Learn to be an Illustrator

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This lens exists to help those who would like embark on a serious study of drawing and painting in styles both representational and exaggerated. The books, links, and videos recommended in this lens will develop an artist's ability to use line, value, and color in artistic compositions.

A student could spend years studying the contents of this lens. Sequence is important, so my suggestion is to start at the beginning and work your way through.

If you like the information provided, please don't forget to rate this lens.

Part 1:

Basic drawing and perspective

The First Book You Should Read 

Part 1 of this learning lens. There are no prerequisites required.

Good drawing skills come from seeing accurately more than anything else. In order to illustrate well, you must first learn to draw the world around you.

The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

This is the best place for beginners to start. This book will teach you to draw what you see.

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

The Myth of Talent

Studies show it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. That means 5 to 10 years for most people, depending on the level of immersion in the new skill to be acquired. Becoming a "talented" artist is no different. It's simply a matter of effort.

Marshall Vandruff's Perspective DVDs 

This video suppports part 1 of this lens

This is a clip for a video series you can buy at draw123.com. The DVDs contain 12 hours of perspective instruction. I ordered them based on the quality of instruction in this YouTube video. Marshall Vandruff has put together first rate instruction. If you have ever struggled with perspective, Marshall Vandruff is the answer to your problems. I consider the DVDs indispensable.

A Lesson on Perspective

Drawing lessons with perspective by Draw123.com.

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curated content from YouTube

Perspective Books to Support Marshall Vandruff's DVDs 

During his lectures, Marshall Vandruff references the two books listed below. Both are well written and easy to understand -- especially after listening to Marshall's lectures.

Perspective Drawing Handbook (Dover Art Instruction)

Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Plaster Drawing Casts: Simple Shapes 

The famed anatomy teacher Robert Beverly Hale said, "You learn to draw by coming to shape conclusions." What he meant by this is that artists break down what they see into simple shape combinations based on the sphere, the cube, the cylinder and the cone. Knowing how to draw and shade these simple shapes will help you draw the human body once you realize how to construct your figures using these shapes.

Additionally, drawing from white plaster casts with simple lighting will help you understand form, and value. This is a necessary skill to develop in order to successfully work with color.

Plaster Casts- Set of 15 Geometric Shapes

Amazon Price: $199.95 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Part 2:

Anatomy, construction, and proportion

Andrew Loomis and the Best Illustration Books Ever Written 

Part 2 of this learning lens. The prerequisite recommended is Part 1.

Andrew Loomis is my favorite teacher. Sadly his books are out of print, but are the gold standard of art instruction. His books, "Fun with a Pencil," Figure Drawing for All It's Worth," and "Drawing the Head and Hands" can all be understood by beginners. "Creative Illustration," and "The Eye of the Painter" should really be in Part 3 of this lens as they are best studied only after studying the other three Loomis books. I implore you to seek these wonderful books out. I'll post the auctions here when I find them.

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Getting the Most out of Andrew Loomis 

The English philosopher, Fancis Bacon, once said, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." Andrew Loomis's books are of the kind to be chewed and digested. My approach has been to read the books all the way through to get a good understanding of Loomis's approach, then to go through them again, pencil and sketchbook in hand to commit his teachings firmly in memory.

I only became aware of these books in the last two years. I am currently studying them intently to fix any cracks in my foundation. While I am not finished studying them, I have read them all, except Eye of the Painter (which I haven't gotten a hold of yet), I recommend the following order for his books:

1. Fun with a Pencil:
This is an easy read. If you are just beginning with drawing, this is a good place to start. It will expose you to the concept of construction, which is building complex shapes out of basic shapes. Loomis does not burden the reader with precise measurements of proportion necessary in realistic work, so it is lighter in tone, while providing a solid foundation in the Loomis approach. I love this book, but it can be skipped if you have some experience drawing.

2. Drawing the Head and Hands
In this book, Loomis starts with construction, delves deeper into the subject by introducing concepts of proportion, planes, anatomy, and tone. These are the same concepts he uses in "Figure Drawing for All It's Worth," but the ideas are easier to digest because the subject matter is limited to just a few body parts. I'm just about done with this book - meaning I have almost all that I need committed to memory - and for the first time in my life, I feel capable of drawing portraits well. I have taken particular pleasure in being able to draw charming pictures of my children thanks to this book.

3. Figure Drawing for All It's Worth
Most of what needs to be committed to memory with regard to proportion and anatomy are in the first two chapters of this book. I've been lingering in those chapters for a while, but my renderings of the figure keep improving. Moreover, I find that it is easier than ever to draw convincing figures out of my head with no reference at all.

4. Creative Illustration
This is largely considered Loomis's masterpiece. I have experimented with some of the design approaches in my own work with good success. Although I have read the book, I won't be able to "chew and digest" it until I have fixed the principles of "Figure Drawing for All It's Worth" into my memory.

"Lack of knowledge can be greater torture than the effort of acquiring it."

- Andrew Loomis

Human Skeleton 

Artists of the Renaissance would carry bones and would study them. Bones are the rigid structure that give the body its shape. In his books, Robert Beverly Hale implores students to get access to a skeleton. Hale learned anatomy from and became the successor of famed anatomy teacher George B. Bridgman. In addition to Hale, Bridgman's students included Norman Rockwell, Andrew Loomis, and Will Eisner. Eisner went on to mentor Jack Kirby, who practically created the Marvel Universe.

Ignore the advice if you please, but after seeing how all this talent is connected, I'm getting a set of bones.

More Anatomy and Figure Drawing Books to Study 

During the early to mid 1900s, three art schools produced more than their fair share of illustration talent. The schools were the Art Students League of New York, The Chicago Art Institute, and the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Howard Pyle, the father of American Illustration, helped found the Art Students League, and helped influence the curriculum at the Chicago Art Institute through a four year correspondence with the school's administrator. He also lectured at both schools.

Andrew Loomis is special in that he attended all three schools, the Art Student's League and the Chicago Art Institute as a student, and the American Academy of Art as an instructor. During his career he was exposed to the best art instruction of that (and arguably any) era both in the schools and in the art studios that surrounded the hubs of the publishing industry in Chicago and New York. Loomis's contribution of distilling and exhaustively recording this instruction in his books is the chief reason his books are the gold standard of illustration, and the reason many artists revere him.

His anatomy instructor, George B. Bridgman, published anatomy books. After so many of his students went on to artistic immorality, his books should not be passed up. While I have no doubt of his teaching ability, I have less faith in Bridgman's writing ability. It is for this reason that the work of his student and teaching heir, Robert Beverly Hale should also be studied. I suspect that Hale's work is a more complete record of what Bridgman must have taught.

Dr. Paul Richer's book, "Artistic Anatomy" is a classic that is referenced by Hale in his own work and is also eerily similar to the anatomy instruction of Loomis. I suspect that Loomis may have been directly or indirectly influenced by Richer's work and should therefore be studied.

Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing From Life: Over 1,000 Illustrations

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Artistic Anatomy (Practical Art Books)

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

"[B]ad drawing springs from basic faults as surely as good drawing springs from basic merits."

- Andrew Loomis

My Figure Drawing Thread on Drawingboard.org 

My sketches from life
I post my figure drawing sketches here. I'm making a systematic study of the human figure in order to improve my skills. Check the thread out to see how it's coming. If interested, join the fun and start a thread of your own.

Master the Above Skills 

Good drawing is the basis for illustration. Once you have mastered the fundamentals of drawing, adding color is not a difficult transition. The transition from line to tone is much harder, in my opinion, than the transition from tone to color. The reason for this is because, as a watercolorist I once knew explained, value is what makes a picture read.

If you still have doubts consider this fact: Leonardo Da Vinci produced over 15,000 notebook pages littered with drawings in his lifetime, but left behind less than 20 paintings. He could paint well, because he could draw well.

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Likewise, Vincent Van Gogh insisted on focusing on drawing fundamentals for two years before he put oil to canvas. He struggled mightily to improve his drawing skills, often working through intense frustration. When he finally did start painting, it came more easily to him because of his efforts to learn perspective and anatomy.

Mastery of the fundamentals is more important than any advanced technique. Once you have mastered drawing, the world of art will open up to you.

Included below are some suggested resources and reading to push you in the right direction. It is by no means exhaustive. I've included books from both Alex Ross and Steve Rude, both disciples of Andrew Loomis through his books, and are the two artists today who are more responsible than any other for keeping Loomis's methods alive. I've also linked to other lenses that you will be able to make use of after you have mastered drawing.

It will take years to master the above skills, but take heart - it takes every artist years to master drawing. I'm still working at it too.

Part 3 and Part 3 (alternate):

Color, composition, and various techniques

Watercolor Books and DVDs 

Part 3 of this learning lens. The prerequisites recommended are Parts 1 and 2.

The following books and DVDs will help you get acquainted with watercolor. The second book, on watercolor composition, can be useful even if you work in another medium. I would recommend it even if you never plan to paint in watercolor.

Basic Watercolor Techniques (Art instruction)

This is one of the best beginning books for aspiring watercolorists. Don't skip the easy exercises. Pay close attention to becoming familiar with your paints and it will pay dividends in the long run.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Watercolor Composition Made Easy

The emphasis on this book is COMPOSITION and encourages artistic license. It will help you interpret and edit what you see to make your compositions more appealing.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Getting Started Right (Remastered, Classic)

This isn't on Amazon last I checked, but look for it and other DVDs by Jan Kunz on the web. In addition to reading books, watching skilled artists work is both highly inspiring and instructional.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Comic Book and Cartooning Art Instruction 

Part 3 (alternate) of this learning lens. The prerequisites recommended are Parts 1 and 2.

Comic book art is worth studying because comic book artists must be able to draw ANYTHING--and do so while telling a story. For this reason (and maybe a little bias) I've included the following resources for your consideration.

The Art Of Comic-Book Inking 2nd Edition

This book will teach artists about the tools and techniques of working in ink.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross

Alex Ross is the pop culture Norman Rockwell. In addition to being an inspiring book, there is a tutorial at the end about his process of working with photographs.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Joe Kubert's Comic Book Studio: Everything You Need To Make Your Own Comic Book

This book is very simply put together but is a gem. The supplies aren't that great but the insights into the process of planning a comic book are invaluable.

Amazon Price: $12.44 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Draw the Looney Tunes

I recently discovered this book. Unlike most cartooning books which only give "recipies" for characters, this book will give you the underlying approach to create your own characters.

Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Steve Rude: Artist in Motion

This book is not intended to be instructional with relation to method like the Loomis books are, yet the book gives clear insight into what it takes to achieve artistic excellence.

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Part 4:

Additional resources

Gurney Journey 

This daily weblog by James Gurney is for illustrators, comic artists, plein-air painters, sketchers, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find insights into the making of Dinotopia and reports on art schools, museums, and bookstores during the ongoing Journey to Chandara tour.

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POST YOUR ARTWORK!!! 

Here are some collaborative learning environments for ALL PARTS of this lens.

I can't stress enough how important it is to get involved in artistic communities. You'll get exposed to many other ideas and get feedback from talented artists from around the world.
DrawingBoard.org
The participants of this art community range from beginners to working professionals. Not only is the art on this site great, the community support and assistance is some of the best I've seen on the web. Ask for critiques when you post and you'll gain a lot of valuable advice from illustration professionals. I post regularly under the name "Jarhead1" and I hope to see you there.
ConceptArt.org
This is another great art community. The sketchbooks in the forum section are particularly wonderful. Take note of how those who post the most, improve the most. Hmmmmmmmn.

Shopping for Supplies 

Most of the books will recommend various art supplies. If you can't find what you need at your local art store, go to Cheap Joe's.
Cheap Joes Art Supplies
Almost every serious artist I've run into swears by Cheap Joe's. They also have a print catalog you can order from.

My Blog 

In addition to posting some of the latest art projects I'm working on, I wax philosophical about learning, plus I post fitness tips and leadership lessons learned in the Marines.

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What to Learn Next? 

There are many forks in road from here. Once you feel comfortable with the knowledge and skills gained from this lens don't stop the inertia of your learning. Some of your options include:

by GannonBeck

I am an illustrator living in Virginia. I am an advocate of learning, mentoring, and sharing knowledge.

Read my blog at GannonBeck.com (more)

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