Ways of Drawing: Artists' Perspectives and Practices

A generously illustrated collection of essays on drawing as a vital intellectual, artistic, and life practice―by the artists of the Royal Drawing School.

Drawing is among the most direct ways of engaging with the world; a way not just of seeing, but of understanding what you see. At once inspirational and instructive, Ways of Drawing collects a rich variety of reflections on the craft from practicing artists, teachers, and writers.

The book is divided into three sections: Studio Space, which focuses on drawing within four walls; Open Space, which ventures out into the cityscapes and landscapes around us; and Inner Space, which returns to the living, feeling, drawing person. Each section is comprehensively illustrated with a wealth of drawings, prints, and paintings by faculty and alumni of the Royal Drawing School in London, works by established artists past and present, and photographs of artists at work. Short “In Practice” pieces, ranging from a recipe for making oak-gall ink to ideas for drawing from poetry, complement explorations of what it means to draw and personal accounts of artistic development.

Passionately advocating for drawing as deeply personal and utterly essential, Ways of Drawing is an inspiring, intelligent companion for artists and aspiring artists who are seeking new ways of thinking about their practice.

350 illustrations

Julian Bell is a writer and artist. He currently teaches at the Royal Drawing School, London, and writes about art for journals, including the Times Literary Supplement and London Review of Books. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including What Is Painting? and Mirror of the World: A New History of Art.

Julia Balchin is Director of Education & Enterprise at the Royal Drawing School in London.

Claudia Tobin is currently a Leverhulme Early Career Post-doctoral Fellow in Cambridge. She recently devised a program on Literature and Art at the Royal Drawing School in London.