How to Draw" (commonly referred to as H2D) by Scott Robertson is regarded by many self-taught artists as the pinnacle of resources - and for some it may very well be. To start with, is "How to Draw" what you need? We must be mindful and honest with ourselves when it comes to artistic goals, but as a beginner or intermediate, it is not surprising or bad to not fully know what our goals fully are. US college students change majors an average of three times before graduating, and about 80% of students change at least once. How To Draw gives you exercises and guidance. But this can only go so far because at some point you need to put in real consistent work to reach the skill level you want. Learning Curves Each lesson is created and explained with a step-by-step approach. Beginners may feel overwhelmed when it seems like step 1 and step 2 jump drastically in capabilities. But the more you practice the easier it’ll be to digest this information.

Ironically the reason it took me so long to finish it was that the more I read and was impressed with his iron discipline it presented the more I felt it was worthwhile to return to the 3D gfx I had abandoned years ago. Funny when you think about it, that a great drawing book would push me away from drawing, but I guess it fits with my hypothesis that sometimes a great civilization will probably produce it's most impressive works even as it's slowly being replaced by another. I'm betting if this book could be sent in time even just a few decades it would be considered THE manual for perspective drawing. Early chapters explain how to draw accurate perspective grids and ellipses that in later chapters provide the foundation for more complex forms. The research and design processes used to generate visual concepts are demonstrated, making it much easier for you to draw things never-before-seen! I would like to preface this article by saying that "How to Draw" is one of my favorite learning resources of all time. Without a doubt, I have used this book to solve more problems than any other, up until this point in my journey. Scott Robertson is one of my artistic heroes, and the one whose footsteps I wish to follow as an aspiring industrial designer. This is not a rant trying to convince anyone that they should not invest in this book. It is merely a series of warnings on putting too much significance on a resource without weighing its benefits to that individual's goals.Scott’s knowledge is seemingly endless and it shows in this book. He teaches very powerful principles to master perspective and train your eye for imaginative drawing. How to Draw: Drawing and Sketching Objects and Environments from Your Imagination by Scott Robertson – eBook Details You've drawn something, there are things you like, and most assuredly some things you don't like. EVALUATE. Find where you missed the mark, and get fresh eyes to help you. For many of us, the only books we ever read are linear fiction and non-fiction, and maybe the occasional textbook in high school, where we skim for answers to a fill in the blank worksheet. This is not how reference material is utilized. Think of it like the old choose your own adventure stories, except instead of the possible endings being a mystery, you know your desired end goal and you have a table of contents to guide you. I see so many people reading this book like a story from cover to cover. Some take it a step further and do some exercises - which is a step up - but we can still do better. Now in it’s 6th edition, this book is one of the most detailed guides for learning artistic perspective. Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach by John Montague teaches the basics of perspective drawing through live examples.

Next time you're trying to think of how to continue to improve and asking the internet for advice, don't blindly follow the advice of the many and immediately try to digest all of H2D like it's a Dr. Seuss book. Instead, treat H2D like a translation dictionary: Are you even going to this country? (do you need this exact resource?) Would you sit on the airplane and try to read lists of words cover to cover? No, to be more effective, you would focus first on the basic grammatical structure, then branch out to the important words and phrases and refer to the book to fill in your gaps (targeted practice). The author Ernest Watson taught at Pratt for 20 years and knows how to reach students with a clear style of writing. Its title, in its vagueness, promises more than any other. Literally answering the most common question of "How do I learn to draw?", coupled with Robertson's (well earned!) reputation, causes it to become the siren's song to many young artists and distracts them from an honest evaluation of their needs and how best to meet them. With this book you’ll learn how to create perspective without any tools. Perspective does have specific rules, but if you learn how to eyeball these rules you’ll have a much easier time putting pencil to paper.This is why many people feel “How To Draw” isn’t really made for total beginners. Novice artists can work their way through basic lessons but will eventually hit a wall. The biggest challenge is the jump in skillset as you move along through each chapter. Once you move beyond the chapters on shapes & volumes the difficulty increases dramatically. Same with the chapters that talk about drawing environments, aircrafts, and vehicles.