Download PDF Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Starter Kit The Definitive Betty Edwards Books

Product details Paperback 284 pages Publisher TarcherPerigee; Revised, Workbook, Expanded edition (October 31, 2013) Language English ISBN-10 0399167900

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Starter Kit The Definitive Betty Edwards Books Reviews

• This book has the potential to change lives. Not joking. I have only worked through the first couple of chapters of this book, but with only that minimal amount of exposure, I have experienced rather astonishing changes. I am a hopeless left-brainer, great with numbers but can't draw a decent stick-figure. I had NEVER drawn anything that looked like the subject I was trying to draw. I faithfully practiced the (almost ridiculously) simple exercises in the beginning lessons of this book. I repeated each exercise quite a bit more times than what was required, just to be sure I didn't miss anything. And then one day I was walking down the street, and was stunned to realize I was really SEEING the faces of the people walking toward me - the shape, the proportions, the perspective - as I had never ever seen them. I felt wonderful, but didn't think it meant anything until a few days later when I was sitting in on a very boring meeting and started doodling a picture of the face of one of the other people. Shockingly, it was a very recognizable likeness that actually captured the expression on his face and even the texture of his hair. If I can do it YOU CAN DO IT!! (sorry I didn't keep it)
• If you can only buy either the textbook or the workbook, get the workbook. I bought both, and really like them. It is an incredibly helpful program. The textbook has a lot of theory and background that is interesting and helpful, but somewhat repetitive. The workbook has enough instruction and explanation to stand on its own. If you have limited funds to spend and can't get both, you will be absolutely fine learning to draw with just the exercise book. I can't say the same for the textbook, because there are about 4x as many exercises in the exercise book as there are in the text. If you can get both, and enjoy learning the theory, go for it! It's a nice set. But since I was wondering when I bought both whether they were really needed, I wanted to confirm that I think I would have been fine with just the workbook. (Note, my textbook is the 1999 edition, bought used and with slower shipping. I didn't wait for it, and started right away on my workbook, which is this 2012 edition, bought new. It makes a great journal of your progress if you draw right in the book.)
• If you really read and follow the excercises in this book, in order (<-important), you will grow as an artist.
  
  This book is for you if...
  -you are a begining artist
  -you think "I can't draw" or "I have no artistic talent" but still want to draw
  -you want to draw realisticly
  -you are someone who has been drawing for a long time but is disapointed that your drawing often come out not looking quite right (i.e. not like the subject you're attempting to capture on paper).
  -you are someone who is often stressed out amd wants to enjoy the stress-releif benefits of getting into your right brain.
  
  Being in "right brain mode" can not only help you as an artist, but help you relax from stress. Going into your right brain means forgetting stressful things like worries, problems, deadlines, etc. Those are left brain things, and while they are important, we all need a break from those things. This book teaches you how to access your right brain and, in doing so, draw well.
  
  My art teacher taughr his entire course from this book. Our class was "Drawing for non-majors" and had a range of students. Some had natural artistic talent, others didn't, and some just didn't know that they did. I saw each of my classmates truly become an artist as our prof guided us through this book.
• I am thankful that I read the reviews on this item and purchased the 1989 revised edition. As there are many who are disappointed with the most recently published editions. This book provides great suggestions for ideas of items to draw and improvement on drawing and has examples from former students. It also has the chapter on colour. Draw everyday for improvement. Fancy writing is a type of drawing too-never thought of that. I find that drawing upside down is a very interesting exercise and copying what other artists have done is also an interesting exercise and its an exercise that has been done for a very long time. I try to copy other artists upside down too. This suggestion has prompted me to research an artist each week. I love copying Leon Bakst's drawings. The Blue Sultan is a fav. I also have Betty's Drawing on the Artist Within which is a good book that discusses the psychology of creativity that I found interesting. Everyone can draw and draw well, the question is will you?
• Look, I'm no book reviewer. But I know what works for me.
  
  I'm a programmer and IT guy. I use the "logical part of my brain", a lot. It keeps me fed, clothed, and housed. The presentation in this book is done in such a way that it makes sense to me. There's no hands-in-the-air "just practice a lot and you'll get better". It's explained what skills you need to develop in order to get better and what skills experts have, what makes them better artists.
  
  I appreciate any book on drawing and art that's not so abstract as to drive you to worship of some intangible dietyhood of a True Artist without actually showing you how to get there, probably nourishing a life of falling short of your goals. At the same time, it acknowledges the fact that there is something intangible to the art itself. There's a personal touch. But it doesn't ride that horse off to fantasy-land, dragging the reader in to a hopeless, useless abstraction. To me, that leaves it as a book with a lot of value capable of actually teaching an interested student.