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Keys to Drawing [Paperback]

Bert Dodson (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews) |
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Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 1990

Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw.

In this book, Bert Dodson shares his complete drawing system—fifty-five "keys" that you can use to render any subject with confidence, even if you're a beginner.

These keys, along with dozens of practice exercises, will help you draw like an artist in no time.

You'll learn how to:

  • Restore, focus, map, and intensify
  • Free your hand action, then learn to control it
  • Convey the illusions of light, depth, and texture
  • Stimulate your imagination through "creative play"

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A painter, teacher and illustrator, Bert Dodson is the author of the best-selling North Light book Keys to Drawing. He's illustrated more than 70 children's books and worked as an animation designer for the PBS series Intimate Strangers.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: North Light Books (August 15, 1990)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0891343377
  • ISBN-13: 978-0891343370
  • Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Bert Dodson Page
Bert Dodson
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
558 of 562 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In high school, my best friends were the Artist and the Musician (I was the Writer), and while I learned to produce something approaching music, I was never able to draw anything recognizable. I never wanted to paint in oils or acrylics, or anything that advanced; I just wanted to be able to create good representational drawings and sketches. This apparent artistic inability has been a deep annoyance to me for more than thirty years -- aggravated by all the people who insisted that "anyone can learn to draw." Unable to find a class for adult beginners anywhere, and being the autodidact type, I've tried to teach myself from how-to books. I've read through dozens of them and have spent serious time trying to learn from at least five or six, but none of them turned out to be very useful, at least not to me.

Then I happened across Dodson's book and everything changed. He doesn't spend the whole first chapter describing the tools you need. He doesn't launch into a zen discussion of the "is-ness" of art or play amateur psychologist. He just tells you to sit down, cross your legs, and draw your feet -- and he explains, in very simple terms, just how to go through the process. Look, hold, draw. Look, hold, draw. And it works, it really does. I'm sure all this is old hat to you artists out there, but Dodson is exactly the sort of teacher I've been looking for all these years! There are about fifty exercises on methods and techniques throughout the book and I'm taking my time with them. After three months, I'm about a quarter of way through the book, and my sketch book is looking pretty good. I've learned to restate rather than erase, and I'm getting along just fine with two pencils (HB and 4B) and a Micron pen. I cannot recommend Dodson's methods too highly to anyone who, like me, just wants to learn to draw!

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275 of 282 people found the following review helpful
I started to draw May 11, 2000
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I loved to draw as a little girl until my grade 5 art teacher held one of my "creations" up in front of my sister's class (she was very talented) and said, "can you believe they're sisters?". I was crushed and other than in art class, I never picked up a pencil again.

Fast forward 20 years where I see Bert Dodson's book "Keys to Drawing". I remembered how I used to love to draw and bought it on impulse. I started at page 1 and progressed through the book. The day my sister (the artist) walked into my house and seeing the drawing I was working on said, "nice drawing of Louis Armstrong" was one of the best moments of my life. By the way that was a drawing of Satchmo I was working on.

What I learned from Bert Dodson was that drawing is mostly about technique which anyone can learn. Although my masterpieces will never hang in a museum, they do hang in my home and my husband is very proud to have them there.

If you've always wanted to draw but thought you had no talent - buy this book. You will surprise yourself.

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147 of 148 people found the following review helpful
Accessible and thorough September 13, 2000
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I looked over and purchased KEYS TO DRAWING on the recommendation of one of the reviews here. I don't have the resources or time for an art class, but I like to sketch for a few spare minutes a day. The book is perfect for someone like me.

Dodson teaches the basics with an emphasis on relaxation and creativity. You really learn how to think about drawing. His exercises are designed to help you master skills (composition, proportion, shading) rather than the perfection of the end result. Oddly enough, the end result of all of these lessons are more perfect drawings!

Now that I'm finished with the book, I still go back mentally to each of Dobson's lessons to help me through the challenges of creating drawings, and I still work on the exercises. To me, this more than earns a 5 star review.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great Lessons for Beginners
I have been wanting to develop my hand drawing skills so I purchased this book based on the recommendation of my professor. Read more
Published 1 month ago by HipChickDigs
Great book for beginners!
I purchased "Keys to Drawing" for my adult daughter who has artistic talent, but no formal training. Read more
Published 4 months ago by E. Williams
Excellent book for learning how to draw right
I'm only a few pages in and already this book is helping me correct a lot of the things I do wrong when I draw. I'm really glad I bought it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lukosa
Good book and good quality
I buy this book based on the preious reviews on it. This 5 star book is really good tool for me as the first step to draw.
Published 6 months ago by race_01
Over Rated
I bought this book solely on previous customers' reviews. Mr. Dodson's book was way, way, over rated. Look for another book for self teaching the art of drawing. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mark
Keys to Drawing
I am not a natural artist and after having read reviews on this particular book it sounded like just what I needed to take on the endeavor of drawing. Read more
Published 7 months ago by slugstumper
Another winner
A very pleasant surprise. The book is like new and arrived after only a few days. This was one of two books that I ordered on Amazon, and they were both outstanding buys.
Published 7 months ago by fan
"Keys" gets right down to the most important aspects of art
I have to say that as a lifelong artist that became rusty during my twenties, this was one of two books I bought to reignite my artistic passion, and to try and learn certain... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Adam K
Keys to Drawing book
I love the book and would recommend it to artists and aspiring artists of all levels of experience and/or talent! Read more
Published 8 months ago by K Lance
Very helpful for a beginner
It's easy to read and the exercises are good. I've not had an art education so it covers a lot of basic information it about art as well as drawing.
Published 8 months ago by Absentmindedprof
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The art of drawing is an act of uncanny coordination between the hand, the eye, and the mind. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
sighting strategies, lls pattern, full tonal drawing, enrichment shapes, distant grip, textural stroke, trapped shapes, free handwriting, triggering words, comparative measuring, paper stump, accurate contours, drawing blind, value sketch
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Vincent van Gogh, New York, Kathe Kollwitz, Catherine Murphy, Kung Hsien
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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