Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: The Definitive, 4th Edition [Paperback]

Betty Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 26, 2012

A revised edition of the classic drawing book that has sold more than 1.7 million copies in the United States alone.

Translated into more than seventeen languages, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is the world's most widely used drawing instruction book. Whether you are drawing as a professional artist, as an artist in training, or as a hobby, this book will give you greater confidence in your ability and deepen your artistic perception, as well as foster a new appreciation of the world around you. This revised/updated fourth edition includes:

• a new preface and introduction;
• crucial updates based on recent research on the brain's plasticity and the enormous value of learning new skills/ utilizing the right hemisphere of the brain;
• new focus on how the ability to draw on the strengths of the right hemisphere can serve as an antidote to the increasing left-brain emphasis in American life-the worship of all that is linear, analytic, digital, etc.;
• an informative section that addresses recent research linking early childhood "scribbling" to later language development and the importance of parental encouragement of this activity;
• and new reproductions of master drawings throughout

  A life-changing book, this fully revised and updated edition of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is destined to inspire generations of readers to come.

Editorial Reviews

Review

2013 Nautilus Books for a Better World Silver winner as Best Creative Process Book

About the Author

Betty Edwards speaks regularly at universities, art schools, and companies. Now retired from her position as professor emeritus of art at California State University in Long Beach, Edwards received her doctorate from UCLA in art, education, and the psychology of perception. Dr. Edwards has been profiled on the Today show and in Time, among other magazines and newspapers. She lives in California.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher; 4 edition (April 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585429201
• ISBN-13: 978-1585429202
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (161 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing
  • #8 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Creativity & Genius

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 101 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unlocking your creative abilities. February 10, 2005

By L. Power TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I bought this book years ago, and it taught me how to dramatically improve my drawing skills.

I believe people who are blocked from drawing well will get the most from this book. More accomplished artists may benefit as well by understanding better how the process works.

It shows you how to look at things differently, and uses different techniques to enable you to bypass your left (logical) brain, and access your right brain, (your subconscious mind), hence the title.

Instead of using left brain- right brain theory to describe this, in my view the more correct description would be to learn to access your subconscious mind which functions at a deeper level, while reducing the way in which your conscious mind interferes with the creative process.

Your brain has four levels of consciousness, beta which is normal waking state, alpha which is a relaxed meditative state such as when you are about to go to sleep, theta which is a deeper state associated with creativity and light sleep, and delta which is deep sleep.

Normally, your brain shows shows some activity at all these levels. Artists and other creative people are able to access the creative mental state more easily.

Here is an example of how the process works.

If you try to draw a chair you may have a definite idea in your logical mind of how a chair should be, so when you draw you are thinking 4 legs, a seat and a back. You know all the legs are the same length, and therefore you may draw that way.

This can interfere with you doing a good drawing, because each leg from an artistic viewpoint is longer or shorter depending on the distance from your eye, so you have to learn how to use your vision to see it differently.

This can interfere with you doing a good drawing, because each leg from an artistic viewpoint is longer or shorter depending on the distance from your eye, so you have to learn how to use your imagination instead.

In this book there is a picture of something such as a chair or a person's face, and you may draw it as it is. You can also use a picture from a newspaper or magazine. This represents your current skill level.

Now, turn the picture upside down and draw the picture upside down. As you do this drawing, you may notice that you are producing a more accurate copy of the picture. This is because you are now using different skills. I was amazed at the results. This is so simple to do. Try it yourself and discover how easy it is.

There are other examples and illustrations to show you how to see pictures differently, and use space, light and shade, optical illusions and so forth.

As you become more experienced you will learn how to use your new skills automatically. I particularly enjoyed using pictures of movie stars, turning them upside down, copying them, and then doing it again right side up.

I have referred several people who would love to draw well to this book. If you are not as artistic as you would like to be, and were to follow the exercises in this book there is no reason your skill level should not improve dramatically. Naturally, the more you practice, the more you improve. If it worked for me, it can work for you. This is pretty easy.

Imagine drawing anything you want to draw completely accurately, and with incredible detail, subtlety and nuance just like a professional artist. This potential is just a few clicks away. If it worked for me, it can work for you, as my natural drawing was ability not good.

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will improve your drawing immensely! June 15, 2004

By J. Danielson

Format:Paperback

I read this book, and later took a course based on this book. In fact, the book was really all I needed. For anyone who thinks drawing is a talent you have to be born with-check out the drawings by Van Gogh included in this book. It seems Vincent was in despair and was going to give up art, until he read a book on drawing (but not this one!). The author gives a before and after example of Van Gogh drawings. The difference was amazing, and clearly shows that drawing is a skill you can learn, no matter how inept your drawing is at first. Do the tasks in this book, and while you may not draw as well as Vincent (or you may), you will be pleased with the improvement you make.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A new way to SEE around and to SEE yourself ! July 28, 1997

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

"Drawing? No, no, I can't draw. That's the job of artists." Isn't this what most of us say when someone talks about drawing or art? What we don't say is that we also have a secret wish that we can draw like an artist. If you are one of these people, grab this book and you will be amazed by what you can draw by following the author's assignments. She really teaches us how to SEE what's in front of us, rather than by our preconceptions. You learn not only how to draw but a new way of seeing your inner self: being creative and artistic -- something you always are but you didn't believe that you were before reading this book and doing all those drawing exercises