Book Review
I really like this book Fundamentals of Drawing Still Life because
it gives the reader confidence in knowing that whatever skills they
do or do not have, they can learn to draw on some scale. The lessons
in the book won’t make you an expert but give you an understanding
of how to draw the basic shapes that form a lot of the images represented
in the book.
The first chapter, First Steps is very important because it is
an introduction to the materials involved in creating the art projects
in this book including pencils, pens, brushes, paper and other tools.
Instruction in drawing starts here with practice exercises on basic
lines, creating shapes, dimensions, ellipses and cylinders, using
pencil and ink to create tone (which leads to drawing simple objects
with different media) and creating texture.
Following the practice chapter the author starts to Explore Textures
(bones and shells), Combining Objects (encompassed groups), Themes
and Composition (food and drink) and Expanding the View (moving
from inside to outside). He goes on to take a look at Varying Techniques
and Materials (using pencils, pen and ink) and examples from art
(including still life by Diego Rivera and Matisse), Playing with
Still Life (tactile qualities: the senses), and Unusual arrangements
(pictures with a purpose, frescoes and surrealism– Salvador
Dali).
Especially important is the chapter Bringing it All Together because
this is where you compose a finished product based on what you have
learned. The author takes your through a step-by-step process (find
your setting, find your objects, how to light your objects, selection
time, try different viewpoints, spread out or close together, the
artist’s viewpoint, know your objects, know your objects/a
rough composition, outline drawing and block in the tone) toward
the completed picture. |
