Bruno Munari: Drawing A Tree (About the Workshop Series) [Paperback]

Bruno Munari (Author)

Book Description

Series: About the Workshop Series | Publication Date: July 2, 2004

ABOUT WORKSHOP The books in the new workshop series describe different methods of learning, from educational activities to explanatory pamphlets to poetic play. The illuminating, gentle genius of Bruno Munari offers basic instructions and plenty of stimuli, suggestions, and illustrative pictures to get adults and children, teachers and students working together. These three books, the first in the series, are classics from the hand of a magician.

When drawing a tree, always remember that every branch is more slender than the one that came before. Also note that the trunk splits into two branches, then those branches split in two, then those in two, and so on, and so on, until you have a full tree, be it straight, squiggly, curved up, curved down, or bent sideways by the wind.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bruno Munari was born in Milan in 1907. He exhibited with the second generation of Italian Futurists early in his career and was a cofounder of the Concrete Art movement. Throughout his life he worked as a graphic and product designer, and devoted progressively more energy to products for children. Numerous awards, including the Andersen prize for Best Children's Author, the Lego prize, the Japan Design Foundation prize, recognize his contributions to a myriad of cultural fields. Munari died in Milan in 1998.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Edizioni Corraini (July 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8887942765
• ISBN-13: 978-8887942767
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #515,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and practical, December 5, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Bruno Munari: Drawing A Tree (About the Workshop Series) (Paperback)

"But I can't even draw a straight line!"

A) Straight lines are over-rated, and B) You'd be surprised. This is a wonderful, simple book. It seems aimed at adults none too sure of their own drawing skills, but who must or just want to teach kids to draw.

Even a very young child, but one who's willing to give up the "lollipop tree", will get great results from Munari's simple directions. Munari's tree is a simple thing: the letter Y, drawn again and again. Within that framework, though, there is endless variation. Munari encourages both personal creativity and a systematic exploration of the visual possibilities.

This is a friendly approach to building basic drawing skills. Its second message is just as important, though: the image can be analyzed as well as enjoyed, and visual analysis gives choices. I really wish my early teachers had used more of Munari's wisdom in their teaching.

//wiredweird

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an effective, simple book, January 6, 2007

By 

M. Tiedemann (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bruno Munari: Drawing A Tree (About the Workshop Series) (Paperback)

I am an adult who draws stick figures (and even those don't look so hot). I purchased this book wanting to improve my skills so that I could draw with my kids and not feel like a total drawing idiot.

I looked through the book once and, after following Munari's simple instructions, am now able to draw a very convincing tree. His method is simple, but very effective. It can be built upon to draw very sophisticated trees. I recommend this for adults and children alike.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can show my trees proudly now, March 16, 2010

By 

Flash (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bruno Munari: Drawing A Tree (About the Workshop Series) (Paperback)

I'm an adult with the drawing skills of a four year old and I've seen many four year olds draw better than me. At least I can drink and they can't!

And I'm sick of hearing people offering sympathy saying I'm also bad at drawing, glance over their work and then think at least your building doesn't look like it's being drawn by a drunk with frostbite. I have read so many drawing books even the ones for 'beginners' (yea right!) and nothing has helped, even the one with right brain drawing or whatever. First they throw words at you, then show purportedly bad drawings, and then claim the techniques offered will help you draw the fiendishly complicated drawing presented. I struggle to draw a box, I need extremely simple drawings to copy, not the Sistine chapel...
I now know the principles of shading very well and the history of perspective (Renaissance! Michelangelo! etc) and even why it works but nope I can't draw.

This has been the best book on drawing I've seen. It's simple, very little text and lots of example of different kinds of trees so you don't get bored practicing the same thing over and over.
Munari even shows you how to make a tree out of wire.

I now doodle trees when I'm bored.