While I myself never invested the necessary time to learn the craft of drawing, my father choose it as a study-object. He always said that it is, indeed, a craft, not some magical skill granted by the art-fairy; and with http://lesswrong.com/tag/self-help/ in mind I am suspicious of Betty Edwards method.
To put it crudely, what is new in the book is not good, and what is good is not new, but there is still much that is good. More specifically, the new (new for her time—it’s an old book) left brain/right brain theory that she advances is dubious and I think debunked, but the largely traditional exercises, such as contour drawing, that she prescribes are good.
In the spirit of The Best Textbooks on Every Subject, which book would you say is the best introduction to drawing and which two specific books that you’ve read/used is it superior to, and why?
Heh, now that brings back memories. Yes, the pop neuroscience part of the book is best taken more metaphorically than literally, but with that in mind, I found it an excellent practical guide.
While I myself never invested the necessary time to learn the craft of drawing, my father choose it as a study-object. He always said that it is, indeed, a craft, not some magical skill granted by the art-fairy; and with http://lesswrong.com/tag/self-help/ in mind I am suspicious of Betty Edwards method.
To put it crudely, what is new in the book is not good, and what is good is not new, but there is still much that is good. More specifically, the new (new for her time—it’s an old book) left brain/right brain theory that she advances is dubious and I think debunked, but the largely traditional exercises, such as contour drawing, that she prescribes are good.
In the spirit of The Best Textbooks on Every Subject, which book would you say is the best introduction to drawing and which two specific books that you’ve read/used is it superior to, and why?
Yeah, I just skipped the brain theory stuff and went straight for the exercises.
Heh, now that brings back memories. Yes, the pop neuroscience part of the book is best taken more metaphorically than literally, but with that in mind, I found it an excellent practical guide.