Blog Find of the Week
This blog find of the week is a bit unusual, as in, I can't remember where the blog is. I tried doing a few searches to no avail. So, if you know where I first heard about this or it is your blog, please contact me so I can give proper credit.
So anyway, I read on a blog that there is a good book called " Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. The blogger recommended the book for those who want to improve their drawing skills.
Fast forward to yesterday. I was looking at the garage sale ads in The Pantagraph and as I expected there were only a handful due to it being a holiday weekend. But one stood out. It was a lifetime artist sale. Lots of stuff was listed. So I had to make a decision whether to go all the way to Bloomington for just one sale. Well, I decided to go and give it a look-see.
When I arrived I was pretty disappointed. Lots of frames. Lots of old, moldy and wonky frames. A few paintings. (not really to my liking) and some boxes of books.
Well lo and behold the book by Betty Edwards was in one of the boxes so I grabbed it for 3 bucks. (plus a few others that I haven't had to time to look at yet).
I brought the book home and began reading it yesterday afternoon. As I read, I did the exercises that went along. Above is the last exercise I did. I am now about half way through the book.
So here's the thing. When I decided I was going to get better at painting back in January of 2010, I submitted a painting to WetCanvas for a critique. I only got two responses and one was. "You need to learn to draw". I was pretty depressed. But I have pushed forward. I now realize that much of what I have been "learning" has been related to Betty's theory on right brain vs left brain. But now by reading her book I can more fully understand the why of the exercises. It is all making sense now. ( I hope I am making sense!)
So if you are struggling with your art. GET THIS BOOK! I think there is a newer version that has just come out. Or you can get a used one pretty cheap.
In regards to my artistic journey this has been the best $3.00 I have spent.
If you would like to read about other Blog Finds of the Week, just enter Blog Finds in the search box at the bottom of this blog.
Its funny how when you ask for something,the universe provides.What a great find! I have heard of this concept before but never tried to find out more about it.Now you have my interest.
ReplyDeleteYeesh, Karla. This book has been recommended to me before and I bought it. I started reading it and for whatever reason (life?) set it aside and never did get back to it. I need to get back to it. I have a feeling I think with both left and right side of the brain. I'm extremely analytical (right side) but think in pictures (left side), and everything I see, I think of in relation to a painting or other piece of art (also left side). Still, I do agree with the opinion that drawing is foundational to any good art. Unfortunately, I have hits and misses with my drawings. I need to definitely step them up. If a drawing is wonky, how can a painting not be as well? Even when not drawn first? You still have same eyes and same hands that will interpret in the same way, right? At any rate, the drawing of your hand is awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sherry, My drawing definately has room for improvement.
ReplyDeleteSo happy the universe provided exactly what you needed when you needed it! I used to teach at the college level and began to use some of this book's methods for some of my classes way back in the early 90's with amazing results. My copy is old and well used.
ReplyDeleteI love this book and review it every year when I start up my summer sketching everyday blog.
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