great examples. And I also liked how she showed how using different marks to kind of shorthand leaves. Landscape drawing involves a lot of leaving out the details so to speak and using groups of marks to convey an overall picture. I liked how she explained her methods of breaking down the subject matter. Not enough books out there that explain how to do that with outdoor subject matter. It's a great book for the beginner and a more accomplished artist. Something for everybody that would be interested in getting better at drawing.

[Mark Kloha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be disappointing. It is not for beginners at all. This is for advanced students. Furthermore, there is far too much rambling and not enough drawing exercises. The drawing exercises that are included are not ones that a beginner/novice would be able to do.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first art book I have ever actually read, rather than skim.

[Audrey Sauble · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid introduction to graphite/pencil drawing in general.

[Zyffyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ✨

This is an excellent drawing instruction text for all artists packed with information. Very complete. I will be requesting it from my library again soon. Bravo to Suzanne Brooker.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, thorough, but yet simple book. Well written, and totally understandable. The perfect book for improving your outside drawing. She also covers colored pencil, pastels, and charcoal pencils. Make sure you have all drawing pencils from 9H-9B, but she focuses mainly on 5H-5B pencils.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary book for any level of experience. The book contains step by step illustrated tutorials starting from easy to advanced techniques.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book extremely easy to understand and use. The information is practical and illuminating, especially for me. Many times a look at a landscape and just love it - but where to begin? how to interpret it and what mark or stroke will translate what I see on paper. This book goes a long way to answer some of these questions, I particularly love the section on the sky and sea, and the part on foliage is also very good.
There is an awful lot of information in this book, some of it basic other more advanced, so whatever your ability this book should satisfy any landscape artist.