The Drawing Handbook: Comprehensive, Easy-To-Master Lessons on Composition and Techniques Using Pencil and Pen & Ink [Paperback]

Frank J. Lohan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1993

Comprehensive, easy-to-master lessons on composition and techniques using pencil and pen and ink for beginning and amateur artists.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809237865
• ISBN-13: 978-0809237869
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,361,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

127 of 131 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on drawing basics and techniques, March 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Drawing Handbook: Comprehensive, Easy-To-Master Lessons on Composition and Techniques Using Pencil and Pen & Ink (Paperback)

I checked this book out at the library, and am so impressed with it's complete contents that I'm now buying it, not only for myself, but also a copy for an artist friend who is just starting out. I am a watercolorist, and drawing techniques haven't been a great deal of emphasis to me. After looking over and reading this book, I'm re-thinking that philosophy. This book covers some excellent, PRACTICAL techniques and basic coverage of composition: what is and isn't good composition, how to create a good composition, and a review of compositions past masters have used. It covers basic equipment, techniques, of geometric shapes and their application to real world objects, types of drawing tools such as pencil and ink, and their uses and styles. There are also good practical excersises. This is a good, basic book on drawing and I highly recommend it. One of the best parts, too, is it's reasonable price!

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, November 17, 2000

By 

Rose M. Gatto (Bradenton, Fl USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Drawing Handbook: Comprehensive, Easy-To-Master Lessons on Composition and Techniques Using Pencil and Pen & Ink (Paperback)

This is an excellent starter book for learning how to draw in pen. This is the first drawing book that I have read that starts exercises using a large grid pattern which aides in maintaining the proper perspective of the sketch as you draw it. The author shows the final rendered drawing and then two sample drawings for each exercise - how to do basic outline and then individual sections of the sketch on where to put markings, shade, etc as you build up on your outline. The book covers landscape, animals, people, flowers, & buildings. Good book to have in your library.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It is a disappointment..., April 29, 2004

By 

Bruce Bain "Romans 9:33/Remember Jackie Robinson" (Englewood, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Drawing Handbook: Comprehensive, Easy-To-Master Lessons on Composition and Techniques Using Pencil and Pen & Ink (Paperback)

When I review DRAWING books, the first question I ask is, "Is this for BEGINNERS?" Because I feel an obligation to the book buyer to provide good information, and also to prevent a beginning student from being discouraged, and feeling that they are defective, or ....just cannot get it.

It does not seem to occur to the buyer that many authors just cannot teach. Instinct seems to suggest that that if book gets published, it must contain credible instruction by someone who knows how to teach, and everyone seems to desire to cash in on the Big Bucks market of HOW-TO-DRAW. It may seem surprising that this is just not so. Perhaps as many as half of all drawing books are not very good for beginners. I know. I've gotten familiar with most of the books on the market, and I know what I'm looking for in good instruction.



I ordered "The Drawing Handbook" by Frank J. Lohan from Amazon because I was impressed by the "content" page inclusion of The Golden Section. I thought that any book with that subject would have to be a good book; but the book is a disappointment. There is some good material in the latter chapters, especially regarding Architecture & Landscape drawing, and these are well illustrated. However, though the author suggests we should study the "geometry" of shapes, there are no illustrations of geometric shapes in the human figure drawing chapter, and it is poorly illustrated and poorly covered. For the price, it might be worthwhile as a general reference, as it covers drawing materials adequately enough. The placement of the chapter on Composition as Chapter #1 (the first 19 pages) was a turn off also. This presupposes that the beginner will begin by "composing" a final work, which simply is not true. We begin by learning to draw, and after some ability is obtained, we want to display our best drawing, and that is when we will "compose". I cannot imagine anyone "composing" a final work, prior to actually learning to master at least, elemental drawing/sketching.