6-Week Drawing Course

In this title, Barrington Barber teaches the essentials of drawing, offering a six-part course that will suit absolute beginners as well as anyone who wants to improve their existing skills. Although the book is structured in six weekly lessons, the timing is flexible: readers might prefer to work through in a different order, or spend less or more time on each section. However, beginners will find it easiest to progress from start to finish. In Week 1, the reader is encouraged to get used to handling a pencil, with a series of exercises in mark-making. Week 2 concentrates on one composite still life, from assembling objects to completion. Week 3 explores one of the most popular subjects for still life—plants. Week 4 looks at landscapes, from understanding perspective and composition, to planning and executing a complete project. Week 5 introduces ways of sketching a range of familiar animals, from cats, dogs, and horses, to more exotic creatures. Week 6 tackles the high point of most drawing courses—portraits and figures.

Barrington Barber is a renowned authority on teaching drawing and also a practicing artist. After training as a graphic designer, he went into advertising, working for top agencies before progressing to freelance design and producing illustrations for a range of books and magazines. He taught art for many years and has written and illustrated numerous books including The Fundamentals series, Anyone Can Draw, Drawing Masterclass, and Drawing Class.