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Say hello, and tell me about your favorite art teachers or art books. . .

From the lens Don't Tell Me You Can't Draw a Straight Line !.

  • J-Ellen Mar 26, 2012 @ 2:05 pm | delete
    Beautfully crafted lens. I'll be taking my first art class in a couple weeks--colored pencil drawing. I'm looking forward to it. I've crafted with words-poetry-for several years, and hope to be able to illustrate my pieces some day.
  • AnnRadley Apr 13, 2012 @ 9:22 pm | delete
    Thanks so much J-Ellen. I hope you enjoy the colored pencil class!
  • LensbyLisa Mar 14, 2012 @ 5:24 pm | delete
    The book by Betty Edwards was the book that inspired me to start drawing. I grew up thinking "I can't draw." After doing the exercises in "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," I discovered that I can draw! In fact, I believe anyone can learn to draw!
  • AnnRadley Apr 13, 2012 @ 9:26 pm | delete
    I do too. It's a matter of being open to seeing in a new way, and persistence I think. Thanks so much for your comment.
  • agent009 Jan 5, 2012 @ 11:56 am | delete
    Which one book do you think might be best for someone just beginning?
  • AnnRadley Jan 13, 2012 @ 7:51 pm | delete
    It depends on what you want to do and how much time you can give to it. If you want to study in depth and you have regular time to practice, I would go for Nicholaides. Have you got an idea of what you would like to be able to do in say a year from now?
  • Thrinsdream Dec 27, 2011 @ 5:53 pm | delete
    Another one on the bookmark. . tick. I really enjoyed reading this lens, and am certainly going to try the upside downy approach. I love drawing and would, like yourself, encourage everyone to do it. Loved the lens, loved the advice, loved the encouraging words. Thank you from the bottom of my paint brush! With thanks and much appreciation. Cathi x
  • AnnRadley Jan 13, 2012 @ 7:52 pm | delete
    Thanks so much for your kind words!
  • sukkran Dec 15, 2011 @ 9:39 am | delete
    lovely art work. really admire your skill. ~blessed~
  • darciefrench Dec 12, 2011 @ 2:11 pm | delete
    You are a very talented artist - I love the idea of the contour drawings without looking - yours turned out beautiful, I felt like it was a direct glimpse into the inner state of Creation. Very lovely, thank-you :)
  • AnnRadley Dec 12, 2011 @ 10:55 pm | delete
    Yes it does create a very present and innocent state just to spend time this way. Thanks so much for your comments!
  • davespeed Dec 11, 2011 @ 4:28 pm | delete
    I love the title of your lens! My last name is Speed, so I'd like to learn more about Harold Speed. I'd never heard of him before reading your lens. I have a number of artistic family members, but as for me, I can't draw a straight...uh, I mean I haven't yet learned to tap into my artistic side and learn to draw. Thanks for sharing this great lens with all of us!
  • AnnRadley Dec 11, 2011 @ 4:35 pm | delete
    Thanks for your kind comments Mr. Speed - wouldn't it be fun to find out if you are related to Harold Speed? I bet there is some artistic talent flowing in your blood!
  • agent009 Nov 26, 2011 @ 4:04 pm | delete
    To draw a straight line as a beginner, I think the point is to do short and light strokes so it's not 100% perfect. You can always erase away stray lines when you've got your finished piece ready for further polishing.
  • AnnRadley Dec 11, 2011 @ 4:38 pm | delete
    I would say why not just have fun with it, draw a fun expressive line. If a line needs to be perfectly straight, you can always use a ruler
  • sukkran Jun 13, 2011 @ 2:20 am | delete
    ~blessed by a squid angel~
  • A_RovingReporter Apr 17, 2011 @ 2:29 am | delete
    I don't know much about drawing but I am glad to have stumbled on this great lens. I love the beautiful portrait of the dancer - great work!
  • ltraider Apr 15, 2011 @ 5:42 pm | delete
    Great Lens. You've given me hope that I may be able to draw. Thanks
  • AnnRadley Apr 16, 2011 @ 2:19 am | delete
    Thank you - of course you can draw if you want to enough! I Love your Geeks You Love to Hate lens. That Larry fellow really does look like Peewee Herman
  • artyfax Mar 27, 2011 @ 3:12 pm | delete
    Hi, I used the book by Betty Edwards to help me when I started painting and decided that I couldn't draw - Thabks for this, a wonderful lens. And I love the illustrations
  • Bob g Mar 10, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
    I believe at one point you had a quote here, from a woman?/ Artist, it went something to the effect.
    "art is what is created after the first wrong line is drawn".
    I would like to have it, and of course acknowledge credit. Thanks, I'll check back for a reply and keep looking.
    Blessings
  • AnnRadley Mar 12, 2011 @ 12:58 pm | delete
    Hmmmmm.......I can't quite place that one.It wouldn't be the one from Julia Cameron (above)..something like - it is audacity more than talent that makes a difference??
  • Chinajoy Jan 15, 2011 @ 7:08 pm | delete
    Great lens...and I agree, I have yet to see a straight line to put in any of my drawings.
  • Chinajoy Jan 15, 2011 @ 7:08 pm | delete
    Great lens...and I agree, I have yet to see a straight line to put in any of my drawings.
  • weavz Oct 28, 2010 @ 9:09 pm | delete
    Another wonderful lens.
  • dusty pines Jul 19, 2010 @ 7:00 pm | delete
    hi ann! these are great reccos - will see if my library has 'em or request them thru inter-library loan - and send the link to a friend who recently told me she used to draw - maybe it'll inspire her! i esp liked what you said in the gesture drawing section, "Think of its reason for being..." - i think that's what i do when i paint - gee, i should blog abt that! thanks again!
  • Bettine May 3, 2010 @ 6:09 pm | delete
    Thanks for the suggestions, Ann. I have just started reading the Speed and I've just ordered the Brague which will probably take a couple of weeks to get here. I can see that there is a lot of work ahead of me, but if I can improve as much with each of these books as I have improved already I will be more than pleased.

    I'm not sure if my drawings are good enough yet to share.
  • Bettine Apr 28, 2010 @ 4:37 pm | delete
    Hi, I've almost finished Kimon Nicolaides book and have achieved the most amazing results! A few years ago I went to some art classes but never got the results that I am getting now.

    The book is very challenging and a lot of the lessons I didn't understand at first, but I kept working at them and things always started to make sense after a while. I approached the lessons as if I was in one of his classes so that I set aside all the necessary time with the same respect I would give a drawing teacher in art school.

    Working from the book was a really good and economic way to find out if I had any drawing ability. One of the things I learned is that there are no real shortcuts to learning drawing, or anything else. You really can't expect to get results without effort.

    From here, I would like to have another book to take my drawing further. Does anyone know of a book that goes to the next level?
  • AnnRadley May 2, 2010 @ 11:39 am | delete
    Bettine - that is SO INSPIRING!!! well done!! I would love to see some of your drawings. As far as another book to go further with - have you looked at the Practice and Science of Drawing by Harold Speed? (reviewed briefly in this lens) Also have you heard of the Charles Bargue - Classical Drawing course (a rigorous course for art students in the late 19 century) ?
  • aj2008 Dec 8, 2009 @ 4:30 am | delete
    Inspirational lens! SquidAngel Blessings for you, from the mother of three very artistic daughters.
  • Braazenart Dec 8, 2009 @ 1:19 am | delete
    This is great! I feel inspired and will pick up the pencil in a minute ... thank you!
  • charlino Dec 2, 2009 @ 6:48 pm | delete
    From one artist to another, this was a joy to read through. Excellent source of information.
  • theraggededge Dec 2, 2009 @ 6:10 pm | delete
    Brilliant lens. Refreshingly so. Featuring it on my Zentangle page. More please!
  • makingamark Dec 2, 2009 @ 12:23 pm | delete
    Excellent lens and thanks for your self-nomination. I've now added this group to the
    Resources for Artists who draw and paint (HQ) http://www.squidoo.com/groups/resourcesforartists and lensrolled it on my lens about drawing and sketching http://www.squidoo.com/makingamark
  • schraderj23 Dec 1, 2009 @ 8:51 pm | delete
    absolutely a fantastic lens! Well Done.
  • provost46 Dec 1, 2009 @ 4:10 pm | delete
    Very informative! excellent 5 stars from me!
  • GramaBarb Nov 6, 2009 @ 12:52 pm | delete
    I love this lens - makes me want to try and draw. All my effort to draw has been terrible so far in my life. I have even taken 'classes' - to no avail.
  • AnnRadley Oct 22, 2009 @ 2:39 pm | delete
    Your comments are much appreciated, Angel Paul !
  • pkmcr Oct 19, 2009 @ 2:09 pm | delete
    What a wonderful and incredibly well put together lens. This is the sort of lens Squidoo can be proud of! Squidangel blessings :-)
  • AnnRadley Sep 3, 2009 @ 1:38 am | delete
    Thanks so much for your kind comments and your reference from your wonderful lens about Frederick Franc!
  • kimmanleyort Aug 31, 2009 @ 8:19 pm | delete
    This is a wonderful drawing lens and you write very well too. Lensrolled to frederickfranck and seeingwithoutlabels.
  • dustytoes Jun 29, 2009 @ 1:22 pm | delete
    Drawing is very relaxing for me as well, and I should do it more often. I totally enjoyed reading your lens and seeing your art.
  • Darlene Jun 7, 2009 @ 7:04 pm | delete
    I was told by many art teachers that I had no gift for drawing, and that I should find another creative outlet. I let those comments guide me for many years, and yet I really never lost the desire to draw. Fortunately, I found a wonderful drawing teacher, Sandra Angelo, who had written a great book, the"So You Think You Can't Draw" Workbook. After working through the book I now can draw very well, and enjoy drawing every day, portraits of my grandchild and family friends my favorites. I can't say enough about how her book makes it easy for those of us who don't have natural talent to be successful. It worked for me when many of the other books and workbooks I tried did not, because she starts from the beginning and doesn't assume that you know anything at all, as other books often do. I meet now with others who have also learned through this system, and we all are amazed and gratified at our results. We have formed a group that meets weekly to enjoy our new ability to draw!
  • Kit-Kitty Jan 12, 2009 @ 6:24 am | delete
    Great lens, I loved how you turned the photo upside down! The drawing was ver lovely!

    5*** and a fave!
  • TheInfamous7 Jan 8, 2009 @ 3:24 pm | delete
    Wonderful Lens Ann!! I was fascinated by the piece on the Right/Left side of the Brain..thankyou for sharing both your drawings and ideas in this wonderfully presented Lens!!

    Most definately Blessed... :-) x
  • AnnRadley Jan 2, 2009 @ 3:41 pm | delete
    Cindy, thanks so much for your kind comments. One book that I've found to be excellent for children is "Children and Painting" by Cathy Weisman Topal. Will let you know of other thoughts too - or perhaps this subject calls for another lens. Happy New Year
  • cindy Jan 1, 2009 @ 6:38 pm | delete
    I loved your thoughts-I'm in my 4th year teaching 1st grade (I thought primary teaching would provide creative opportunities for teachers and students but standards and assessments have really limited this) and I'm working on my art certification.Thanks for the list of books! I'll be helping the art teacher at our low income school with a student art club this semester and I'd appreciate any more idea sources. She said her biggest problem is older students trash their work because they worry it's not cool to do art.
  • Marelisa Jan 1, 2009 @ 11:36 am | delete
    Your portrait of the dancer is beautiful, and it's very ingenious to turn it upside down to be able to see "shapes" instead of "face". I love Julia Cameron's quote about the shadow artist :-)
  • gl6869 Dec 29, 2008 @ 2:49 pm | delete
    Wonderflie done. Your lens has given me the courage to try drawing. THANK YOU!
  • d-artist Dec 28, 2008 @ 11:14 pm | delete
    very well done and written lens...I am a huge fan of Betty Edwards books Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain...I teach all my students this method...5*
  • AnnRadley Dec 28, 2008 @ 8:37 pm | delete
    Thanks Michelle - I'll check that out!
  • michellebrunner Dec 28, 2008 @ 9:10 am | delete
    Ann- I agree with you on your book choices! I have all of those books already except for the Artist's Way series...I will have to check those out! Another author I love is Bert Dodson's books Keys to Drawing and Keys to Drawing with Imagination.
  • MountainLuvr Dec 21, 2008 @ 12:27 pm | delete
    Yo Ann, Nice Lens! I don't practice art in terms of painting or drawing. Your lens gives me the urge to give it a try.
  • spirituality Dec 15, 2008 @ 3:46 am | delete
    Wow. Love your style.
  • WestonArts Dec 12, 2008 @ 5:52 pm | delete
    Great Lens! It's just beautiful! Congratulations on another great job!!
  • Aquavel Dec 12, 2008 @ 1:58 pm | delete
    This is an EXCELLENT lens! 5*s & favored.
  • EverythingMouse Dec 12, 2008 @ 11:13 am | delete
    What a beautiful lens. Well deserved Angel Blessings to you.
  • SherryHolderHunt Dec 10, 2008 @ 8:29 pm | delete
    Fabulous lens! 5*s & faved
  • AnnRadley Dec 10, 2008 @ 7:40 pm | in reply to JudyDunn | delete
  • JudyDunn Dec 9, 2008 @ 2:25 pm | delete
    Very Nice lens! Love your drawings. Have you read Art & Fear? It is another terrific book about how people talk themselves out of creating. It is a small and easy to read book, that I recommend regularly to many people.

by

AnnRadley

My main love has always been painting all forms of life. I began drawing and painting in the 80s while I was working in the financial sector on Wall S... more »

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