Dare to Sketch: A Guide to Drawing on the Go By Felix Scheinberger
I'm always on the lookout for a sketching book to finally get me to sketch! Yea, I know... it is up to me and not a book but inspiration is always a good thing. While this one didn't quite get my butt in gear and start sketching as much as I should, it was a good primer book for those that want just some information on sketching in general.
I actually didn't agree with some of the suggestions here, I didn't quite disagree either. I do like his suggestions on materials, but I think to get someone to sketch you need to make it more accessible and more relaxed. The suggested paper and pens were ideal, but I think that a much more relaxed attitude toward it gets people to start more than anything else. Ironically it is a sentiment he seems to make when getting down to how to record what you see. His attitude there is that you don't need to produce photographic type of drawings (keep those for a camera) but to get more of the gesture and feel of the objects.
In the end I give this book 3 stars. It is good basic information for those starting to sketch and it does have some good inspirational sketches from the artist. I also like the last couple of pages that talked about master artists and what happened to their sketchbooks. I always love those kinds of tidbits. 160 Inspirational, beginners book on sketching on-the-go. Lots of decent tips, but nothing you can’t find in a number of other books. I spent more time looking at the author’s way of drawing than I did reading the text. Many of his sketches looked amateurish and primitive, but in a way that I found appealing. It told me to not seek perfection. It told me to put myself into the sketch and, better, to put the moods and ambience of the subject over its visual details. I liked this short and engaging book very much. 160 Wonderful; fantastic, grand, howling, marvelous, terrific - it's all I can say, it's all I have time to say ... before running out to do some serious sketching. 160 You won't get in depth instruction on technique, but more a spiritual guide to being a sketch artist. Yes, there's some technique advice, but the better part of the book is evangelical. Drawing as a way to better connect to the world. To reflect a more encompassing reality than photographs can. Drawing is a sensual process...it is a personal, human medium. 160 Engaging and of great use to anyone who wants to draw
This delightfully well written book introduces the reader to the world of urban sketching. While it does not deal in huge detail with the actual materials of sketching, like which pen to use or favored watercolor brands, the author, a seasoned professional illustrator and artist, follows the time honored rule for writers, and in this case literally shows, not tells, how urban sketching is done. No, you won’t learn the rules of perspective or how to produce a realistic eye, as that is not the book’s main aim. You will instead learn, from wonderful colored reproduction of the authors work, what to sketch and where and why...If thé why is not obvious from reading the book, it lies half in the sheer joy of drawing, no matter how “sketchy” or “unrealistic” and half in the human need to preserve and to share memories. While the author insists that a sketchbook is personal and need not be shared, the fact that he shares his sketches here and in other books reveals that this is in fact a need. To share memories and observations and viewpoints is innate and utterly human, as is drawing itself. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking inspiration to draw or sketch what interests her in the world. (Review written by Phoebe Sparrow Wagner) 160
For as long as I could remember I wanted to be an artist and that is what I studied growing up, however I’ve somehow ended up as a data analysist. I’ve continued to draw, but over the years the amount of art I’ve produced has withered to very little as my free time has been whittled away and inspiration dulled.
I requested the ARC for this book as I’ve been meaning to get back into art for a while and I must say that this wonderful book has inspired me and reminded me of my love for art.
Felix Scheinberger is an amazing artist with such effortless talent, his work is a pleasure to behold and his advice is incredibly useful. From materials to subjects, his advice is simple, effective and easy to follow.
I’d say that this book is useful for someone such as me who has previously studied art, it would also be perfect for beginners who would definitely gain a lot from reading this.
This isn’t an in depth look at art, methods and history, it is advice, guidance and encouragement – which was more useful to me than the dry books I studied in school and college. I absolutely loved this book and would wholeheartedly recommend it!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in return for a fair and unbiased review. 160 A copy showed up during my latest library haul, so did a quick re-read. A good primer.
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Original review:
I'd recommend this one for beginner artists and people new to keeping sketchbooks. There's some good advice in here, and I like the loose style the author uses in his sketches. If you are not a newbie, this one is pretty basic, but the actual book itself is wonderfully designed, and the art fun to look at. 160 A comprehensive beginner’s guide to drawing. It is full of tips, advice and inspiration. I wish it had more illustrated tutorials.
**ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** 160 More entry level than I expected, but good cheerleading.
This covers materials, perspective, format, and addresses some very artistic sensibilities like protecting your work, pushing out the inner critic, and taking chances. I love the advice of starting with a patently bad work--get it out of the way, don't fear it. And then the discussion of works that don't turn out as planned and viewing that not as a setback, but a new perspective.
Scheinberger is big on non-realistic sketching. Photography is for documentation; drawing is for expression--let's not get into a battle of mediums, but suffice to say that he advocates for communication over verisimilitude. Scheinberger also addresses more complex concepts.
Reality is more a compromise among many ways of seeing. Hence, realistic drawing is more like the smallest common denominator than actual reality. Instead, think about what you want to convey.
The most important thing to realize is that what you see is light, but what you draw is shadow. Do not use it too sparingly.
This is one of the most basic and fundamental concepts and he lays it out simply while comparing various techniques: cross-hatching, watercolor, etc.
Perhaps the most significant advice for me and the screaming perfectionist who destroys as much as they create is this statement about the sketchbook's raison d'être:
It remains a field of experimentation and of trial and error. It remains a notebook and a diary.
160 2.5 stars. Ok overview of drawing basics with particular tips for urban sketchers. Definitely feels like a variation of other things I've read before. 160
An inspirational, instructional, and visually stimulating guide to sketching and drawing. Dare to Sketch is filled with practical tips about which materials to use, a variety of subject matter ranging from easy to more challenging, and wisdom about overcoming creative blocks and fear of making mistakes.
A whimsical beginner's guide to sketching, covering all of the important basics: what kind of notebook to buy, what drawing materials to use, ideas for subject matter, and daily exercises. Includes inviting, inspirational, and idiosyncratic tips (don't start on the first page of your sketchbook!), Dare to Sketch is gorgeously illustrated with the author's unique and contemporary art style. Dare to Sketch: A Guide to Drawing on the Go