The Best Books about Drawing and Sketching
Ranked #2 in Books, Poetry & Writing, #22 overall
Find out which are the best books about drawing and sketching
Do you want to learn how to draw?
Not sure which book to buy?
Want to find out which are the best books about drawing and sketching?
This site covers books - and book reviews:
* for people wanting to learn to draw
* about drawing at an advanced level - for people wanting to develop their drawing skills
* about specific drawing techniqes and materials
* about how to draw specific subject matter
* about creativity and creative drawing
* about sketching and using a sketchbook or visual journal
* for those wanting to learn about drawing by masters through the ages
I'm an artist and writer who is absolutely passionate about drawing and sketching and I write about both. Making A Mark, my art blog is currently ranked as the #3 art blog in the UK and in the top 20 in the world. My Travels with a Sketchbook blog has also featured in and been recommended by The Times newspaper in London
I've included recommendations and links to fuller reviews on people's blogs - including my own. Where are no specific recommendations you can be sure I crawled all over Amazon working out which were the books which were getting the top ratings - and that I haven't got round to reviewing most of those books as yet.
You can find out about......
......click a link to go straight to the topic
These are just the top level headings - there's a lot more below! Keep scrolling.....
- The Big Drawing Book Review
- DEVELOPING YOUR DRAWING SKILLS
- BOOKS: Drawing Books for Beginners
- Which is the best book for people wanting to learn to draw?
- BOOKS: Drawing materials and techniques
- BOOKS: Advanced Drawing
- BOOKS: How to draw like the Masters
- ADVANCED DRAWING COURSES
- NEW BOOKS ABOUT DRAWING AND SKETCHING
- NEW BOOKS about Drawing!
- HOW TO DRAW......
- BOOKS: How to draw people
- BOOKS: How to do perspective drawing
- BOOKS: How to draw plants and flowers
- BOOKS: How to draw nature
- BOOKS: How to draw animals and birds
- BOOKS: How to make drawing creative and experimental
- BOOKS: How to illustrate Children's Books
- SKETCHING & VISUAL JOURNALS
- DRAWING THROUGH THE AGES
- RECOMMENDED Art Books
- RECOMMENDED Art Bookshops in London
- Has this site helped you?
- Comments and Suggestions
- Making A Mark - Top Books for Artists
Bookmark This Resource
New links are being added to this site on a regular basis.

The Best Books About Drawing And Sketching - has been awarded a purple star for INCREDIBLE CONTENT!
The Big Drawing Book Review
to support The Big Draw in the UK
I started this site as a place to highlight all the best books about drawing and sketching and to keep links to all the book reviews arising out of THE BIG DRAWING BOOK REVIEW on my blog Making A Mark .
This was started in support of the Big Draw month (October 2007) which is co-ordinated by the Drawing Campaign.
Book reviews were posted on my blog and the blogs of those people participating in the review. This site then collated all the links to book reviews of books about drawing and/or sketchbooks by people participating in the project plus links to those same books on Amazon.
Read about The Big Drawing Book Review.
Since the project, I've continued to develop the recommendations based on the recommendations of others and my own reviews. I now post book reviews to Making A Mark reviews......
Rating books for the Big Drawing Book Review
Rate your book! This is how The Big Drawing Book Review rates books about drawing or sketching.
5 pencils - go out and buy this book right now if you have the money. In your opinion, an essential book for anybody seriously interested in drawing and/or learning more about drawing.
4 pencils - a seriously good book about drawing; definitely one you want to own at some point - maybe one for the Christmas present list if you're broke
3 pencils - good effort but nothing which really distinguishes it from other books. It's just this author's take on the basics. The sort of book which is good while you are reading it but doesn't stick in your memory.
2 pencils - undistinguished in your view. For example: content may be a rerun of previously published books and/or remixed with a new front cover; presentation may not be particularly noteworthy.
1 pencil - buying this book would damage your wallet but is unlikely to enhance either your knowledge, skills or enjoyment. It may also hurt your eyes! (Unfortunately there are a few of these out there - although I'm assuming we've probably weeded through a few of these without buying!)
DEVELOPING YOUR DRAWING SKILLS
1) beginners wanting to learn how to draw
2) those wanting to know more about specific media and techniques
3) those wanting to learn more about advanced drawing skills
4) those wanting to draw like the Masters
BOOKS: Drawing Books for Beginners
Books on Amazon for those wanting to learn to draw
If you want to learn how to draw and can't get to a class, the very best thing you can do is buy a book which has proved to be invaluable in teaching me and thousands of other people how to draw.
The two best books for beginners - by a very long way - are listed below. These are Keys to Drawing and The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Neither book is new and both books have stood the test of time - and gained very many fans as a result.
I highly RECOMMEND both books - as do very many people who have learned how to draw from studying these books and attempting the very practical and useful exercises they contain.
Try either but I really do recommend buying both if you can afford both as they take a different approach and complement each other.
Book Reviews: Drawing Books for people wanting to learn to draw
plus a warning about a book I do NOT recommend you buy
"Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw with some degree of proficiency"
Bert Dodson
- Making a Mark: Keys to Drawing
- "Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson is one of the first drawing books that I bought after I got back to doing art after a break of over 15 years. It opened my eyes, stimulated my enthusiasm for drawing again and provided me with some really excellent guidelines about what to think about when drawing.
- Making a Mark: So you want to learn how to draw.......
- I have two books which I recommend time and time again to people who want to learn how to draw. When I'm out sketching I often get people who stand next to me and watch me draw for a bit. About half then say "I wish I could draw". When they do, I ask them if they really want to learn because if they do I know of a couple of books which they will find helpful. To those that say 'Yes' I then recommend that they try and find one and preferably both of the following books.
* Bert Dodson - Keys to Drawing
* Betty Edwards - The New Drawing on the Right Side of your Brain
This book review looks at Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain - Making a Mark: The Drawing Bible
- This is a really useful basic guide to drawing for those who'd like to achieve a more painterly effect in their drawings. The Drawing Bible is full of information in relation to drawing materials, techniques and treatments of different subject matter which is put across in a bite-sized and succinct way. I'm happy to have this book in my bookshelves. It's packed with information and represents good value for money. The book is described as being an essential reference for practising artists but I think its primary market is probably the advancing 'hobby artist' rather than practising professionals.
- Making a Mark: The little book of drawing
- If you like very conventional instruction books and/or rendering detail for its own sake then you might not like this one. On the other hand if you like a challenge, are open to different methods of instruction, are interested in exploring drawing and developing your own style and/or finding out how to combine skills in drawing with approaches to developing style and picture-making you will find it interesting. Plus if you want to find out who you are through your drawing then this is a jolly good place to start.
- Making a Mark Reviews: Book review: The Coloured Pencil Artist's Drawing Bible
- Who should NOT buy this book?
People new to coloured pencils who want to learn how to use them as a serious art medium. The book provides poor technical advice about tools and materials relevant to coloured pencils and only generic and very basic art advice. There are much better alternative books available.
Drawing and Sketching - Resources for Artists
if you want a compendium of information try some of my other websites
Which is the best book for people wanting to learn to draw?
Bert Dodson vs Betty Edwards
I recommend two books all the time to people wanting to learn how to draw
* Keys to Drawing by: Bert Dodson - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - see my book review
* The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by: Betty Edwards - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - see my book review
I also know that BOTH BOOKS have very many fans and lots of us like both of them!
But which do you think is the best book is the best for those wanting to learn how to draw?
Please leave a "blurb" below (please note all comments are moderated and won't appear straight away)
Which drawing book for beginners do you like the best?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byBert's my main man - Keys to Drawing is the best book
Edutopia says:
Bert knows where the keys are at to unlock your drawing potential.
Posted February 13, 2012
Chris says:
Betty's book is all talk and sounds like a sale's pitch to me. Bert's book is rock solid drawing instruction from page one. Easy pick-> Bert all the way.
Posted February 10, 2012
makingamark says:
You'll see from the section of this lens called "Which is the best book for people wanting to learn to draw?" that I recommend BOTH of these books
Posted February 04, 2012
pyngthyngs says:
I would love to learn to draw. Do you recommend one book over another to start?
Posted February 03, 2012
HuntAndFishGuides says:
Bert's book has helped me more than Betty's, but I just learn better with that type of structure.
Posted November 03, 2011
says:
Difficult to choose but I'm going for my man Bert, so I am.
Posted October 07, 2011
blanckj says:
Keys to Drawing is the best for beginners and could be complimented with Betty after to gain a broader spectrum of skills.
Posted May 31, 2011
BasantSoni says:
KEY To DRAWINGS..by Bert Dodson.... is best book for beginners..
Posted May 23, 2011
Betty's book is best - I like using the right side of my brain!
goo2eyes says:
if you are highly-recommending betty's book, then i prefer to have betty's. i'll take your word for it. thanks for sharing this helpful lens.
Posted February 12, 2012
curious0927 says:
I have the first "Drawing From The Right Side Of Your Brain". Would love to see the second!
Posted January 28, 2012
ErnestBoehm says:
Thanks for the detailed review of books there is a swamp of books on the topic and it is good to find books that stand out.
Posted December 19, 2011
eileen_morey says:
That's a tough call. Of the two, I think Betty's is slightly (only slightly) better. Instead, I recommend Danny Gregory's books, of course. However, I also like "Moira Huntly's Sketchbook Secrets." All in all, I'd prefer a beginner to get inspired and find his or her own creative voice, than to copy anything too "by the numbers."
Posted December 01, 2011
yano_jl says:
I personally like "Drawing on the right side of the brain" - this one seemed to bring sketching/drawing to a more achievable level for me.
Posted November 16, 2011
makingamark says:
@Sreekanth - scroll down to see the section on "BOOKS: How to make drawing creative and experimental"
Posted October 30, 2011
Sreekanth says:
I didn't see the book Key to drawing, but i have studied Drawing from the right side of the brain, and i had discovered enough drawing skills in me, but i am into animation, so i need to draw from my imagination, can anyone suggest a book , to improve my drawing skills through imagination...!!
Posted October 30, 2011
Rob Hughes says:
I have taught drawing for over 5 years and Betty provides vital background theory which is revolatory and therefore essential to passing on the skill of drawing to students.
Posted October 21, 2011
creativeinc says:
Every artist should start with honing their drawing skills and the rest is up to the imagination. I love this lens!
Posted October 11, 2011
NEW! The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World
By Gabi Campanario and Urban Sketchers (www.urbansketchers.org)
This book topped the Best Seller Lists for Drawing Books BEFORE it was published on 1 February 2012.
Amazon reviews: 5.0 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews) | Like (71)
The Best New Art Book in January 2012 is The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World which at the end of January had secured the #10 spot in the top 100 books in the Arts and Design Category on Amazon (which now includes music) - on the strength of pre-orders and BEFORE it had even been published.
It's now up to #8 and is also
#1 in Books > Arts & Photography > Painting
#1 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing
#3 in Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media
Congratulations are due to Gabi Campanario (The Sketch Journalist) who authored the book and the 100 Urban Sketchers (Urban Sketchers) who participated in its production.
The last time I saw anything like this was when James Gurney's Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter was published at the end of 2010 - and it then topped the charts for the whole of 2011 and still remains a firm favourite.
The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World
Amazon Price: $16.79 (as of 02/13/2012)![]()
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Quarry Books (February 1, 2012)
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Making A Mark Guides: Drawing and Sketching
written by Katherine Tyrrell; published by Making A Mark Publications
I've developed some Guides for Drawing and Sketching which are available as FREE DOWNLOADABLE files . Let me know what you think about them in comments and suggestions below.
- MAKING A MARK WRITING - Blogs and Publications by Katherine Tyrrell
- WRITING - Blogs and Making A Mark Publications by Katherine Tyrrell
- Making A Mark Publications - Making A Mark Guides for Artists
- Making A Mark Guides for Artists by Katherine Tyrrell - Check out FREE articles for artists providing advice and information. Free for personal use; download pdf files
- A Making A Mark Guide - Life Drawing and Life Class (FREE)
- The Life Drawing and Life Class Guide answers questions about what it's like in a life class and what are the benefits of life drawing
What the guide covers
A Making A Mark Guide: Life Drawing and Life Class provides answers to the following:
* what is life drawing?
* what are the benefits of life drawing?
- Life drawing teaches you how to see
- Life drawing teaches you how to draw what you can see
- Life drawing enables you to develop your own style of drawing
* practical aspects of a life class
* where can I find a life class?
* what do I need to take?
* what should I expect - of the place, the people and how it all works
* what I'm really worried about..... and the answers to the frequent concerns of people who've never enrolled. - A Making A Mark Guide: Starting to Sketch with Coloured Pencils by Katherine Tyrrell (FREE)
- Starting to Sketch with Coloured Pencils - a Making A Mark Guide by Katherine Tyrrell
Starting to Sketch with Coloured pencils will help you to:
* Expand your portfolio of subject matter
* Get a true record of the colours and tones you see
* Develop your freehand drawing and observational skills
* Learn how to draw more quickly
* Learn how to draw outside - and in public!
* Learn how to choose what to sketch - A Making A Mark Guide: Sketching Plein Air with Coloured Pencils (FREE)
- Sketching Plein Air with Coloured Pencils - a Making A Mark guide by Katherine Tyrrell
What the guide covers
This guide is about a sketch I started at Kew Gardens and completed at home. It covers:
* how to get used to a place and find a view to sketch
* how to use your camera as a tool and to collect reference photographs
* developing my version of a thumbnail sketch;
* how to consider and select colours;
* developing a sketch - working plein air and
* finishing - working back home / in the studio. - A Making A Mark Guide: Sketching for Real - a class with assignments (FREE)
- Do you want to learn how to sketch? Sketching For Real is for people who want to learn on how to sketch. This site is based on an online class I've taught and provides an introduction and three assignments
- A Making A Mark Guide - How to sketch a cat in 30 seconds (FREE)
- How to sketch a cat in 30 seconds - a making a mark guide by Katherine Tyrrell.
4 key points for sketching a cat in just 30 seconds
BOOKS: Drawing materials and techniques
Focusing in particular on pencils and pen and ink
Once you're no longer a drawing "newbie" you'll find you will find you develop a huge appetite for wanting to learn more about different drawing media and more about specific techniques associated with the different media.
Book Reviews: Drawing Media and Techniques
These book reviews relate to books about particular drawing media and the different ways you can render and draw using pencils, pen and ink
- Making a Mark: The Drawing Book - Materials and Techniques by Richard McDaniels
- McDaniel's assertion that there are an extraordinary assortment of possibilities for drawing materials leads to a comprehensive review of art materials for drawing at the beginning of this book. I've not seen a better review of drawing materials before or since. It's obviously written by somebody who knows and loves his drawing materials. His section on drawing tools and supplies is also excellent. This is the book which opened my eyes to what was available and kept me looking for certain items for years!
- Making a Mark: The Pen and Ink Book by Jos. A. Smith
- I am particularly fond of working in pen and ink as anybody who has reviewed drawings on my website will know. The Pen and Ink book by Jos. A Smith (published by Watson Guptill) is certainly one of the things that stimulated my interest.
- Making a Mark: 'How to' render realistic textures in pencil by JD Hillberry
- "Drawing Realistic Testures in Pencil" does exactly what it says - and no more. JD Hillberry specialises in hyper realistic techniques for rendering textures in pencil. This is not a 'how to draw' book. The book is excellent at precisely what it sets out to do - drawing realistic textures in pencil.
- An Artist's Journey: Book Review: Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil
- I give this book 4 pencils. It does a good job at teaching what it aims to teach, for a low price. The book is attractive and the images are high-quality. Intermediate-to-advanced artists interested in creating highly realistic drawings will pick up new techniques to add to their repertoire......The book is not for those who are primarily interested in painterly approaches to drawing. One can create outstanding drawings without ever using the techniques discussed in this book.
- Dave's Blog: Book Review: Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley
- Drawing from Line to Life, was published (in 2006). To (the author's) many fans, this was a long-awaited event, and it created a lot of excitement. The book even has its own Yahoo group. For anyone interested in graphite drawing, especially in a realistic style, this book will provide a feast of information
The book is 287 pages long, and contains far too many illustrations to count. I find I am constantly dipping in to it to get ideas, advice and inspiration.
The book is available from Mike Sibley's website. - FUR IN THE PAINT: Book Review, Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley
- This book is a complete guide to drawing realism in graphite. It covers materials, methods, techniques and three complete demonstrations, all by professional graphite artist Mike Sibley. It is divided into 24 chapters which start with, From Line to Life Explained and end with, Putting it all Together. I have no hesitation in awarding this book 5 pencils
- Dave's Blog: Book Review: Beautiful Landscapes by Diane Wright
- This book focusses entirely on landscape drawing. The first part of the book is devoted to drawing major landscape elements, with particular emphasis on trees....The largest part of the book, however, consists of Diane taking us step-by-step through a series of wonderful drawings of subjects as diverse as Kirkwall Harbour and the Sonoma Desert.
This book is available from Diane's website
BOOKS: Advanced Drawing
books on Amazon
Book reviews: Advanced Drawing
Detailed book reviews of advanced drawing books which expand your thinking and language of drawing and take you to the next step
This book is about drawing; about the experience of drawing and seeing drawings; and about the possibilities of extending our traditional concepts concerning the parameters of drawing
Robert Kaupelis
- Making a Mark: The Drawing Book - into the vivid heart of drawing
- The Drawing Book by Sarah Simblet
The book provides almost the equivalent of an extremely well illustrated lecture about the language of drawing across the ages. The range of styles of drawing - the grammar and the vocabulary - is absolutely tremendous - you can feel your eyes widening as you page through this book just looking at the images. The reproduction quality of art history images and drawings used as illustrations in the book is also really excellent. - Kirsty Hall - Book review of The Drawing Book by Sarah Simblett
- I can safely say that The Drawing Book will definitely be going on my Christmas wish list because it's absolutely chock full of good stuff, including one of the clearest explanations of traditional perspective that I've read.
The book is split into short, well written chapters on a variety of subjects including landscape drawing portraiture, nature drawing and even abstract drawing. I particularly liked that drawing from the imagination wasn't ignored - so many drawing instruction books focus solely on realism, which often puts me off since that's not my primary interest. Simblet introduces each topic with relevant drawings, both her own and other artists, before going on to detail a drawing exercise that the reader can attempt. However, even if you don't try any of the exercises - and I haven't yet - you'll still get a lot out of this book. - Making a Mark: Experimental Drawing by Robert Kaupelis
- This is a book which has been written by somebody who has knowledge and skills which come from being both a very experienced teacher and Professor of Art and an acclaimed artist - see the note about his background at the bottom of this post.
"Experimental Drawing" has the feel of being both a distillation of much learning and experimentation on the part of Kaupelis and his students and a labour of love.
BOOKS: How to draw like the Masters
Classical drawing - learn from the Masters
Those who become very good at drawing people tend at some point to study how Past Masters drew people. Looking at how they made marks, represented people and developed their own unique and individual styles of drawing can be hugely influential in the development of good practices and your own competence in and style of drawing.
Do NOT be put off by these books. They are NOT too advanced even for beginners.
You don't have to be able to draw like the masters to begin to understand and appreciate the complexities involved in drawing people. Students who study these books soon begin to understand that drawing figures is not something which can be boiled down to six simple tricks - no matter how many authors or so-called teachers would like to persuade us this is the case. These books are also extremely helpful for those wanting to start a life class because they give you ideas for how you can draw people and how to overcome some of the challenges of drawing people. Treat them as a reference source from which to gain inspiration and you will never ever be disappointed.
Many people buy them just to look at them to start with. I still look at my copies all the time - and never ever tire at looking at excellent figure drawings.
ADVANCED DRAWING COURSES
BOOKS: Daniel M. Mendelowitz and Drawing
RECOMMENDED Read Dave's review of this book on Dave's Blog: The Big Draw Book Review: Drawing by Daniel M. Mendelowitz
5 pencils awarded by Dave
It is a massive book, but that didn't stop me reading it cover to cover when I first bought it. Now, I tend to dip in to it for inspiration or just to admire the amazing achievements of so many wonderful artists. It's a shame it's no longer in print, but it is well worth seeking out.
Note: In fact it is still in print and an EIGHTH EDITION is due to be published in 2011 - see links for pre-ordering below. Given the comments about the binding of the last edition I suggest you check with the publishers to see whether they have made improvements or seek out a copy in a shop and take a look at how it's bound for yourself. Note that the new 2011 concise edition has opted for spiral binding - which will help it lie flat.
The Barque Drawing Course
Recommended by:
- Charley Parker (Lines and Colors)and
- Paul at Learning to See - although he has some reservations - do read his review AND subsequent comments. You can also follow his progress with the Barque Course on his website
Publishers description: The Bargue-Gerome Drawing Course is a complete reprint of a famous, late nineteenth century drawing course. It contains a set of almost two hundred masterful lithographs of subjects for copying by drawing students before they attempt drawing from life or nature. Consequently it is a book that will interest artists, art students, art historians, and lovers and collectors of drawings.
The Drawing Course consists of three sections.
- The first consists of plates drawn after casts, usually of antique examples. Different parts of the body are studied in order of difficulty, until full figures are presented.
- The second section pays homage to the western school of painting with lithographs after exemplary drawings by Renaissance and modern masters.
- The third part contains almost sixty academies or drawings after nude male models, all original inventions by Bargue, the lithographer.
With great care, the student is introduced to continually more difficult problems in the close observing and recording of nature.
Charles Bargue and Jean-Leon Gerome: Drawing Course
Amazon Price: $103.00 (as of 02/13/2012)![]()
Used Price: $61.94
The last part of the book is a biography of Bargue, along with a preliminary catalogue of his paintings, accompanied by reproductions of all that have been found and of many of those lost.
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BOOK: The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study
by Kimon Nicolaides
Recommended by Charley Parker (Lines and Colors)
If you're really committed, Kimon Nicolaides has the game plan, but it's a demanding course of study.
The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study
Amazon Price: $7.47 (as of 02/13/2012)![]()
Used Price: $2.96
Publishers description: Based on his teaching at New York's Art Students' League, Kimon Nicolaides developed a system for teaching how to draw that can be followed by anyone. His approach to drawing concentrates on mastering the key concepts: contour, gesture, weight and structure. Illustrated with examples from the Old Masters as well as student works. Focusing on gesture and action, feeling and expression this is a definitive guide for anyone who wants to learn how to make their drawing come alive. Consisting of 64 exercises that are to be studied over the course of the year, this is the guide that has been used by thousands of students already.
Kimon Nicolaides had his first one shpw in Paris in 1922, taught at the Art Students' League of New York for fifteen years and died in 1938.
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NEW BOOKS ABOUT DRAWING AND SKETCHING
NEW BOOKS about Drawing!
Just published and about to be published
I always keep an eye on the new books about drawing and sketching.
* Immediately below are two new resource sites (for 2011 and 2012) which provide a listing of NEW books according to the month in which they were published.
* They include hardbacks, paperbacks and ebooks.
A few of these are also highlighted below.
* The Andrew Loomis books are returning to print - in a facsimile edition of the original books
* There's a bit of a trend at the moment to show people how to keep a sketchbook or journal - partly because the recently developed online sketching communities have created a surge in interest.
HOW TO DRAW......
BOOKS: How to draw people
books on Amazon
Lots of people want to learn how to draw people which creates a huge demand and leads to the incredibly large number of books in publication which are, in my opinion, complete rubbish. There's also an awful lot of books which are incredibly mediocre.
Drawing people is not easy and many of the "quick fix" books are in my opinion a complete waste of money. The only beginners book which provides a useful approach to overcoming hurdles in 'how to see people' is Betty Edwards "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" - see Drawing for Beginners above.
The aim of this module is to start to identify books which have good calibre content and lead to good results.
This is just a taster - I'm also developing another site which has more detailed recommendations
Portraiture & Figures - more resources for Artists
BOOKS: How to do perspective drawing
Perspective drawing is one of those skills which seems to generate a complete mental block for a number of people. Often because it can come over a too technical and something only "proper artists" can do.
However it's not that difficult to learn some of the basic principles and it's well worth the effort in terms of its impact on all your drawings of the real world.
I find this is an area where people can respond well to different approaches. All of these books have a 'look inside' option on Amazon - so do check this out and work out which book is likely to suit you best your own personal learning style.
BOOKS: How to draw plants and flowers
Drawing for Botanical Artists
Below you can find two books which have been well received to date and three new books for 2010. You can find books for botanical artists which focus more on painting in The Best Botanical Art Books
Books reviews: Drawing plants and flowers
- Making a Mark reviews......: Book Review: Botanical Illustration
- An excellent manual for anybody who wants to learn more about botanical illustration - very detailed and very helpful. Very well illustrated in terms of both the range and the quality of reproduction
- Making a Mark reviews......: Book Review: Botany for the Artist
- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I value the fact this book is written by an artist, writer and lecturer who is an expert in drawing and communicating rather than a botanical artist. It means she brings a fresh and expert eye to the challenge of how to draw plants from a botanical perspective and an excellent approach to communicating the key messages. The quality of the text and illustrations is first class and the whole book provides a fresh perspective on botany for the artist while losing none of the fundamental and enduring truths of what's required of botanical illustration.
- Making a Mark reviews......: Book Review: Botanical Sketchbook
- This book provides a masterclass for all aspiring botanical artists and is highly recommended. It will become an essential buy for all students of the Society of Botanical Artist's Diploma in Botanical illustration. It's also a recommended buy for all other aspiring botanical art students and artists and many of their tutors. It provides an excellent benchmark for the standard of botanical illustration and painting which can be achieved by an exceptional student. It also tells the story of how such excellence can be developed - through much practice and intelligent use of the botanical sketchbook.
- Making a Mark reviews......: Book review: Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils
- This is the first comprehensive guide to using coloured pencils for botanical painting. Ann Swan, an RHS Gold medal winner and one of the top UK coloured pencil artists in this genre, provides a guide to how and why coloured pencils are especially suitable for the accuracy required for botanical illustration. Topics covered include: all aspects of working with coloured pencils, including techniques for underpainting, layering and burnishing and several step by step demonstrations of how to develop artwork and mix and build up colour. Also provided are tips on how to complete a work to exhibition/gallery standard. The book also includes a gallery of artwork by the author, her students and other botanical artists also working in coloured pencils
Botanical Art & Flowers - more resources for artists
BOOKS: How to draw nature
how to keep a nature journal
There are fewer books which deal with drawing and sketching nature and how to keep a nature journal. I know both Irene Brady and Cathy Johnson and have been continuously pleased to see how generous they are at sharing their expertise for free on their blogs as well as in workshops and through books.
Book reviews: Drawing Nature
- Fly Fishing's Original Blogger? | The Trout Underground Fly Fishing Blog
- A few years ago, I was lucky enough to stumble across a copy of Muriel Foster's Diary, and bought it faster than your average fly fisher buys a big fish
This review includes images of the pages in Muriel's fly fishing diary - Fishing Diary, Revisited - Outside of a Dog
- Muriel kept this particular fishing diary for many years, starting in 1913. Each page is filled not only with notes but with lush illustrations of the wildlife, fish, and landscapes Muriel saw while out on the water. It's a beautiful book even if you have no interest in fishing. She was a talented illustrator.
BOOKS: How to draw animals and birds
aka How to draw furries and feathers
The basic rule for those wanting to draw animals is to animal illustrator should "observe much and long and draw quick and little".
Drawing animals requires a good understanding of their anatomy and how they move. In addition to studying animals from life and reviewing photographic reference books and studying animals from life a good book about how to draw animals can be very helpful to both the budding and experienced animal artist.
- Which out of the very many books about drawing animals and birds are likely to be the most helpful?
- Which have stood the test of time?
- Which are recommended by animals artists?
I've reviewed the recommendations of a number of animal artists and the same books come up time and again. You'll find the following books, recommended by a number of animals artists, to be of help.
Book reviews: Drawing animals
recommendations from a variety of sources
- 11 Recommended Drawing Books For Animal Artists - Fox Studio
- If, after taking a long, objective look at your work, you can see that there is room for improvement in your drawing skills, consider these books, which are from my own library and that I have found useful over the years
- The Forge - Reference and Links - Books
- In order to animate animals well, you really have to understand them! Start with some good animal anatomy books, get as much video reference as you can, then go see them in real life.
- FUR IN THE PAINT: Drawing Birds by John Busby
- The book is not about a photo realistic approach, rather about achieving drawings that have character and life. For anyone who wants to understand the birds they are painting or drawing then I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
- FUR IN THE PAINT: Book Review, Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley
- I have to start with my absolute favourite 'Drawing from Line to Life'. The book only covers graphite and will suit artists who like total control and to produce a high degree of realism in their work, it does not cover a more painterly approach to drawing. Also many of the illustrations are of dogs, or parts of dogs because that is what Mike draw
- Gurney Journey: Berry: Observation and Memory
- William Berry (1926-1978) was an animal artist who did few finished paintings, but many masterful field sketches. His book of Alaskan field sketches is a treasure for anyone interested in animal drawing or animal behavior.
- Irene Brady | Nature Works | Drawing Eagles, Hawks & Owls Workbook
- Take the Drawing Eagles, Hawks & Owls workshop in the comfort and convenience of home ~ materials in these downloadable workbooks are taken from Irene Brady's workshops over the last decade.
Animals & Wildlife Art - more resources
BOOKS: How to make drawing creative and experimental
Plus how to draw what doesn't exist
How do you approach drawing if the subject starts within your imagination?
These books take different approaches to drawing and creativity. Some are informed by strategies worked out over the years by artists who are highly experienced and very well regarded. Others take inspiration from the world around them and looking at the work of others to inspire and become creative.
For those who have had a diet of the very conventional "how to draw" books these books provide a feast of goodies which will open your eyes to the possibilities of your drawing and your own potential
Book reviews: Creativity and Creative Drawing
- Making a Mark: Drawing with Imagination - strategies for creativity
- Keys to Drawing with Imagination by Bert Dodson: Bert Dodson's second book explores what it means to draw from your imagination, for those who want to learn how to be more creative in the way they draw. The book is heavy on images and economical with words. Which is not to say it's not informative but rather that the words are well chosen, the book is well written and the images are very informative and stimulating.
- lines and colors - Keys to Drawing with Imagination by Bert Dodson
- Although it too encourages immediate participation, the intention of Dodson's new book, Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity, which I may refer to by the more succinct title, Drawing with Imagination, has a different aim. This is not a "how to draw" book for novices, but, as the title suggests, a course in drawing with, and from, your imagination, and is essentially an extension and elaboration on themes begun in his previous book's last chapter.
- Making a Mark reviews......: Book Review - Imaginative Realism by James Gurney
- This book has been described as the ultimate reference for fans of science fiction and fantasy illustration. Imaginative Realism links traditional techniques with contemporary visualisation.
Award-winning fantasy artist and the creator of Dinotopia, James Gurney systematically examines and details practical methods for creating believable pictures of imaginary subjects.
On publication this book became the #1 art instruction book on Amazon. A month after publication it holds on to the #1 slot in art books about Realism. The reason being that this book sets a very high standard for all art instruction books as it is jam packed full of useful content which is both very accessible and highly informative. - lines and colors - Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn’t Exist
- There are hundreds of art instruction books out there, with a wide range of topics, approaches and degrees of value, but Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist by renowned painter, illustrator and Dinotopia artist James Gurney, is exceptional in several ways.
Before I go too far, I'll point out that although this is essentially an instructional book, it also works well simply as an art book; and fans of fantastic art in general, and Gurney's work in particular, will quickly find it a "must-have". - An Artist's Journey: Book Review: Learning to Draw
- Learning to Draw by Robert Kaupelis
Kaupelis provides very clear explanations of each of the different drawing techniques. There are 134 black-and-white illustrations: 50 Master drawings plus numerous student drawings illustrate the techniques. There are 100 exercises, which I appreciate. The exercises are imaginative and use a variety of materials including pencil, graphite sticks, charcoal, ink (pen and brush), and paint.
How does this book differ from Experimental Drawing? I would say Learning to Draw is an expanded version of Chapter 2 of Experimental Drawing. In the context of art education, Learning to Draw is a prerequisite for Experimental Drawing.
BOOKS: How to illustrate Children's Books
Have you ever thought of using your drawing skills to illustrate children's books?
SKETCHING & VISUAL JOURNALS
Travels with a Sketchbook in......
When I travel, I sketch. When I sketch on my travels I record it here.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBOOKS: Developing and using a sketchbook
books on Amazon
Book reviews: Want to know more about using a sketchbook?
Book reviews on "Making A Mark"
- Making a Mark: How to keep an artist's sketchbook
- The Artist's Sketchbook by Albany Wiseman with Patricia Monahan
How to Keep a Sketchbook by Michael Woods
Two more of my book reviews for The Big Drawing Book Review. These two are about books which provide advice on developing an artist's sketchbook. They adopt a different approach to looking at how an artist approaches choosing and using a sketchbook. Both will be of particular interest to those who use watercolour. - Making a Mark: The Tao of Sketching
- The Tao of Sketching by Qu Lei Lei
The Tao of Sketching starts from a different place to other 'how to' instruction books about sketching and sketchbooks. The Introductory chapter provides quotations from various revered Chinese figures and explains about Chinese philosophy - hence the title. - Rose's Art Lines: Sarah Simblet and Sketchbook for the Artist
- Sketchbook for the Artist by Sarah Simblet
What I really liked:
* Her portraiture section was not overly complicated
* The body section was also very good.
* Her sketch copies of famous works are very interesting.
* She also displays some series from her sketchbooks...and has a section on perspective
In short, I really found this book inspiring and will continue to look through it as much as the library will allow :-).
BOOKS: Drawing in Journals
Books on Amazon
Book reviews: Drawing in Journals
- Making a Mark: Drawing from Life - The Journal as Art
- Jennifer New's book about drawing - Drawing from Life - the Journal as Art - is very unusual book about 'drawing'. It's not a 'how to' instruction book, nor is it an art history tome. What it does instead is look at the multi-faceted way in which people use images in journals
It features 31 journals generated by several different people - who each draw and make images in different ways and for different reasons. Not all of them are artists.
Making a Mark reviews......
a consumer's guide to quality and value in art books, art supplies and services to artists
This blog highlights:
- book reviews (art instruction and art history)
- reviews of art media, art materials and art equipment
- reviews of places where you buy (art shops, online art suppliers and art bookshops)
- reviews of other products or services used by artists
- summaries of good quality and relevant reviews by other practising artists
The label "book reviews" in the side column of Making a Mark reviews...... gives you a shortcut to all the book reviews.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byDRAWING THROUGH THE AGES
In this section you can find......
- ADVANCED DRAWING COURSES
- NEW BOOKS about Drawing!
- DRAWING THROUGH THE AGES
- RECOMMENDED: The Primacy of Drawing: Histories and Theories of Practice
- BOOKS: Drawing through the Ages
- BOOKS: John Ruskin and the Elements of Drawing
- Book reviews: Drawings through the ages
- BOOKS: Portrait Drawings
- BOOKS: Drawings by the Masters
- BOOK: The Art of Drawing by Caspar David Friedrich
- BOOK: Vincent Van Gogh - The Drawings
- BOOKS: Surveys of Contemporary Drawing Practice
- Has this site helped you?
- NEW Books about Drawing and Sketching
- Making A Mark - Top Books for Artists
RECOMMENDED: The Primacy of Drawing: Histories and Theories of Practice
I've been waiting for this book for a long time - ever since I attended a series of lectures "Drawing towards Enquiry. Enquiry towards Drawing" that Professor Petherbridge gave at the National Gallery in London in 2007
The cover looks like very contemporary mark-making - but it's actually a section of an ink drawing by Rembrandt of his wife Saskia which is now in the British Museum! I remembered how she described it as one of the most important drawings ever made and how the whole drawing is accomplished in a very small number of strokes - but I have, of course forgotten the number!
Deanna Petherbridge used to be the Professor of Drawing at the Royal College of Art and is now the Visiting Professor of Drawing, University of the Arts London. She is also a practising artists and has had numerous, highly acclaimed exhibitions of her artwork.
The Primacy of Drawing: Histories and Theories of Practice
Amazon Price: $59.74 (as of 02/13/2012)![]()
Used Price: $58.92
Hardcover: 524 pages
Publisher: Yale University Press (July 13, 2010)
Amazon reviews: Like (7)
Publishers description (abbreviated): In this important and original book, Deanna Petherbridge-herself a practicing artist-affirms the significance of drawing as visual thinking in western art from the 15th century to the present. Scrutinizing a wide range of drawings, Petherbridge confirms a long historical commitment to the primal importance of sketching in generating ideas and problem solving, examines the production of autonomous drawings as gifts or for pleasure, and traces the importance of the life-class and theories of drawing in the training of artists until well into the 20th century. She also addresses the changing role of drawing in relation to contemporary practice and its importance for conceptual artists working in a nonhierarchical manner with a multiplicity of practices, techniques and technologies.
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BOOKS: Drawing through the Ages
Books on Amazon
BOOKS: John Ruskin and the Elements of Drawing
In this text Ruskin reduces the art of drawing to its simplest elements - the making of marks, the perception of shapes and silhouettes. His method emphasizes the importance of observation, over and above the production of pictures, and of graduated study.
Book reviews: Drawings through the ages
This section is about books which show you drawings which have been executed by artists in the past.
- Making a Mark: Art in the Making - Underdrawings
- Art in the Making: Underdrawings in Renaissance Paintings is a book published as a catalogue by the National Gallery in London for the 2002 exhibition of the same name.
- Making a Mark: Dover Art Library - fine art drawings from the Masters
- Various titles and various authors. Below is an extract from this book review
Essentially these books are about reproducing drawings for people who know what they are looking at and who want to get a much better look at how the drawing has been made. What these books do is deliver just that - a close-up view of a drawing which you may never ever see 'for real' in your lifetime. The differences in approach to media used and the similarities and contrasts between signature styles of many different artists are one of the things which make them compelling viewing. You can also see all the initial marks and the partially erased marks and the texture of the marks being made. - Dave's Blog: The Big Draw Book Review: Drawing by Daniel M. Mendelowitz
- This book was first published in 1967, and is now out of print, but you can find used copies on Amazon and elsewhere. it is a tour of the history of drawing; meant to be inspiring rather than instructing. The book is over 450 pages long and contains over 300 illustrations of masterful drawings, many familiar but also a large number of more obscure pictures. It inspires by reminding us of the sheer variety of possibilities encompassed by "drawing." It was the most important single thing that finally made me do what I had wanted to do for a long time: begin the lifelong process of learning to draw.
BOOKS: Portrait Drawings
Dover Art Library - Books on Amazon
Dover Art Library includes books of drawings. The drawings are in fact 95% of the content and are full plate (A4 size) and in monochome (sometimes colour); the reproduction is generally good and salient details for each drawing are often provided in full.
As a collection, I rate Dover Art Publications about drawings as 5 pencils. They are unique and offer excellent value for money for what they are. Each book probably rates around 4 pencils with some rating 5 pencils where alternative sources of publications are very limited or nonexistent.
These slim volumes of drawings generally average between 50 and 100 illustrations and can be accompanied by an introductory essay. However text can sometimes be limited to a very brief publisher's note and whatever text can be fitted onto the back cover.
It's not uncommon for the drawings available from Dover Publications to either not be available or only rarely in print or online in any other form.
BOOKS: Drawings by the Masters
Dover Art Library on Amazon
BOOK: The Art of Drawing by Caspar David Friedrich
German landscape drawing
Caspar David Friedrich: The Art of Drawing
Amazon Price: $131.82 (as of 02/13/2012)![]()
Used Price: $126.60
Publishers description (abbreviated): "Caspar David Friedrich: The Art of Drawing" is dedicated to works on paper by the German Romantic artist (1774-1840) and offers a revealing perspective on the function of drawing in his creative process while also making apparent the substantive beauty of his works. Chosen from among major European museums and private collections - most of which have rarely been exhibited - these works of delicate beauty, meticulously rendered en plein air, were subsequently utilized by the artist as components of a modern system of pictorial architecture with which he constructed, far from nature - in his studio - the sublime landscapes that have made him the most celebrated painter of German Romanticism. The nearly 70 works by Friedrich reunited here - executed in pencil, gouache, and watercolor - range from studies realized en plein air to finished works and are organized according to recurring themes in his oeuvre - architecture, ruins, mountains, trees and plants, among others.
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BOOK: Vincent Van Gogh - The Drawings
See also my review of on my blog - Van Gogh: Drawing media and techniques - which was largely based on this excellent book) This is the book produced for the Drawings exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It really opened my eyes to the really wonderful drawings produced by Van Gogh - many of which were produced using a reed pen.
Vincent Van Gogh: The Drawings (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series)
Amazon Price: $47.45 (as of 02/13/2012)![]()
Used Price: $43.89
Publishers description (abbreviated): Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) believed that drawing was "the root of everything." A self-taught artist, he succeeded, between 1881 and 1890, in developing an inimitable graphic style. This book traces the artist's successive triumphs as a draftsman, first in the Netherlands and later in France, highlighting the diversity of his technical invention and the striking continuity of his vision. Given the pivotal role drawings played in Van Gogh's artistic conception and the rich dialectic they enjoyed with his oil paintings, a small selection of related canvases by the artist is also featured.
This beautiful book presents approximately 120 works in charcoal, ink, graphite, watercolor, and diluted oils. The authors explore enduring questions that surround Van Gogh's drawings, including their manufacture, artistic precedents, and contribution to Modernism. In addition, the text discusses the significance of the artist's drawing practice to his development as a painter. The essays and entries feature the most current research on Van Gogh's drawings and provide fresh interpretations of the motivating influences that shaped the artist's contributions to the history of drawing.
Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item.
BOOKS: Surveys of Contemporary Drawing Practice
books from Amazon
Art Blogs and Artists contributing to The Big Drawing Book Review
- Kirsty Hall - Blog
- Kirsty Hall - Artist and Curator
- Dave's Blog
- Dave lives in Oxford and enjoys drawing when he's not lecturing.
- An Artist's Journey
- Laurel Neustadter - a software architect for bankers, living in Dallas Texas - and experimenting with creative drawing
- FUR IN THE PAINT
- Gayle Mason - drawing cats and dogs in Yorkshire
- Rose's Art Lines
- Rose Welty - a Mum who is developing her drawing and artistic skills in North Texas
RECOMMENDED Art Books
Making A Mark
Artist and author Katherine Tyrrell draws and writes about art for artists and art lovers.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byRECOMMENDED Art Bookshops in London
with photos!
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NEW POLL FOR 2012!
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Comments and Suggestions
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COMMENTS, FEEDBACK and SUGGESTIONS suggestions for how you think this lens could be improved are most WELCOME - plus ANYBODY can comment.
However please note that all comments are moderated before publication (I do check links) plus all html is stripped out of comments and spam is not published.
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Edutopia
Feb 13, 2012 @ 12:26 am | delete
- Great and very exhaustive lens. Really good job!
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goo2eyes
Feb 12, 2012 @ 11:12 am | delete
- my nephews and nieces need some kind of leisure activities like drawings because they get easily bored. back to the roots is much better than just playing with nintendo always. squidangel blessings.
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tonigrundstrom
Feb 12, 2012 @ 5:08 am | delete
- Great lens, very informative. Blessed by a SquidAngel.
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jercow75
Feb 4, 2012 @ 1:40 am | delete
- An amazing lens. I spent half of my childhood sketching a little bit of everything. Will half to pick a pencil back up again.
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WriterJanis
Feb 3, 2012 @ 10:29 pm | delete
- Excellent source of information. Blessed!
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makingamark
Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:06 am | delete
- Thanks Janis! :)
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pearltower
Jan 30, 2012 @ 1:25 pm | delete
- Great lens, lots of good info about the books.
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Rebeljohn
Jan 28, 2012 @ 12:28 pm | delete
- Very nice info thank you
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curious0927
Jan 28, 2012 @ 11:09 am | delete
- This deserves a spot on my "bookmarks" bar. I appreciate that you share your personal opinions, quite expertly as well. Thanks for this great collection of great books! Blessed!
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makingamark
Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:06 am | delete
- Many thanks
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nikyweber
Jan 27, 2012 @ 9:11 am | delete
- Thank you for posting! awesome lens!
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myamya
Jan 27, 2012 @ 8:40 am | delete
- Nice post! thumbs up!
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antoniow
Jan 27, 2012 @ 6:52 am | delete
- Amazing lens! big squidlike!
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sheezie77
Jan 27, 2012 @ 6:38 am | delete
- vegy nice lens! well done!
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duncan73
Jan 16, 2012 @ 7:58 pm | delete
- Love this page, very good resource for some great books! I had Nathan Goldstein as an painting instructor when I was in college, he's an amazing artist and a great teacher! The Art of Responsive Drawing, Sixth Edition is one of his books i found very useful!
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Richard3331
Jan 3, 2012 @ 3:34 pm | delete
- This lens is a great resource for artists of all abilities. I would like to use it in my lens on Art and Artists in Spain. Check out the link and tell me if you would rather I didn't
Thank you for the lens
Richard
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makingamark
Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:08 am | delete
- All lenses can link to other lenses using the featured lenses module.
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masaad
Dec 26, 2011 @ 10:25 am | delete
- great lens, i think Drawing on the right side of the brain is probably the best for learning as i am a shining example :D
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baby-strollers
Dec 24, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
- Nice Lens
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jadehorseshoe
Dec 21, 2011 @ 3:36 pm | delete
- AMAZING Lens!
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Who is makingamark?
Making A Mark - Top Books for Artists
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by makingamark
I'm an artist and writer who enjoys sharing information about art. My art blog
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