#start drawing

however.

also brain: :)

brain: ok well go on! you haven’t been able to for 2 weeks! and now you can! so draw!

also brain: :)

brain: well go on lol 

Hello everybody! Hope things are going good for you today, and that you’re down to hear about these essential drawing book recommendations. These are 3 personal favorite books of mine that always inspire me or kick my artist brain into gear, and I hope they do the same for you. So without further ado, let’s get on with this review!

1. How to Draw the Human Figure by Louise Gordon

Starting out, I want to feature a beautiful, brief, and knowledge-packed book on figure drawing that was written by a medical illustrator! Louise Gordon graduated from the University of Toronto’s medical illustration program back when it was called “Art as Applied to Medicine.” For those who don’t know, medical illustrators have a unique background in biology, anatomy, medicine, and art that use their skills to visually explain or feature parts of each of those disciplines, either for textbooks, animations, or sculpture. 

This book is helpful as it does not overwhelm the reader with too much information. The content presented in this book is highly curated to help artists identify important anatomical landmarks in a variety of poses and points of view. Each structure is presented in relationship to the other main structures in each region, and the bones and muscles are shown both hidden and revealed in gorgeous figure illustrations done by Gordon herself. 

This is one of my go to books when I have a doubt about anatomy in a drawing. Its short format makes it easy to find answers, and the beautiful illustrations provide tons of inspiration. 

You can find Gordon’s book, new or used, here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Human-Figure-Anatomical/dp/0140464778/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503688962&sr=8-1&keywords=louise+gordon

2. The Practice and Science of Drawing by Harold Speed

First published in 1917, this is an older book that is (SURPRISE!) text heavy and not reliant on illustrations or figures to talk about the process and art of learning how to draw. In an unconventional way, this book provides the artist with a new way of learning about and consuming information about drawing, which is dominantly explained visually. The figures that are included in the book are concise and essential to understanding the text, which breaks down the process of drawing, seeing, and ways to train yourself to think like an artist. Though it can be a challenging read (especially for those of us who prefer learning visually), it can open your mind to ideas about drawing that you wouldn’t be exposed to otherwise. It can simplify your approach to drawing, and help you to anticipate set-backs or challenges while you practice.

My opinion is that this book is essentially magic, and makes me feel happy that the author is just as curious as I am about the mysterious process of learning how to draw. Read just one chapter and watch how your knowledge evolves over time. 

You can find Speed’s book, new or used, here: https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Science-Drawing-Dover-Instruction/dp/0486228703/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1503690566&sr=1-2&keywords=the+practice+and+science+of+drawing

3. Sketchbook for the Artist by Sarah Simblet

Sketchbook for the Artist is, in my opinion, like the holy grail of drawing books. This book is so well designed and well organized, and is choc full of concise information that introduces the reader to the essential technical, but also conceptual, points of drawing. Simblet covers materials, subject matter, and how-tos on basic to more advanced aspects of drawing, including portraiture and perspective. I can’t stress enough how helpful this book has been to my process over the years. I look back at it from time to time to refresh my brain on art and drawing concepts that may be a bit fuzzy, and always find that I leave inspired and ready to work. 

As a bonus, Simblet provides many of her own drawings (even one from her childhood) to help explain and illuminate concepts in the text. Her sketches and drawings are incredible and she provides engaging explanations for each part of her process. It’s a perfect book to spend time with if you are an artist interested in mastering your craft.

You can find Simblet’s book, new or used, here: https://www.amazon.com/Sketch-Book-Artist-Sarah-Simblet/dp/0756651417/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1503690609&sr=1-1&keywords=sketchbook+for+the+artist

So that’s about it! I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorite books on drawing, and hope you will try and explore these books someday in the future. Remember to check if they are available at your local library if you don’t want to spend the cash! 

What are some of your favorite drawing books, and why do you find them useful? I’d love to hear about your “holy grail” books, too. :)

Remember to check out my instagram @oxcoxa​ where I religiously post drawings and process videos. Leave a comment and I’ll check out your work as well! 

To start a new canvas you have to select File, New, then select size settings. This creates the first layer.

After that you should be able to add more layers using Layer, Add.