Book Review: One Drawing a Day
I took a wonderful book out of the library called One Drawing a Day. The book, written by artist Veronica Lawlor with the help of other artists, has over 42 drawing exercises, some color, some not, some outside, some for at home. I soon discovered that there was no way I was going to keep up with a drawing every day, so I am trying to content myself with one drawing per week, as the title of my post suggests.
There is an accompanying blog to go with the book, also called One Drawing a Day. However, it seems to be examples of drawings as opposed to more exercises, so if you want the exercises, get the book. I may just need to purchase the book, because there is only so many times I can take it out of the library.
The exercise on the top was done with children’s crayons. It is called a Child Could Do This – you are actually supposed to ask a child for suggestions. I just sorted out some of my daughter’s crayons and used those. Scribble and make shapes a kid would make was part of the suggestion.
Below is a sketch of a family member on the computer:
You are supposed to concentrate on the person you are observing and not spend all your time staring at your paper. I did the sketch with a drawing marker.
This was the very first exercise in the book, observing objects in one’s home:
The flower was actually a design on our sofa cover. What objects do you see?
Enjoyed your work. I liked the portrait the best. Very alive.
I did another portrait last night. I’ll keep working at those.
All very nice but the portrait is the best!
Thanks for the feedback!
This is a book I need to check out because I’ve always wanted to be able to draw, but I can’t do much beyond a stick figure! Awesome job on the portrait… I’m not sure what the thing is above the sofa flower though!
Those are both dreidels, little spinning tops we play with on the Jewish holiday of Chanukah. One is a fancy one (on the left), while the one on the right is a simpler one (and actually works properly as a top).
If you want to learn how to draw, you should probably go with a more basic book, like Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. This one has exercises but may not be the greatest book for someone trying to advance from stick figures. Then again, maybe getting out there and observing, as the book encourages, will help you do just that. A lot of time people draw symbols of how they think an object looks instead of really looking.
The portrait is my favorite too. I especially like how you were able to give us a real sense of the subject and the scene with just a relatively few and deceptively simple lines!
Thank you – all your nice compliments inspired me to do more portraiture sketches. We shall see if I post any of them.
Fun project. I still have children’s art supplies even though my daughter is 28. Sometimes I get out the crayons or water color pencils and draw for fun. Even when my daughter was in elementary school her art was more realistic and proportional than mine. I don’t have any trouble making art like a child but I’m not any good at doing it like an adult. I like the one you did with crayons. I like all of them but the first one is very dynamic.
Glad to read you enjoyed the first one, Carver. It’s the kind of exercise that is not based on observation but rather digging inside oneself for ideas. May come naturally to a child, but for an adult, one has to let loose or think with the left brain to produce with the right brain.
I too like your work and what an interesting idea for a book…I could never do a drawing a day, but I like your one a week idea…Michelle
Michelle, I would love to see a sketch of yours. For example, maybe a bird or a bug.
I love your sketches. They speak to me. I am not artistic in that area, and appreciate others, like you, who are.
I love the encouragement! I have a few more … will post them soon (this week, if it’s not too crazy).