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Draw Gothic
An invaluable drawing guide for anyone interested in Gothic art, motifs and symbols.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 31, 2020
I'm on a page two and I am already disagreeing with few things. Every goth knows that what is gothic depends a lot from goth themself. If they decide that this gothic. Book already manages to fall into "only this is goth" elitism which majority of Goth community is highly against. Always have and always been. Elitism nor elitists are simply shun out by the community.
Black and White being "only" gothic colors. Think again and think hard. Surely you can get lot of dramatic and constract out of just those two but. As for gothic color palette, you basically can any color you want. Pastels? Ever heard of subcultures as pastel goths or gothic lolitas? You should have before making underlinings that "only" this is considered gothic. Goths can be as colorful they want. Their art can also be as colorful if they want.
And another thing that I am against is bold claim of not going for the cheapest. I assume that the author considers themself as an artist. Every artists knows that price tag on art supplies doesn't always equal quality. It's always possible to give out some examples that worked best for the artist but not to go claim that cheaper stuff is out of the question. It's not. There are tons of very good quality art supplies that are cheap and highly affordable.
At least there is quick mention with examples how to draw on white paper and how to make negative one on black one so that it looks correct. Though there's an opportunity wasted to have proper step by step. Drawing a negative on black paper is something that everybody can do it right off the bat.
"Rock and Goth scenes have nothing incommon"Excuse me?! That is false information right there. Please go tell this to all those goth rockers out there. There's even term and music subgenre as Goth'n'Roll excisting. There is bold claim that Goths and Rock doesn't mix... it does. If you have trouble believing, just google it. I'm listening gothic rock a lot. And goths and rock symbols do often walk hand in hand. Also other music genres that goths enjoy like industrial metal, cyberpunk, punk rock, medieval chants etc. It depends from a goth and subculture they feel most connected to.
Examples where to get inspirations from recommends death cults as first thing. It definetelly doesn't refer to The Cult's Death Cult album that's for sure. That subject is not really OK to encourage mostly young people to look into because... these cults are not nesessarely anything harmless group gatherings and tea parties that's for sure. I don't really get it why author even mentiones it there as OK sources to look for symbolisms. It will go beyond certain lines if you understand what I mean. If not... let's see.... look no further than one led by Charlie Manson. That alone is enough to keep majority of people awake at nights, yet alone if kids look it out. If author is attempting to label being Goth as satanworshipping and death cults. It's a nope. Obviously there are goths who are walking along much sinister paths but not everyone does so or is even some goth requirement. Just stay out of death cults. They're bad for you, OK. These days those are Deep Dark Web stuff.
I wonder did the editor of this book sleep when they pre-read this and if they pre-read this at all. Because there are these kinda slips that are misinformation and basically encouragin to look for very bad trouble. ,
Same warnings go to use of Internet. Needless to even say that. If you decide to dive into browsing goth things, you'll find all kinds of things. Be warned. Not all things you'll see are going to be pleasant as being goth is more than one thing. Things of horror, scifi, anime, books, mediecal, fantasy, games; console, computer, card games and board games alike, poetry, literature, music of all sorts, cyberpunk, steampunk and everything else is deeply connected and combined into goths and being goth in good and bad.
One star for well enough drawn Grim Reaper. Most of the art being that rather messy, still learning to draw, gringy emo goth stuff that will quaranteedly make any teatcher jumpy.
As for drawing Gothic art... it can be about horrible things but it is often beautiful dark fantasies, dark dystopias, shadows of vampires, little bit of blood, beaufiful and serene graveyards, warm candles, full moon, cozy rains and hidden terrors and what bumps into night, beautiful blood red roses, or violet or bluish black, bluish black ravens and crows, mysteries, those tall dark strangers, rave clubs, cyber limbs, velvet, silk, satin... silence and absense, dreams, pastels, pumpkins, black cat, halloween, dreads and the right atmosphere. Basically gothic art is much more than what this book can ever give you ideas of.
Pretty sure that there are better books about the subject. As well as better art examples. This book had been better if focused around black and white contrast and leave Goth subculture out of it. Yes, I feel violated by some claims in this book.
Black and White being "only" gothic colors. Think again and think hard. Surely you can get lot of dramatic and constract out of just those two but. As for gothic color palette, you basically can any color you want. Pastels? Ever heard of subcultures as pastel goths or gothic lolitas? You should have before making underlinings that "only" this is considered gothic. Goths can be as colorful they want. Their art can also be as colorful if they want.
And another thing that I am against is bold claim of not going for the cheapest. I assume that the author considers themself as an artist. Every artists knows that price tag on art supplies doesn't always equal quality. It's always possible to give out some examples that worked best for the artist but not to go claim that cheaper stuff is out of the question. It's not. There are tons of very good quality art supplies that are cheap and highly affordable.
At least there is quick mention with examples how to draw on white paper and how to make negative one on black one so that it looks correct. Though there's an opportunity wasted to have proper step by step. Drawing a negative on black paper is something that everybody can do it right off the bat.
"Rock and Goth scenes have nothing incommon"Excuse me?! That is false information right there. Please go tell this to all those goth rockers out there. There's even term and music subgenre as Goth'n'Roll excisting. There is bold claim that Goths and Rock doesn't mix... it does. If you have trouble believing, just google it. I'm listening gothic rock a lot. And goths and rock symbols do often walk hand in hand. Also other music genres that goths enjoy like industrial metal, cyberpunk, punk rock, medieval chants etc. It depends from a goth and subculture they feel most connected to.
Examples where to get inspirations from recommends death cults as first thing. It definetelly doesn't refer to The Cult's Death Cult album that's for sure. That subject is not really OK to encourage mostly young people to look into because... these cults are not nesessarely anything harmless group gatherings and tea parties that's for sure. I don't really get it why author even mentiones it there as OK sources to look for symbolisms. It will go beyond certain lines if you understand what I mean. If not... let's see.... look no further than one led by Charlie Manson. That alone is enough to keep majority of people awake at nights, yet alone if kids look it out. If author is attempting to label being Goth as satanworshipping and death cults. It's a nope. Obviously there are goths who are walking along much sinister paths but not everyone does so or is even some goth requirement. Just stay out of death cults. They're bad for you, OK. These days those are Deep Dark Web stuff.
I wonder did the editor of this book sleep when they pre-read this and if they pre-read this at all. Because there are these kinda slips that are misinformation and basically encouragin to look for very bad trouble. ,
Same warnings go to use of Internet. Needless to even say that. If you decide to dive into browsing goth things, you'll find all kinds of things. Be warned. Not all things you'll see are going to be pleasant as being goth is more than one thing. Things of horror, scifi, anime, books, mediecal, fantasy, games; console, computer, card games and board games alike, poetry, literature, music of all sorts, cyberpunk, steampunk and everything else is deeply connected and combined into goths and being goth in good and bad.
One star for well enough drawn Grim Reaper. Most of the art being that rather messy, still learning to draw, gringy emo goth stuff that will quaranteedly make any teatcher jumpy.
As for drawing Gothic art... it can be about horrible things but it is often beautiful dark fantasies, dark dystopias, shadows of vampires, little bit of blood, beaufiful and serene graveyards, warm candles, full moon, cozy rains and hidden terrors and what bumps into night, beautiful blood red roses, or violet or bluish black, bluish black ravens and crows, mysteries, those tall dark strangers, rave clubs, cyber limbs, velvet, silk, satin... silence and absense, dreams, pastels, pumpkins, black cat, halloween, dreads and the right atmosphere. Basically gothic art is much more than what this book can ever give you ideas of.
Pretty sure that there are better books about the subject. As well as better art examples. This book had been better if focused around black and white contrast and leave Goth subculture out of it. Yes, I feel violated by some claims in this book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review