Everyone Can Learn the Art and Science of Drawing with this Book

Drawing is not in the genes, but a science that everyone can learn with the right guidance and a commitment to practice. Read my review of The Art and Science of Drawing to decide whether Brent Eviston‘s instructional book is right for you and/or someone on your gift list.

Disclosure: Ad. The book is a sample of my choice from Rocky Nook. The post is not endorsed by them. I wrote it entirely myself and it represents my own 100% honest opinion.

A Book to Learn the Art and Science of Drawing

A central argument of the book is that everyone who wants to draw can learn drawing. Of course, it takes practice and understanding the principles as well as observations. The key to drawing is learning the techniques of the drawing process (light vs. dark, perspectives, drawing 3D geometric shapes), identifying the main geometric shapes/forms of the object to be drawn and what is missing to turn these shape/forms into the object. The book well accomplishes this concept by introducing the drawing material and explaining the techniques in great, easy-to-understand details.

The Approach to Teach Drawing

When in college, I tutored math. The course’s instructor criticized me that I asked the students to practice with additional problems beyond their homework. However, I strongly believe that understanding a concept is not enough. It takes practice to apply an understood, but complex theory. In addition, it takes higher-order-thinking to apply learned material to a new problem. Therefore, I like Eviston’s suggestions to practice drawing a lot of shapes, and geometric figures in different sizes from different view points before going to the next step of drawing more complex objects.

For instance, when drawing a bird, you need the skills of drawing an egg, a sphere, straight lines, and triangles in space as the fundamental structure of the body, head, leggs, and beak, respectively. If the student fails to get the basics (shapes, 3D forms) right, they will have no chance to draw a more complex object correctly. Based on my experience as an educator for almost 30 years, the book’s approach to teaching the material is effective, and supports to learn the skills successfully.

How the Book Improved my Drawing Skills

My late Dad had taught me how to draw with 1, 2, and 3 points perspectives. Over time, I had extended my skills from one focal point to more. Therefore, the science of drawing boxes from various views was not new to me. I mainly used the skill to sketch houses for oil paintings of urban streets when I was a teenager. The skill also came in handy for making science diagrams.

Drawing with the Skills I already Had vs. with the New Skills from the Book

However, I never had drawn a cylinder or sphere. To demonstrate the first improvements I drew a book, glass, and apple, which go back to the concept of a box, cylinder, and sphere prior to reading how to draw a cylinder or sphere correctly (top panel of next photo). After reading the concepts (but without practicing drawing cylinders and spheres), I redid the drawing. Judge yourself whether my drawing approved. I think so, however, there is a lot of room for improvement. Practicing drawing three dimensional cylinders and sphere (as suggested in the book) will do the trick.

Overall Structure of the Book

The book well formulates the goals and leads the student step-by-step thru the process to achieve them. It starts out with basics easy-to-accomplish skills and builds upon them to get to the next level and skill. The introductory chapter covers the materials. A chapter on the basic skills, forms and shapes follows. The third chapter explains measuring, and proportions, which is important when drawing clothing. Chapter 4 addresses marking and contours. Next comes a chapter on light and shadow. The final chapter pulls the various skills together with a brief introduction into figure drawing.

Throughout all chapters, the reader finds many great example drawings that visualize the explained concepts.

About the Author Brent Eviston

Brent Eviston studied at Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles. He has been a drawing instructor at studios, museums, galleries, schools, and online for more than twenty years. In 2017, Brent was honored as one of Udemy’s Best New Instructors.

Who Would Benefit from “The Art and Science of Drawing”

The Art and Science of Drawing is a great book for everyone who wants to learn drawing at a self-determined pace. Since the book goes far beyond the high school curriculum, every student interested in building a portfolio for admission to an art, design or fashion program could benefit from using the book. Due to the great photos, the book is also a great gift those on your list who have a great interest in art, drawings, and paintings.

Brent Eviston’s The Art and Science of Drawing costs $23.99, $29.95, and $39.99 for the eBook, print book, and the print with eBook bundle, respectively. The many high quality photos of examples well justify the price. You can order the book at Rocky Nook. It is also available on Amazon.

I can recommend this book to friends and family. If I had seen the book in a store, I would have bought it.

Book Review of The Art and Science of Drawing in a Nutshell

On 224 pages, Brent Eviston guides the reader thru the entire drawing process from the most basic skills to the more advanced skills of volumetric drawing, shading, and figure sketching. The guidance with instructional images, diagrams and finished drawings permits anyone to learn drawing who is committed to practice. Set your drawing skills on the right track and start with ordering the book.

Photos: N. Mölders

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