Drawing to See

Progressing logically from the most encompassing fundamentals to more specific drawing considerations, this book addresses the options, challenges, and methodologies of drawings made in the presence of subjects such as still life, figure, and landscape. It revolves around the premise that beginners' main interests center on developing the ability to draw what they see or envision in a more or less objective manner. The book approaches the teaching of drawing in the same way artists approach the creating of drawings: by proceeding from the general to the specific, acknowledging the given conditions of visual expression, being consistent and clear, and presenting a work in an organized and economical manner. Chapter titles include Matters of Measurement, From Gesture to Line, From Line to Shape, From Shape to Plane and Structure, From Structure to Value and Volume, Color in Drawing, Composition in Drawing, Seeing with the Mind's Eye, and Materials of Drawing. For serious amateur artists.

Drawing to See is specifically designed for the beginning drawing student. The focus of this clear and thorough text is to teach students what they need to know and see to draw in an objective manner. It introduces students to the concepts and procedures necessary to develop sound drawing skills, focusing on matters of measurement and perspective, line and shape, planar and structural analysis, value and volume, and color. The book then explores the compositional and expressive aspects of both observational and imaginative drawing. Authors Nathan Goldstein and Harriet Fishman have carefully selected the best examples available to illustrate their points, choosing a broad range of images from simple line art to old masters to contemporary artists.

• A practical introduction that addresses the book's rationale, themes, and content.
• Things to Think About sections help students thoroughly understand the main points of each chapter.
• Critical Considerations sections anticipate common drawing problems having to do with perception, response, execution, composition, and other important drawing issues. These sections introduce beginning students to the kinds of observations and queries generally made by teachers in classroom critique situations.
• Drawing exercises appear in eight of the nine chapters, giving students the opportunity to practice the concepts they have learned.