Customer Reviews

Cast Drawing Using the Sight-Size Approach

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I ordered this book to enhance my studies at a local atelier that teaches this method. I have seen other books that discuss this method but none that covers a start-to-finish 'how to' of drawing like this.

The author gives clear instructions, photo references and helpful chapter summaries at the end of each section of the book. Though I find it helpful as an additional reference to the classes I am taking, the book is also written for those who do not have access to a classroom experience. The author gives detailed descriptions of the tools required and how to set up a cast and studio space for drawing with this method.

Darren Rousar provides helpful tips that only an active, involved teacher can provide. It's clear he has worked with students who tackle the problems he addresses when learning to see values and shapes correctly. Each problem is addressed with a solution, helpful tips and encouraging advice like "do not finish one area of the drawing before everything else" and "take breaks." That may seem like a no-brainer, but it's hard to see properly with fatigued eyes.

Sight-size takes time. It is a long process but it leads to true understanding of values and forms in a composition.

My only complaint is that the web sight that corresponds with the book is still under construction in places. No matter, I'm sure it will be up soon.

That does not diminish the value of this organized, easy-to-read book. I have been searching for a book like this to help me retain knowledge of the sight-size method and give me tips I may not have encountered in the classroom. Here's hoping this is the first in a series on the fine art of seeing!

This book saved us! My husband and I obtained the "Charles Bargue Drawing Course" from the Dahesh as soon as it became available. While the Charles Bargue Drawing Course has a section on suggestions for copying plates, it is simply not designed for someone without any formal training or professional guidance. Unfortunately, wonderful as the Charles Bargue plates are, they were useless to us without training. Since then, we have purchased many products looking for the skills to reproduce the plates. We were able to make some progress learning other sizing techniques, but we were always looking for a way to learn the "sight-size approach". Constantly on the lookout for a way to learn sight-size outside an atelier, we only found instructions that were inadaquate for someone with no formal training. I can't tell you what a thrill it was for this book to pop up during one of my usual attempts at googling all things "cast drawing" and "sight-size". What a wonderful find this book is. Darren Rousar is a master teacher and made the whole process so simple and easy that we were amazed we had ever struggled. This book is inexpensive, to the point, and very useful. If you have searched high and low for a way to learn sight-size, your search is over and you have arrived. Everything you need to get started is right here. Good Luck!

This book is very simple and straightforward explaning the "atelier" or a sighting method for drawing which yields realistic drawings. I once took a class on this subject and have read a few books on it, but most were a bit "lofty" and philosophical. This book tells you how to set up an atelier studio simply and a week later I was using these methods and producing almost photo real drawings (been studying art for 4 years now). Highly recommended.

"Cast Drawing, using the Sight-Size Approach, by Darren R Rousar"

In my studio is a large walk-in-closet filled with books on art history, artist biographies and art how two books. Most of my how to books are deceptive pricey, glitzy books claiming to reveal secret art practices, some just rehashed bits of stuff with an over focus on personal expression and others are ads. My students offend bring in new books and we as a class discuss each book's merits. We've broken the field of books on art practices into three groups: inspirational, usually packed with lots of pretty pictures, artist promotional, usually packed with lots of pretty pictures produced by one artist, and technical usually not so pretty but packed with useful information.

Darren R Rousar's book "Cast Drawing Using the Sight-Size Approach," is technical and is in the vein of an older group of books written in the tail end of the 19th and start of the 20th century who's authors focused on real studio practices and aesthetics, not on self-promotion. What you will learn from Rousar's book is a way of drawing that is focused and sure. This book is like having Rousar there beside you as he walks you through an approach to skill development in drawing. He is one of those rare teachers, formed from the studio tradition, who understands the how and why, and can explain it and do it. I wish I had him as a studio trained drawing teacher instead of the university trained teachers, when I went to art school back in the 70's but I now have his priceless book of well-presented material.

This is not a book of fluff and pretty pictures. If you want to learn how to draw, buy this book and learn from it.

David C. Powers artist and teacher of art skills

I study at the ARA (Academy of Reallist Art in Toronto) and this book is the only one I have found that comes very close to the methods taught there. It is well written and the steps are very clear. Excellent book for those who do not have access to an academy or atelier and would like to try the sight-size method.

The content of the book is good; other reviews have covered it and I don't disagree, so no need to rehash.

One star deducted for its disappointingly mediocre production quality; it looks like a manuscript printed on a cheap home laser printer and sent off to the publisher for duplication, and in fact I'd be surprised if that wasn't exactly how it was done. The photographs, as a result, are badly halftoned and muddy-looking, like newspaper photographs, and for a work about detailed fine art line this one, that's really surprising and unfortunate. There are many photographs that I really wish were sharper so I could see the technique and results being described more clearly. I would happily have paid more for the book if it had had better print quality, like any of the other art instruction books I've purchased over the past few years.

Five stars for the content, minus one for the production.

Good news is that its very inexpensive, quite readable, and gives some valuable information. Bad news is that it doesn't go far enough, at least for the beginner (me). It shows how to set up the model, lighting, easel; gives suggestions for materials. But it doesn't go too far into actual technique and suggestions. A web link for people using the book to display their work for critique and blog-format discussion would be very valuable (and likely could be marketed).

I just got this book today, and from what I've read so far, it looks very good. The only gripe I have thus far is with the image quality. They really should have invested more money and time into the books production. The cover and back cover were great, but I was let down when I opened the book. Th images all look like copies of photo copies. Very dissapointing. Other than this hiccup, the rest of the book appears solid in its teaching. I definitely recommnend this book to young and experienced artists alike.

This book is very helpful for the self teaching artist. It is very clear and specific in the details of the sight size process, with good illustrations and text. I found the book and the process very powerful. I'd read about sight size drawing before, this book showed me exactly how to go about it. Judy Warner

I bought this book after reading the positive reviews at amazon.
This book gives a closer look at classical drawing technique which is perfect for portrait drawing done in a studio.
Almost from a beginning a reader is thought the sight-size technique by example.
There are clear explanations about setting up a workspace, measuring, shading and finishing work. Additionaly a reader is given some references about the sight-size drawing and painting.
The author promise this book to be a start of a whole course of sight-size aproach. That's why a student-reader begining his journey with this book starts with basic practice of cast drawing.
What I like the most in this book is that it comes with a subject right away without any unnecessary content.
The author is a painter and teacher and as a teacher he knows that book is sometimes not enough. That's why there is a dvd that accompanies the book and shows the author explaining the technique while drawing a cast.
The only disadvatage of sight-size aproach is that you have to have some extra space to set up your workspace that's why I recomend this book to everyone interested in classical drawing and painting done in art studio and to everyone interested in drawing techniques in general.
However, I don't recomend it to comic and concept artists, unless they are interested in broadening their drowing skills in general.