Dr. Awing's 5 Favorite Learn-How-To-Draw Books

Buy your sketcher wannabe friend this set of five books and they're set to GO. The whole kit is about 80 dollars from Amazon.



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Keys to Drawing, by Bert Dodson (1985) – This is MUCH better than the standard “bible” on drawing, which is Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards. Dodson is more relaxed and less analytical about it all.
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Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and Exercises for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity, by Bert Dodson (2007) – Outstanding workbook that presents material in very small, easy to deal with chunks, along with hundreds of example sketches. Dodson has a lot of fun with this stuff! There is no pressure at all. You are invited to find your own voice.
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Sketching School, by Judy Martin (1991) – Excellent textbook loaded with very useful instruction and examples. Recommended highly. You will come back to it over and over again. (This one is out print but well worth the premium for a used copy.)

NOTE: Others have reported that Mastering Sketching: A Complete Course in 40 Lessons, by Judy Martin (2011) is a re-print of Sketching School. It is indeed a re-print. There appear to be no revisions, changes, or additions. 
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The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing on Location Around the World, by Gabriel Campanario (2012) -- Section I is a discussion of supplies and style and Section III is organized around subjects. By far the biggest section is the middle Section II which contains thousands of sketches. Each picture caption covers materials and technique, but the main thing here is inspiration. They are doing it, so can you.

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Sketch Book for the Artist, by Sarah Simblet (2005) -- Far-ranging and eclectic. Off-the-wall yet very practical. This is another textbook that you will come back to time and again for ideas, motivation, and stimulation. Beautifully illustrated.

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[Cover images courtesy of Amazon.com.]