Product Description

Timeless work by one of the greatest art critics of all time begins with bare fundamentals and offers brilliant philosophical advise. "...the truth behind Ruskin’s statements is always clear..."—American Artist.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #291046 in Books
• Published on: 1971-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 228 pages

Review
'Contains new illustrations and interesting notes and explanations to help students through the process of drawing. This classic retains its relevance some 150 years after its first appearance and should be on every artist's bookshelf.' Leisure Painter (June 2007) 'The book is an absolute delight and proves that traditional teaching methods by a good artist and tutor should never be overlooked in our age of digital technology and instant results.' Editor, Leisure Painter (July 2007)

About the Author
From his early youth John Ruskin drew obsessively, a discipline that he not only kept up right through the production of his great literary works, but which was essential to them. This book is the result of quite considerable teaching experience.

Customer Reviews

Illustrated Edition with Notes by Bernard Dunstan - A Caveat
I am enjoying this book. I'm an experienced draftsman, but feel that following the exercises Ruskin outlines in his book are greatly improving my drawing skills. The Watson-Guptill Illustrated Edition, with Notes by Bernard Dunstan, has added a number of illustrations of the work of Ruskin and his contemporaries, which are very helpful. They have also added additional notes to the margins from Ruskin's other writings that offer additional explanations, also very valuable. However, the modern illustrations done especially for this edition seem to me to miss Ruskin's points and may confuse a novice draftsman. Most obviously, early exercises that Ruskin emphasizes are to be done with careful precision in pen and ink are illustrated with quick, loosely executed, pencil sketches. The patience, sensitivity, and craftsmanship that the exercises are designed to develop I find largely missing from the new illustrations created for the book. I still would highly recommend this edition, advising the reader to study the modern illustrations for content but cast a critical eye on their technique.

No frills tuition
I love this book. It's takes a no frills, 'no mercy' approach to teaching drawing. Surprisingly it has very few images but I find the text to be very readable. Written in the 1700's using the language of the time, it is at times very entertaining. It gives you instructions on the bare facts (including the pains required) on how to draw; in stark contrast to most current books which advocate the 'learn-to-draw-in-2-hours' approach. Indeed, Rusking is straight to the point enough to indicate the amount of time required to draw effectively - 160 hours! Ruskin was clearly a genius in the simple and effective approach on how he teaches drawing.

Written in the 1700's I found it to be a very fresh account and framework on how to draw in 2007!

Andrew Borg
[...].

Elements of Getting Comfortable
As a long time admirer of art and a first time beginner of actually tapping my artistic well, this text is like having a private mentor guiding you through specific progressive exercises. It's language is quaint and cozy to modern ears, having first been written in 1856. But it is practical, clear and encouraging. It dispells the idea that only certain people can draw. And by focussing on drawing with pencil, it provides the foundation for using any other media. A wonderful find.