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How To Draw Cool Stuff

Friday, June 17, 2022

 



Happy Friday, Y'all!  Have you had a nice week so far?  It's been very hot here in Central Alabama: We've been under a heat advisory for most of the week.  When it's too hot to play outside, your children or grandchildren might enjoy learning how to draw cool stuff, which happens to be the title of the book I'm reviewing today!


According to Goodreads:

How to Draw Cool Stuff shows simple step-by-step illustrations that make it easy for anyone to draw cool stuff with precision and confidence. These pages will guide you through the basic principles of illustration by concentrating on easy-to-learn shapes that build into complex drawings.

With the step-by-step guidelines provided, anything can become easy to draw. This book contains a series of fun, hands-on exercises that will help you see line, shape, space and other elements in everyday objects and turn them into detailed works of art in just a few simple steps.


The exercises in this book will help train your brain so you can visualize ordinary objects in a different manner, allowing you to see through the eyes of an artist.

From photorealistic faces to holiday themes and tattoo drawings, How to Draw Cool Stuff makes drawing easier than you would think and more fun than you ever imagined! Now is the time to learn how to draw the subjects and scenes you've always dreamt of drawing. How to Draw Cool Stuff is suitable for artists of any age benefiting everyone from teachers and students to self-learners and hobbyists.

How to Draw Cool Stuff will help you realize your artistic potential and expose you to the pure joy of drawing!


My Review:

This book does a pretty good job teaching some of the basics, from mark making to perspective.  Each lesson has a brief outline including objectives, vocabulary, and activities.  Catherine V. Holmes, the author, has included a variety of subjects for the lessons that would appeal to both girls and boys.  Kids can decide what they'd like to draw once the basics are covered in the beginning of the book.  I like the step by step illustrations because it teaches young artists one of the most important lessons that an artist can learn: Drawing should be approached from general shapes to specific details.

I think this book is appropriate for upper elementary children and up.  All you really need to complete the lessons are a number 2 pencil, a good eraser, and a drawing or sketch pad.  It would be great to take on a trip in case of inclement weather, and I think all homeschool classrooms would benefit from having this book or one of the books in the series (there are five total).

I completed a couple of lessons for y'all to see.


The human eye lesson is from Chapter Two: Human Face Parts.
This chapter is a little more difficult than the rest.



The lesson above is typical of most of the lessons in the book.  
This lesson's focus is shading, and it includes the objectives and vocabulary.




This lesson is from Chapter Four: Holidays and Seasons.
You can see a little bit of the book on the left.  



This shows the step-by-step for drawing a rose and a banner.
I only used a number 2 pencil for this drawing.  


One of the books in the series is How to Draw Cool Stuff: The 5 Minute Workbook.  It looks like it would be fun and (maybe) provide drawing prompts for art journaling.  

I received a copy of How to Draw Cool Stuff from the publisher (Library Tales Publishing) via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.  Thank-you, TLC, for inviting me to be a part of the tour!


NOTE:  I wrote this post before the shootings at my church yesterday.  I had a commitment to read and review this book and post my review on this date.  Please pray for our church community.  Thank-you.


Until next time...

Create more art, and happy reading!
Ricki Jill





12 comments

  1. I am so very sad about the shooting and I'm keeping everyone in my prayers. I am doing things inside this week too because of the heat. Take care my friend!

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  2. So sorry about the shooting at your church. Prayers for all of your worship community and their families. We are having the same heat up here in the midwest. Have a nice weekend stay cool. xoxo Kris

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  3. I didn't realize the shootings occurred in your church. I work in Homewood so this hit very close to home. I'm so sad.

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  4. I like the step-by-step idea. But the hard part comes when you have to do something that doesn't quite look like the sample.I haven't heard about the church shootings. I'm so sorry -- I send prayers to you and your church family.

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  5. I love reading reviews of this instructional from an artist's point of view. It's all pretty much Greek to me, so I like seeing the step-by-step. I hope the trauma your church community has seen will heal. How devastating.

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  6. This is a great book, I will get one for my little artist CC! I can't believe the news about the shooting right here in our community, I have been worried sick about you as I know how much you love your church...
    Jenna

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  7. So Sorry that happened at your church - so sad! Wishing you well!

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  8. I'm so sorry about the shooting at your church. Devastating.

    Thank you for posting about the book. I love your drawings. :)

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  9. So sorry about your church, how truly terrible.

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  10. I'm so sorry about what happened at your church. Hugs RJ, sorry this comment is late.

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  11. I've been thinking about you and keeping you in my prayers. I hope you are having a good week! Sweet hugs, Diane

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Hello!

I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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