Keys to Drawing

This was the text used in my beginning drawing class in college and I love it. It teaches you how to draw what you actually see, instead of what you think you should be seeing. I had never taken a drawing class before but now I can draw anything that I have enough patience to sit in front of for a few hours. If you are a beginner, get this one. It's the best. (I still can't get through the first chapter of the left brain/right brain book. Boring.) Another fun book for beginners is Mona Brooke's Drawing With Children (fun for adult beginners too) and Drawing With Older Children and Teens. Helps you overcome your fears if you have any.

I bought the book "Keys To Drawing" for my sis for Christmas, and I wish to be as fair as I can in reviewing this book. First, I'm into photography and took the NYIP correspondence course and have read many articles on photography over the years. I say that because both arts share a lot in capturing light. First I was surprised at the size of the book. It looks like it is the size of a Readers Digest or National Geo. magazine but it is rather large. I agree with those that say the art work is cartoonish or terrible in it. I was suprised that someone that claims to be an artist would fill this book with such poor examples of it. Maybe I just don't get the point, but even a non-artist like myself can see for example a picture of a little boy on the beach has one leg that looks like he has ricketts. A drawing of Laurel and Hardy from models in a wax museum have so much restating that it is hard to even see any facial expressions. A picture of a Florence, Italy building is not even straight. It looks like it was drawn by a somewhat talented 4th grader. I never saw a clear example of a picture taken from rough draft to something you would hang on your wall. There are a few good drawings in it but those were mainly drawn by the students of the author. Hopefully, my sis will get something out of it. I bought it due to the high number of positive reviews. After I got it, I reread them and I guess it is considered a great book, however had I seen this in a store, I would probably have passed over it. I assume the author reads these reports from time to time and my suggestion to him is that in any future books he take a few pictures and complete them so as to show where he was going. Also, I hear that that other highly recommended book is now in spiral format. You might consider that for any future book like this. I don't wish to turn anyone away from buying this book because it might be a great book. I would just suggest you get one from the library and check it out, or be prepaired to return it to Amazon. Because I'm neutral I'm giving this only 3 points. Thanks.

This is an excellent and truly helpful book which complements classics like "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and "The Natural Way to Draw" (the only other drawing books which I have found helpful and worthwhile so far). It is very well-written, engaging and beautifully illustrated. It does a wonderful job of encouraging a novice artist to try his or her hand at drawing. The exercises are appropriate but also simple and short so that a novice with little time can actually complete them (unlike the exercise schedule in "The Natural Way to Draw" which is aimed at the serious artist and takes an awful lot of dedication to complete). I also like the notion of "keys": They are "rules" not meant to be steadfast but which will probably help a novice artist who feels lost without some concrete instruction (rather than simply being told e.g. "tune out the left side of your brain"). The assesment sheets at the end of each chapter are also helpful in determining whether the exercises where properly done. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who feels that they need to improve their drawing and need some practical help.

This book tells us the importance of seeing rather than drawing. In most cases the how-to book tells only about the methods, but such methods will not keep overnight. But the author of this book knows the real nature of drawing, so he advises us to draw without watching. This is the wonderful book !

First, let me address a comment written by one reviewer who said this book borrows heavily from Betty Edwards' DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN. Mr. Dodson's book was published in 1985 while Ms. Edwards' book was published in 1989, so that comment is simply not true.

I read Ms. Edwards book first, but quickly became mired in left brain/right brain theory. The first drawing exercise doesn't appear until page 46. In KEYS TO DRAWING, the first exercise is on the 3rd page, with 5 more following in the next 23 pages. I believe you learn to draw by drawing and Mr. Dodson's book certainly delivers in this respect. It is a book to be read with a pad and pencil by your side. The exercises come one after the other, with explanatory text and drawing keys supporting each exercise. I was surprised with the drawings I was able to produce right from the start following the instructions. By the time I had completed this book, I had learned to drawing and it has become a very rewarding hobby. Thank you Bert Dodson.