Drawing Magic

Includes instructions on drawing animals, as well as information about creating scary stuff, speed, and space.

Grade 2-6-With their strong use of bold, primary colors; busy page layouts; and exuberant writing style, these books are bound to attract would-be artists. Both titles are well organized and are loaded with helpful techniques. Cartoon Magic introduces drawing faces, bodies, and clothing; creating movement; drawing animals and animal movement; giving faces to inanimate objects; and drawing superheroes, villains, and space characters. Refinements such as coloring techniques, perspective, word balloons, and making a comic strip are also discussed. All of the directions are clearly numbered, and there are many variations suggested for each basic concept. There are partially drawn characters to be used in drawing exercises, so the book serves as a workbook as well as an instructional model. The first part of Drawing Magic is devoted to animals, from dogs to a manta ray. Beginning with geometric shapes, step-by-step instructions show how to draw the creatures. There is also some instruction about achieving textures for scales, feathers, and the like. The second part shows how to draw "scary stuff, speed, and space." It shows how to draw bats, a wolf with exposed fangs, a spooky tree, a creepy castle, a roller coaster, a jet plane, and a stylized space alien. Children who are interested in drawing animals or scary items in general would appreciate this book, but those who have their hearts set on drawing many variations of a particular type of animal, such as many cat breeds, would need to look elsewhere.
Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.