Do you like to sketch? It can be so relaxing. So can doodling. Have you ever wondered how to become a better artist? Personally, I love to sketch and doodle but am not much of an artist when it comes to drawing. My students on the other hand have been amazing artists, and sketching was something that truly relaxes them. So, for today's Relaxing Friday post we are sharing an interesting and informative book about sketching and art. The book is Art Life Practice: The Guided Sketchbook by Berry Stein. This is not a children's book however tweens and teens may enjoy it as well as many adults.
Publisher's Summary:
Spark inspiration and encourage regular creative practice with 52 playful exercises, inspired by art history.It’s a guide. It’s a sketchbook. It’s a tool to give anyone the joy and mindfulness of being creative every day—through drawing, painting, collage, and more. A beautiful and inspiring gift for budding creators and experienced artists alike, this guided sketchbook from the brand Art Life Practice features dozens of prompts to unleash readers’ imaginations and offer a daily dose creativity.
The book serves as both an introduction to a wide range of art-making techniques (from blind contour sketching to collage) and a bit of art history 101, as many of the prompts are inspired by renowned artists’ work and are accompanied by quotes from the artists as well as brief biographies. In one exercise you’ll be doodling simple organic shapes in the vein of a Matisse cutout, the next sketching a pet portrait while learning about David Hockney’s love of his dachshunds.
Part creative play, part art instruction, the Guided Sketchbook is an interactive tool to inspire, educate, and transform. Ready to begin?
From Me:
This book begins with an introduction and how to use this book. Then it talks about tools like pencils, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, oil pastels and collage. Once you have the tool you want to use there are warm-up prompts, but just a couple. Then the book is divided into two parts: The Elements of Art and An Exploration of Art Genres. Each of these parts are divided into four chapters. There are a total of 52 prompts and for some of the prompts are several blank pages to try it out multiple times. Each prompt describes the process and tells the reader about an artist that used the process or how it helps the artist. There are quotes and information about famous artists throughout the pages.
It also includes an introduction to color including the color wheel as well as temperatures and variations. When Hazel was young, we explored these ideas of colors. I have linked to some of our explorations in case you want to explore with a child. The book explores so many different parts of art. There are prompts on lines, color, shape and texture in the first part of the book.
The second part of the book explores still life, landscape, portraiture, and art, music and poetry. I love how this book pushes the reader to go further with their own art and also shares different things about different artists and art styles. In Still Life for example there is a focus on flowers and bouquets and even has the reader take field notes from a walk. It talks about Paul Cezanne and Georgia O'Keefe, as well as cubism perspective and negative space. There is so much packed into each section and prompts to help the reader to explore each part on his or her own. This book is perfect for any artist or budding artist. It makes an amazing gift for the person who draws and sketches in their own time. It is a way to encourage the amateur artist to go one step further. With the holidays quickly approaching, it is the perfect gift to buy now and cross someone off your list!
