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Comments and Suggestions

Let me know what you think - but please do not spam!

From the lens The Best Books about Drawing and Sketching.

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.

  • jaredtheleo May 23, 2012 @ 11:51 am | delete
    nice lens, lots of good suggestions here.
  • WebGenova May 20, 2012 @ 6:13 pm | delete
    Probably one of the best lenses ever seen! A pleasure to read ;)
  • Bookworm25 May 20, 2012 @ 2:30 pm | delete
    There is so much information on this page, well presented and useful. My husband has recently taken up drawing and is pretty good but when I went to choose a book for him, I had no idea what was good and what was not. I need the personal recommends you give which say what the book is good for. Have bookmarked the page and will be back often, this will be Christmas and birthdays wrapped up for a while :)
  • websitedesignsydneypros May 15, 2012 @ 8:18 am | delete
    Manga Please
  • makingamark May 15, 2012 @ 11:13 am | delete
    Manga is a whole topic in itself and is best tackled through a separate lens.

    Mind you I can maybe interest you in a nice book about drawing by Hokusai! :)
  • faber80 May 9, 2012 @ 1:39 pm | delete
    I've read some of the books you suggest, they're definitely a good read.
  • makingamark May 13, 2012 @ 4:25 am | delete
    Thanks for the validation
  • JoyfulReviewer Apr 24, 2012 @ 4:28 pm | delete
    This is quite an extensive resource full of so many reviews and helpful tips. Very nicely done. ~~Blessed~~
  • makingamark May 13, 2012 @ 4:26 am | delete
    Many thanks for the blessing
  • fish-oil-expert Apr 21, 2012 @ 8:00 pm | delete
    My friend Jason just complained he can't draw. I'll prove he's wrong by buying him this book!
  • makingamark May 13, 2012 @ 4:29 am | delete
    That's the way I often feel when people tell me they can't draw. The two I recommend up top - "Keys to Drawing" and "Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain" are the two which I find are the best books for people who think they can't draw
  • gamesngames Apr 10, 2012 @ 9:00 pm | delete
    great lens
  • cffutah Apr 10, 2012 @ 9:21 am | delete
    Tools, tips, and material here to draw or draw better were enjoyed for me to read, thank you indeed.
  • tssfacts Apr 5, 2012 @ 4:00 pm | delete
    What a great list of book on drawing. This article is definitely a resource for this subject.
  • makingamark May 13, 2012 @ 4:29 am | delete
    Many thanks for your comment
  • gamrslist Apr 5, 2012 @ 12:06 pm | delete
    enjoyed your lens ill be back thank you
  • LivRiley Apr 5, 2012 @ 11:43 am | delete
    I draw portraits in graphite and charcoal. You've listed some great resources ----I own a good few =)
  • Michey Apr 1, 2012 @ 12:38 pm | delete
    Beautiful - Blessed by an angel!
    Happy April Fool's Day... have fun!
  • depuyhiprecalllawyer Mar 30, 2012 @ 6:09 pm | delete
    I love to draw and make fictional characters. This lens will help me to improve my outputs.
  • aj2008 Mar 28, 2012 @ 5:55 pm | delete
    I wish I could persuade my girls to do more drawing, all three of them are pretty good at it. Maybe I should send them over here to look through this excellent list of resources and hope they get some inspiration :)
  • NYPress_scholar Mar 24, 2012 @ 10:08 pm | delete
    Wickedly cool. Got to get back into sketching. Let's see how many of these I can pick up at my local library. Challenge on!
  • makingamark May 13, 2012 @ 4:31 am | delete
    A lot of the books I recommend are ones I first came across in a library. I find libraries are good at ordering books in for you - so if they're not there in your own local library, do see if they can order them for you. When I know I like the book I then buy it.

    Drawing has been around forever - some of the best books aren't necessarily the newest books!
  • Mar 22, 2012 @ 2:46 pm | delete
    nice u'r lens,, :)

    like back,, please.. :)
  • joykennel Mar 22, 2012 @ 12:22 pm | delete
    Lovely, detailed, have pinned it to keep for reference. Top drawer lens!
  • SunshineLollipops Mar 22, 2012 @ 11:09 am | delete
    Great lens with so much information! Thank you. I love to draw/sketch and have a grand daughter following in my footsteps. What would you recommend for an eight year old starting out?
  • makingamark Mar 22, 2012 @ 11:27 am | delete
    This is a blog post I did a while back about Drawing Development in children
    http://makingamark.blogspot.co.uk/2006/02/drawing-development-in-children.html

    I think a parent could use Betty Edwards book with a child - so long as the child was given an exercise at a time. The brighter interested child could doubtless devour the whole book!
  • brynimagire Mar 12, 2012 @ 11:11 am | delete
    Your lens wonderful. Thanks for this.
  • christhecopywriter Mar 11, 2012 @ 1:12 am | delete
    I am humbled by this lens. It is a great example of thoroughly covering a topic. I have bookmarked it as an example to strive for as well as a resource on learning to draw.
  • joykennel Mar 22, 2012 @ 12:23 pm | delete
    amen to that.
  • justgoing Mar 10, 2012 @ 2:01 am | delete
    Well done, very useful information on drawing. I'm doing more like scribbles with no intent to be an artist, but still...
  • oakstreet Mar 6, 2012 @ 4:16 am | delete
    wow, full of useful information. Great len and a "like" from me.
  • hermaniv Feb 29, 2012 @ 10:32 pm | delete
    Wow a lot of great material! Thanks for a great lens!
  • SammySpam Feb 28, 2012 @ 6:02 am | delete
    Wonderful lens.
  • kevingomes13 Feb 27, 2012 @ 10:52 pm | delete
    Wow what an information loaded lens! Great job I'll have to come back and finish reading it.
  • sandyswriter-review Feb 27, 2012 @ 5:07 pm | delete
    I could use this since I design on Zazzle.
  • athena2011 Feb 16, 2012 @ 10:09 am | delete
    Fantastic lens you've created here. I especially love your Pencil rating scale. Very cute idea. Squidliked.
  • Edutopia Feb 13, 2012 @ 12:26 am | delete
    Great and very exhaustive lens. Really good job!
  • 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.
  • chamari May 12, 2012 @ 11:15 pm | delete
    there are many valuable points on drawing
  • tonigrundstrom Feb 12, 2012 @ 5:08 am | delete
    Great lens, very informative. Blessed by a SquidAngel.
  • 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.
  • WriterJanis Feb 3, 2012 @ 10:29 pm | delete
    Excellent source of information. Blessed!
  • makingamark Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:06 am | delete
    Thanks Janis! :)
  • pearltower Jan 30, 2012 @ 1:25 pm | delete
    Great lens, lots of good info about the books.
  • Rebeljohn Jan 28, 2012 @ 12:28 pm | delete
    Very nice info thank you
  • 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!
  • makingamark Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:06 am | delete
    Many thanks
  • nikyweber Jan 27, 2012 @ 9:11 am | delete
    Thank you for posting! awesome lens!
  • myamya Jan 27, 2012 @ 8:40 am | delete
    Nice post! thumbs up!
  • sheezie77 Jan 27, 2012 @ 6:38 am | delete
    vegy nice lens! well done!
  • 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!
  • 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
  • makingamark Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:08 am | delete
    All lenses can link to other lenses using the featured lenses module.
  • 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
  • baby-strollers Dec 24, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
    Nice Lens
  • jadehorseshoe Dec 21, 2011 @ 3:36 pm | delete
    AMAZING Lens!
  • desa999 Dec 18, 2011 @ 1:46 am | delete
    Incredibly detailed lens with lots of great content.
  • Dec 14, 2011 @ 12:39 pm | delete
    You have some great info in this lens and I know just who I'm going to refer it to!
  • Edutopia Dec 14, 2011 @ 10:47 am | delete
    My girlfriend has been looking to get back into art now that she is wrapping up her degree and this lens is just perfect for her! Thanks!
  • mistyblue75605 Dec 10, 2011 @ 1:27 am | delete
    lots to see! Thanks!
  • saritajain86 Dec 6, 2011 @ 5:37 am | delete
    I love to draw and paint. I have also made a lens on it. But I stand far behind you in this. You have really done a powerful job here on this lens.. I will surely come back again..
  • eileen_morey Dec 1, 2011 @ 1:11 pm | delete
    Superb lens! Thanks for taking the time to assemble so much information about great drawing books and resources!
  • brianmurphy Nov 28, 2011 @ 3:14 pm | delete
    I thought I'd never finish reading the entire lens. So much resources presented. Kudos.
  • kathysart Nov 26, 2011 @ 11:13 am | delete
    WONDERFUL lens. As an artists I very much appreciate all your wonderful info. Thumbs UP for sure!
  • pianolessongirl Nov 21, 2011 @ 8:45 pm | delete
    Drawing is one of my (many) hobbies. Although I don't have a lot of time to devote to this, I do know that having a book or two in the house for when inspiration hits, is definitely a good thing. :) Thanks for this lens! :)
  • emonanam Nov 21, 2011 @ 12:44 pm | delete
    Its a huge lens !
  • Hrsshoe Nov 13, 2011 @ 3:50 pm | delete
    nice lens
  • desa999 Nov 4, 2011 @ 3:03 am | delete
    Really detailed lens with an amazing amount of information. Well done.
  • camaster Oct 31, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
    Very good lens! Interesting from the beginning to the end. I love to draw! Well done :-)
  • kjbranch77 Oct 28, 2011 @ 1:21 pm | delete
    So informative!
  • tenger Oct 27, 2011 @ 9:37 pm | delete
    well done lens. this list may very well be exhaustive! wish there was a book that looked over your shoulder to show you what you're doing wrong when you draw. That's where face to face is the best teacher.
  • AndyPo Oct 27, 2011 @ 7:30 am | delete
    Great selection of art books. I used to do a lot of sketching, but I could do with a refresher course.
  • waynet Oct 27, 2011 @ 4:43 am | delete
    A great collection of drawing/art books and there are lots of them out there. Great advice and selected drawing books, some I've never even heard of before, so thanks for writing this detailed lens! cheers now!
  • gsprushfitfan Oct 26, 2011 @ 6:03 pm | delete
    Awesome lens...need to make mine this good!
  • Tipi Oct 22, 2011 @ 10:26 am | delete
    An amazing resource and well worth this blessing!
  • YayasHome Oct 19, 2011 @ 1:50 am | delete
    Personally, I cannot draw a straight line without a ruler. However, I am always trying to learn how to create beautiful art. Thanks for alla' the great information.
  • Shivani09 Oct 8, 2011 @ 6:42 am | delete
    I love to draw!! Great lens
  • RebeccaE Oct 1, 2011 @ 12:19 pm | delete
    thank you so much for this "crash course" I didn't think I could draw, but this has made me see teh light-- really only 5 pencils???
  • Mamaboo Sep 29, 2011 @ 8:45 pm | delete
    Thanks for sharing...My oldest absolutely loves to draw...and your lens is a wonderful find!!!
  • JeremyAce Sep 26, 2011 @ 7:55 am | delete
    The book Classical Drawing Atelier looked very interesting, I had not seen that yet. Will definitely be looking into it. I own several of the other books including Anatomy for the Artist and I do have to say those books are very good. It seems my winter reading list just got quite a bit longer.
  • IdeaCenter Sep 23, 2011 @ 8:18 pm | delete
    What a fabulous resource! My husband has recently taken up sketching and I know this will be very helpful to him.
  • OldStones Sep 19, 2011 @ 5:42 am | delete
    Lots of great information for the aspiring artist here. Great article, I will have to pull out my pencils and start drawing again.
  • RedHotDesign Sep 14, 2011 @ 4:45 pm | delete
    Very cool lens- so much wonderful info to dig into!! Thanks for sharing!
  • studyaids Sep 10, 2011 @ 1:03 pm | delete
    A truly wonderful lens. Very informative. Thanks
  • Squidoo_Chick Sep 6, 2011 @ 8:29 pm | delete
    as a new squid I love reading posts that have done well. Congraulations
  • NidhiRajat Aug 28, 2011 @ 1:25 am | delete
    amazing lens with healthy information
  • shivnagsudhakar Aug 19, 2011 @ 5:29 am | delete
    good
  • shivnagsudhakar Aug 19, 2011 @ 3:24 am | delete
    good work
  • pramodbisht Aug 14, 2011 @ 2:07 am | delete
    Nice lens! Thank you so much for sharing.
  • grifith Aug 12, 2011 @ 9:51 pm | delete
    Now i want to learn how to draw.
  • atticanibal Aug 12, 2011 @ 6:09 am | delete
    Thanks! Been wanting to learn to draw for a long time!
  • PaulOnBooks Aug 11, 2011 @ 7:50 am | delete
    Excellent lens, Angel Blessed
  • davidcam Aug 7, 2011 @ 10:27 pm | delete
    Very very interesting lens thanks for sharing....:)
  • profilesincolor Aug 6, 2011 @ 9:30 am | delete
    Thanks so much! Nice Lens! Lots to Learn! :-)
  • AshleeCraft Aug 5, 2011 @ 10:43 am | delete
    What a great selection of books! I love drawing!
  • paintingsgalore22 Aug 5, 2011 @ 10:33 am | delete
    I am truly amazed on this lens. I still have to read on some of your links - very interesting. Thanks
  • bikerministry Aug 2, 2011 @ 11:05 pm | delete
    I just took up watercolor pencil, and watercolors, and have had some success with sketching first. I'm having a blast. Appreciate this lens a lot.
  • Jul 28, 2011 @ 6:20 am | delete
    Years ago I use to draw alot just for pleasure. it was strange coming across your lens this morning as yesterday I picked up my sketch pad and pencils to rekindle that pleasure. Many thanks for all this excellent information.
  • aceofhearts Jul 13, 2011 @ 8:11 pm | delete
    There are so many great links I had to add you to my favorites so I could follow them all.
  • dthonstad Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:41 pm | delete
    Wow there is so much information it is hard to figure out where to start. I love art and appreciate your work here. Maybe you could create a top 5 drawing books for beginners so aspiring artists like me know where to start, that's my only suggestion, but really this lens is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
  • adamwilliams Jul 12, 2011 @ 5:03 am | delete
    ohh earned a purple star..great
  • Obscure_Treasures Jul 7, 2011 @ 5:10 am | delete
    It is also an art to create such great innovative lens.Good job and keep it up..
  • LigaSuper Jul 6, 2011 @ 7:25 am | delete
    Excellent lens! Thank you so much for sharing.
  • Retro_Loco Jun 24, 2011 @ 3:02 am | delete
    Whewww! This is one thorough lens with a lot of great reviews on books about drawing and sketching! I've got this lens bookmarked for reference. I love how well-organized this lens is. I am very impressed!
  • Serj Jun 19, 2011 @ 10:52 am | delete
    Nice lens!!! This must must have taken you forever to put together... nice job!
  • GreenfireWiseWoman Jun 16, 2011 @ 7:21 pm | delete
    Very informative - thank you.
  • photorealisticSam Jun 15, 2011 @ 12:34 pm | delete
    Wow, this is a huge lens...!
    You've done really well writing this, and it's very helpful. :)
  • BSieracki Jun 8, 2011 @ 5:45 pm | delete
    some good thoughts here
  • CarynJSwift56889 Jun 4, 2011 @ 3:17 am | delete
    it's really a huge lens!
  • gypsyman27 May 31, 2011 @ 3:23 pm | delete
    Very good lens for artists of all levels. Well presented and informative. See you around the galaxy...
  • achraf May 26, 2011 @ 5:05 am | delete
    thank you for the comparaison!! that is very helpful
  • thrivingmom May 20, 2011 @ 3:43 pm | delete
    Very, very informative and well organized. No wonder it earned a purple star!
  • TravKo May 18, 2011 @ 2:10 pm | delete
    Definitely very helpful information, and your lens organization is top-notch!
  • MamaBelle May 13, 2011 @ 9:21 am | delete
    Great stuff! I believe I've read a couple of these books.
  • bercton May 12, 2011 @ 7:37 pm | delete
    well constructed lens ...awesome!!
  • ComedyFrog May 9, 2011 @ 1:32 am | delete
    Wow! What a fantastic lens - so much quality info and excellent links. Thanks so much for putting it all together.
  • Momsbusy247 May 8, 2011 @ 10:01 am | delete
    I would love to have some of these books! Sketching is such a fun activity, its a good hobby to have. Nice Lens!
  • mattseefood May 6, 2011 @ 9:52 am | delete
    I have to show this to my mom! She's into drawings these days :) thanks a lot!
  • wizardgold May 4, 2011 @ 4:56 pm | delete
    This Lens is completely amazing> I used to be an art teacher and I didn't know there were so many book on the suject.
  • makingamark May 4, 2011 @ 5:20 pm | delete
    Many thanks for the comment - you made my day! The reason I started it was because I knew very few people knew how many good books are out there - because many of them aren't easily found on the bookshop shelves
  • RetroMom May 2, 2011 @ 7:41 pm | delete
    Great information. Great lens.
  • makingamark May 4, 2011 @ 5:20 pm | delete
    Thanks
  • TheTravelGal Apr 28, 2011 @ 4:10 pm | delete
    Great lens, useful info. Thanks for the list of resources.
  • Calliope Apr 27, 2011 @ 10:45 pm | delete
    This is a great lens, have you looked at Michealangelo: A Life on Paper. it's stunning/
  • makingamark May 4, 2011 @ 5:21 pm | delete
    I have now - and I've added it in. Thanks for the recommendation
  • theprintcenter Apr 24, 2011 @ 10:13 pm | delete
    Awesome lens. Very good suggestions. =)
  • tomwjr Apr 22, 2011 @ 10:31 am | delete
    Great list, I will share with friends!
  • makingamark May 4, 2011 @ 5:21 pm | delete
    Thanks Tom
  • Athf Apr 20, 2011 @ 1:59 pm | delete
    thank you
  • gabriel32 Apr 15, 2011 @ 2:32 am | delete
    Nice job. Thank you for sharing good stuffs
  • livefamilylife Apr 14, 2011 @ 11:12 am | delete
    Great lens, thanks for suggestions.
  • SandraKS Apr 11, 2011 @ 9:46 pm | delete
    I always wanted to learn how to draw. But what i found in the bookstores was just not enough to make me learn. Thanks for the resources.
  • makingamark May 4, 2011 @ 5:21 pm | delete
    Good to hear this lens is doing better than the bookstores!
  • RGebbiePhoto Apr 7, 2011 @ 12:20 am | delete
    Nice lens, great information, thanks for sharing.
  • BhaktinArt Apr 6, 2011 @ 4:59 am | delete
    Incredible!! I wonder how much information u have on each and every subject realted to Art. Superb!
  • makingamark May 4, 2011 @ 5:22 pm | delete
    Have a look at http://www.squidoo.com/groups/makingamark-on-squidoo and you'll find out!
  • Apr 5, 2011 @ 9:12 am | delete
    Great lens. The Sketchbook by Sarah Simblet and Drawing Lab are my favorites.
  • Bella_Stella Apr 5, 2011 @ 8:49 am | delete
    Actually, apart from education and training, drawing needs creativity and a rich imagination... I am afraid that I am not really creative and imaginative in thinking of new patterns. I have tried it in the past, using drawing books, but it did not work well for me. So, I decided to focus on writing. However, I keep reading about drawing. I found your lens interesting!
  • alanwearing Mar 29, 2011 @ 11:58 am | delete
    Great Site Veryinformative

    Alan
  • risel0909 Mar 29, 2011 @ 1:48 am | delete
    i like your lens.. nice :)
    Thank You
  • RenaissanceWoman2010 Mar 27, 2011 @ 5:55 pm | delete
    Fabulous site! Nicely done.
  • bloomingrose Mar 22, 2011 @ 3:40 pm | delete
    I love your site and will come back here when I buy some for Christmas and presents. We loved Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is one of our favorites, and we will try out some of your suggestions. My kids both drew, and both of them have taken art classes in college. No matter what they do for a living, they have drawing and painting as pleasure for the rest of their life.
  • Mar 22, 2011 @ 12:25 pm | delete
    great and interesting article.
  • Mar 21, 2011 @ 1:03 am | delete
    Great lens you have here. I used to make sketches earlier and I believe I was good at it but now I have no time for creativity. Nice books you have suggested here. I will need some of them for my son. Thanks for sharing.
  • cdevries Mar 18, 2011 @ 1:43 pm | delete
    A wonderful resource, thank you! I come at drawing from a strange direction: I'm an architect and designer, so I start with what's in my head and translate that into plainly descriptive sketches... not drafting, but maybe its prettier cousin? Sketching from life or as an art piece comes harder. Any advice? Loved your lens!
  • cloudiosify Mar 11, 2011 @ 9:41 am | delete
    Your lens is THE BEST! If only I have the money, I will buy every books that you reviewed. Mind if I ask you something? How do you get the motivation to write all those reviews and how long does it take to make such splendid lens like this?
  • makingamark Mar 11, 2011 @ 9:49 am | delete
    About 25 years? Seriously, I've been buying a wide range of drawing books for a very long time. This is nothing new for me. My latest venture is to start buying second hand books of all the good books which are out there from the second hand suppliers. It's amazing how really good some of the older drawing books are.

    I've also got ones on this lens which I found via squidoo when I went through all their lens ratings looking at the different topics and trying to work out which are "the best" and I have my them on my 'wish' list! However I have to ration myself and keep new books to a drip feed!
  • makingamark Mar 11, 2011 @ 9:53 am | delete
    Also - I forgot to say - this lens was generated by a project where a lot of us got together and started reviewing drawing books. So some of my recommendations come from other people. There are links to their reviews on the lens. You can read all about the project at the beginning of the lens.
  • fashionality Mar 7, 2011 @ 10:57 am | delete
    Great site; tons of info! I think you could benefit from a clearer organizational scheme though!
  • makingamark Mar 7, 2011 @ 11:18 am | delete
    Actually the issues is it it's just a very big site! That's because the whole purpose of the lens is to show people the range of books about drawing and sketching which are available. It's about expanding horizons beyond the books which are seen in bookshops.

    If you refer back to the Table of Contents at the beginning you will see there is a actually a considerable degree of organisation in how the books are listed.

    Anyway it works for me and presumably for others too as it's in the top 50 lenses on squidoo! :)
  • makingamark Mar 8, 2011 @ 6:28 pm | delete
    Maybe you missed the introduction? See below

    "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"
  • tsp8ntball Mar 4, 2011 @ 7:25 am | delete
    Drawing is a passion. Thank you for providing an excellent reference site.
  • makingamark Mar 1, 2011 @ 4:54 pm | delete
    It's perfectly feasible to add value by having ADDITIONAL lenses which focus on specific aspects - but I'm not about to split up and mess with a top 50 lens any time soon.

    Besides which one of the reasons my readers - who come here from my websites - like this lens is because it is comprehensive and consequently UNIQUE AND USEFUL. There's no other version on the Internet - until I build a replacement on my website of course should anything ever happen to this one! ;)

    Do you know how hours it took to find all these books when Amazon mangles categorisation as much as it does at the moment?
  • SquidooKimberly Mar 1, 2011 @ 4:12 pm | delete
    You have such an incredible selection of content here. I could even see each category being it's own lens, with Amazon Spotlight modules and more room for (larger) descriptions of why you love each book.
  • thesuccess Feb 28, 2011 @ 5:06 pm | delete
    I'm not sure if I've seen a more comprehensive lens. Angel's Blessing
  • JoshK47 Feb 24, 2011 @ 8:56 am | delete
    As someone who has always wanted to learn to draw, but didn't want to waste money on books when I wasn't entirely sure of the quality of advice therein, I really appreciate your Lens. I'll have to go check out your highly rated books right away. Thanks for the advice!
  • Amitabh1702 Feb 14, 2011 @ 9:12 pm | delete
    I have always wondered how everyone else except me can draw so well. I guess my brain is not wired that way. I have tried, but perhaps not enough. Your lens tells me to give it one more hard try. Thank you. Nice lens.
  • Gloriousconfusion Feb 14, 2011 @ 5:06 pm | delete
    An excellent resource, and well set out. I have lensrolled it. Here's a Cupid Kiss from a Squid Angel for Valentine's Day
  • waynet Feb 13, 2011 @ 4:51 pm | delete
    Definitely one to bookmark. I own quite a few drawing books already, but I have spotted a couple that seem quite good based on your reviews, so cheers for that and nice long lens well done!
  • Gail47 Feb 13, 2011 @ 9:18 am | delete
    My mother loved to draw starting when she was very young. She would have loved to see this lens and be a part of any drawing experience. Unfortunately, she passed away before online opporunities like this even existed. What a fascinating lens!
  • bella Jan 31, 2011 @ 4:28 am | delete
    Well done lens!Like the information about drawing..its one of my fav hobby.thanks
  • hershel01 Jan 30, 2011 @ 6:54 am | delete
    A lot of good information.
  • XBlade Jan 27, 2011 @ 8:32 am | delete
    cool lens
  • MamaBelle Jan 27, 2011 @ 8:20 am | delete
    Great information! Well done.
  • troq22 Jan 26, 2011 @ 12:36 pm | delete
    Great job
  • wolfstorm14 Jan 24, 2011 @ 8:33 pm | delete
    awesome lens! I'm always on the look out for new drawing books occasionally when I need them, there are two books that I didn't see on here, that I own, and would personally would recommend them. They helped me improve soo much on my art, one is drawing for the absolute beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink and the big book of drawing secrets by Rick Parks and Carrie Stuart Parks. If you already have them on here then I must have missed them or something.
  • Jan 19, 2011 @ 2:51 am | delete
    very very good info. i've got an idea to improve my lens. thanks
  • vikksimmons Jan 18, 2011 @ 12:37 am | delete
    Pretty comprehensive list you have here. Good reference. I didn't see much on gesture drawing, though. I'll have to come back with a title my art friends always talk about.
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:18 am | delete
    Some of the more advanced texts include material about gesture drawing. I'd be interested to hear about your friends' recommendation.

    Thanks for the comment about Betty's book too. I think most people move on from that if they're interested in art - but, along eith Bert's book, it is an excellent book for beginners
  • WorldVisionary Jan 17, 2011 @ 8:41 am | delete
    I've visited your lens before, but wanted to come back to give it a blessing!
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:19 am | delete
    Thank you - so thoughtful! Much appreciated.
  • ChristineJoseph Jan 16, 2011 @ 12:46 pm | delete
    so informative - it's just what I've been looking out for. I really want some of those books.
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:19 am | delete
    Glad to be of help. Let me know what you decide to get
  • emerald125 Jan 13, 2011 @ 2:47 pm | delete
    This really is a fantastic resource!
  • makingamark Jan 17, 2011 @ 10:01 am | delete
    Many thanks :)
  • SquidooMBA Jan 13, 2011 @ 3:39 am | delete
    Keep up the great work and congrats for making the Top 100 lenses!
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:20 am | delete
    Thanks - this lens has been in the top 100 now for quite some time, mainly the top 50 of late and we have hit the top 20! #1 in Books yesterday! :)
  • Blonde_Blythe Jan 8, 2011 @ 12:19 pm | delete
    Awesome lens! Wow! You really put tons of time and effort into this one! :) A big congrats on the purple star award--highly deserved! :)
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:21 am | delete
    It's been a long time in getting to this stage. It's worth taking a topic and keep developing it.
  • Jan 8, 2011 @ 11:04 am | delete
    I love this squidoo page and will visit it ofter as there is lots of help
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:21 am | delete
    Glad you find it helpful. Do recommend it to like-minded friends if you're happy to do this
  • jackiebolen Jan 6, 2011 @ 8:55 pm | delete
    Excellent information, thank you. I really want to learn how to draw.
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2011 @ 6:22 am | delete
    Thank you jackie. Let me know how you get on with the drawing.
  • sig2k30 Jan 5, 2011 @ 8:21 pm | delete
    drawing is most favorite activity all you need just an imagination that will take a great picture on paper
  • SukoMiabals Jan 1, 2011 @ 12:12 pm | delete
    Very nice! I like it a lot. Thank you.
  • Ramkitten Dec 28, 2010 @ 8:31 pm | delete
    Definitely a great example of how "one size doesn't fit all," as you said in the forums. You clearly spent a LOT of time putting this together ... and it obviously works! Nicely done.
  • makingamark Dec 28, 2010 @ 9:55 pm | delete
    Thanks - much appreciated. I wanted to make the point that niches may be highly specialised but they are not always small! The aim was to use the breadth of the lens to create an educational experience for those who have little awareness of what's available - if you know where to look!
  • makingamark Jan 17, 2011 @ 9:50 am | delete
    That's so funny! Thank you so much for the blessing - much appreciated. This is indeed a very heavy duty dose of drawing and sketching! :)
  • Chinajoy Dec 23, 2010 @ 7:33 am | delete
    Wow...so many resources out there...I never would have guessed. I would love to read some of them, but they are very hard to get here. I just picked up a pencil one day and started drawing. I would love to develop my skills more.
  • makingamark Dec 23, 2010 @ 8:20 am | delete
    You've just explained why I created this site. There are too many excellent drawings books which you don't find in books shops easily or on the shelves of public libraries. However they are available at a reasonable price from Amazon - hence why I created this compendium of books which can be obtained from Amazon
  • slackira Dec 21, 2010 @ 8:53 am | delete
    Amazing lens. You've gathered a lo of help under one roof. Great job.
  • makingamark Dec 23, 2010 @ 8:21 am | delete
    Thanks Slakira - comments like that are always much appreciated
  • glowchick Dec 19, 2010 @ 7:47 pm | delete
    What a great lens :) Thanks for taking the time to put all of this together, it's a great resource.
  • makingamark Dec 23, 2010 @ 8:22 am | delete
    Many thanks for your comment
  • LisaAuch Dec 13, 2010 @ 2:36 am | delete
    I came to find a perfect book for my daughter who loves to draw, most of the books she has are to draw cartoons etc, so I really wanted something for her that was a bit "older" and i think i found the perfect one! thankyou for the wonderful reviews and recommendations,, making it so much easier to find the perfect book
  • makingamark Dec 13, 2010 @ 3:38 am | delete
    I'm so pleased you were able to find a book. This is one of the main purposes of this lens as it is so difficult to see the range of good books about drawing and sketching on Amazon. It's great to hear of a Mum who's helping their child move up a level with their drawing.
  • kimpaul Dec 8, 2010 @ 11:51 pm | delete
    wonderful subject! I am an artist myself!!!
  • MaryLopez1988 Nov 27, 2010 @ 11:29 am | delete
    I really like to draw, but i am not very good. I going to buy some books and practice, practice, thanks for sharing is a great list .
    pd: Your blog is awesome , i recommed it
  • makingamark Dec 13, 2010 @ 3:38 am | delete
    Thank you mary - you;re very kind! :)
  • wadestar Nov 21, 2010 @ 4:22 pm | delete
    Awesome lens well thought out and skilfully put together must have taken hours upon hours.
    It's ideal for someone like me I'm terrible at drawing but would love to develop my skill. Thank you for proving the resources I need.
    Kind Regards.
    emotive-a-collection-of-love-poems
  • makingamark Dec 13, 2010 @ 3:40 am | delete
    Hours and hours is about right! Who would have thought it would be quite so difficult to see which are the good books about drawing and sketching on Amazon? I've been collecting books about drawing for years and years and some of the really excellent ones are less well known - and very difficult to find on Amazon - so it's great to be able to give them an airing!
  • AslanBooks Nov 17, 2010 @ 10:33 pm | delete
    Nice lens.
  • lisasboutique Nov 11, 2010 @ 8:41 am | delete
    Great lens about drawing book - thanks for sharing.
  • darciefrench Nov 10, 2010 @ 10:45 am | delete
    Phenomenol amount of info on drawing books- great job! Angel blessed and I'll feature under gift ideas on November Holiday Blessings.
  • makingamark Dec 13, 2010 @ 3:41 am | delete
    Many thanks Darcie
  • cory_wilson Oct 20, 2010 @ 2:26 pm | delete
    I always loved to draw ever since I was little. I wish i considered purchasing some of these books to further advance my skills.
  • Jkak Oct 13, 2010 @ 5:21 pm | delete
    wow great lens! i've always loved to draw and even when i'm not drawing i love looking through books about sketching. you put together a great list of suggestions. thanks you!
  • WorldVisionary Oct 10, 2010 @ 8:09 am | delete
    Fantastic compilation of resources. Great lens!
  • sheilamarie Oct 9, 2010 @ 7:30 pm | delete
    More great resources! Thanks for your suggestions.
  • Squidoo_Queen Oct 8, 2010 @ 3:30 am | delete
    WOW - what a great lens! I've actually started to get some good Christmas ideas for my daughter here - she loves drawing and her wall shows her through the years - scribbles, doodles to nice pictures :)
  • KokoTravel Sep 26, 2010 @ 10:16 pm | delete
    Great lens! I will come back here for recommendations for Christmas gifts for the grandsons!
  • makingamark Sep 27, 2010 @ 3:13 am | delete
    Thanks!
  • Megal Sep 26, 2010 @ 5:30 pm | delete
    I recently just got back into sketching and drawing so this is a great resource.
  • Yourshowman Sep 22, 2010 @ 3:10 am | delete
    Great lens.
  • Petstrel Sep 18, 2010 @ 9:07 am | delete
    Whoa, what a great lens :)
  • turner-bob Sep 17, 2010 @ 10:06 pm | delete
    excellent lens! Lots of good info!
  • SofiaMann Sep 12, 2010 @ 10:07 pm | delete
    It's a huge job. Thanks for the information
  • saritajain86 Sep 10, 2010 @ 12:13 pm | delete
    I can only say thank you very much for making this lens... Your hard work is easily visible in this lens.
  • makingamark Sep 13, 2010 @ 12:49 am | delete
    Thanks - while some of the good books are perennials, new good books are also published from time to time (plus a few which are not so good hence why I developed this lens!)
  • netmech Aug 28, 2010 @ 6:14 am | delete
    fills me with wistful memories of when I used to draw with pencils, crayons felt tips, then I discovered PCs :) I do occassion go back tho, very nice collection indeed
  • Sojourn Aug 25, 2010 @ 10:33 am | delete
    This is a great list of books about drawing! My art tends to lean towards the digital - html and words. I gave up on drawing eons ago. However, my mother loves to draw and her kids (all seriously lacking in artistic skills) often struggle to find the best gifts for her related to drawing because we just don't know what is good and what isn't. This will help us do a better job at finding things that could really be useful to her. Thanks!
  • d-artist Aug 13, 2010 @ 9:24 am | delete
    having been an artist most of my life, I have a huge collection of art drawing/painting books and my favorite is "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" great lens and info
  • Play in Progress Aug 7, 2010 @ 10:20 am | delete
    Hi, my impression when flipping through the Kaupelis was that large parts of it are inspired by Kimon Nicolaides' 'The Natural Way to Draw'? Is there a reason why you've included the Kaupelis instead? I must admit I'm biased, as a few weeks of following the Nicolaides have helped me improve my drawing (and especially sketching) more than anything I can remember.
  • makingamark Aug 7, 2010 @ 11:56 am | delete
    Robert Kaupelis (1928-2009) was a Professor of Art and Art Education at NYU for nearly three decades. He was cited by Herbert Livesey in The Professors as one of the outstanding teachers of art in the nation; an entire chapter in the book was devoted to his career.

    Opinions vary on the Nicolaides book - sopme are huge fans, others less so. It's certainly always worth taking a look at any book which generates favourable comments.
  • grahammarketing Jul 12, 2010 @ 10:18 pm | delete
    wow how did you come up with so many choices in books?
  • makingamark Jul 30, 2010 @ 7:32 am | delete
    I've been buying and reading books about drawing for years and now have a very extensive library of them - but not enough shelving!

    Plus I take recommendations from people I know about what are the best art books from their perspective - and then I take a good look at how the books get rated generally (eg by Amazon) as well.
  • ameriplans4u Jun 30, 2010 @ 8:42 am | delete
    So many choices to choose from. My daughter is an artist & will love having all this info in one place. Thanks for making this lens.
  • Airinka Apr 11, 2010 @ 3:09 pm | delete
    Informative lens!
  • JennySui Feb 25, 2010 @ 2:36 pm | delete
    WOw what a great lens. You deserve 5 starts.
  • JennySui Feb 25, 2010 @ 2:36 pm | delete
    WOw what a great lens. You deserve 5 starts.
  • Feb 1, 2010 @ 7:46 pm | delete
    Very good, informative lens...
    Surely deserves to be favorited and 5 stars...
  • July4 Jan 29, 2010 @ 2:03 pm | delete
    Great list of drawing books, drawing is such a stress- buster! 5 star lens!
  • GroovyFinds Jan 24, 2010 @ 2:22 pm | delete
    Great reference!
  • LaraMarlow Jan 19, 2010 @ 12:12 pm | delete
    Great resource; I will use this. :)
  • Jan 19, 2010 @ 12:36 am | delete
    Wow! Incredible amount of research involved. This lens is tops.
  • makingamark Jan 18, 2010 @ 6:44 pm | delete
    Thanks to all those who have visited, rated and commented - for making this lens #1 in Books!
  • loganadrian Jan 13, 2010 @ 9:38 pm | delete
    excellent list of books on drawing. thanks.
  • AppalachianCountry Jan 12, 2010 @ 10:23 am | delete
    Wonderful lens. Thank-you for the great list of books. 5 stars*****
  • OhMe Jan 12, 2010 @ 8:14 am | delete
    Excellent resource for people searching for Drawing Books.
  • davidstillwagon Jan 4, 2010 @ 8:49 pm | delete
    A wonderful lens! 5 *
  • lasertek Dec 27, 2009 @ 8:23 pm | delete
    Pretty helpful lens! Been looking for a great resource about sketching. I will look into the different books you have added on your list. Thanks for coming up with this lens.
  • Hmarketing Dec 8, 2009 @ 11:29 pm | delete
    Hi Anita, valuable resource you got here
    keep on inspiring people
    there's your 5 star!
    kudos!
  • makingamark Dec 9, 2009 @ 3:41 am | delete
    Who's Anita? My name is Katherine!

    I note you're new to Squidoo - the name of the person making each site can be found at the top right of each page. Click the name and you can find out more about them .
  • Treasures-By-Brenda Apr 9, 2009 @ 1:49 pm | delete
    This is quite a resource for books about drawing and sketching and 'tis blessed by an Angel today.

    Brenda
  • Intuitive Mar 29, 2008 @ 11:47 am | delete
    Very nice lens! I like a lens packed full of information as this one is. I'm an artist and reviewing drawing books is a wonderful idea.

    Gretchen

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makingamark

I'm an artist and writer who enjoys sharing information about art. My art blog

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