Draw!

Being able to see is a prerequisite to drawing. Learning to see requires people to move past assumptions, drawing what they see and not what they think you see. Although this may seem like a simple concept, it can prove to be one of the more difficult challenges for the beginner. Beginning students must learn to look at their subject as though seeing it for the first time, without preconceived notions about what they “know” it looks like. This requires students to trust their eyes, allowing the eyes to inform the hand. Students must learn to slow down and be patient to observe precisely and accurately, recording information directly from what they observe.

This text provides an introduction to the basic concepts and skill-building necessary when learning to draw from direct observation. In addition to the important elements of composition, value, sighting, positive and negative space, and mark-making, it also deals with materials, critiques, and general studio procedures. Draw! empowers students to transform their drawing from a practiced skill into an effective means of communication and self-expression.