Okay, first and foremost i think all reviews that criticize the book when the purchasers haven't went through the book in it's entirety should be disregarded completely. Now, that having been said i am currently on the end of section 9 going into section 10 so i am about half way through. There hasn't been a huge complete transformation so to speak because i read Betty Edwards right brain before taking on this book but i was only an okay artist after reading Edwards.
This book has caused some changes in me however and has allowed me to make and correct many many newb artist mistakes i probably would have made sooner or later and that alone is invaluable. The 3 hours a day is a commitment but its one im willing to make because i strongly desire to be a better artist [and honestly it's only a year of training, its so worth it if at the end you truly have a grasp on something that typically takes years to learn properly and even more years to perfect].
The gesture sketches have added a fluidity that was missing from my sketches. There are no straight lines in the human form and its something that i did constantly which gave my drawings an unattractive robotic quality. Also im starting to recall parts of the from and how they would look in specific ways and perspectives; this amazing book gives me confidence and it allows me to get the practice i need. What i like most is that Nicoladies does not FORCE any technique on you at all, he just drives you to Point A and shows you where Point B is on a map after that he lets you figure out how YOU want to get there. That's not to say that he doesn't give you tips and direction this however never stifles the freedom to develop your own style that will be unique to you which i love.
I am also appreciative with the volume of the drawing im doing as it is increasing my visual vocabulary which i know will greatly aid in drawing from my imagination rather than just copying what i see. You cannot draw what you haven't seen so unless you've got a mental reference or a physical model to go from without either of these things you will not be able to render any pose or object realistically. Its like trying to achieve a likeness of a stranger you've never met, you have nothing to go by. I know there are reasons for the exercises very much like the karate kid "Wax on wax off" lol but i know in the end it will allow me to draw more realistically and effortlessly. Again im an okay artist but when i draw its basically a picture with no depth, i can draw a human body fairly well but i cant truly render it because i don't know it in depth so the drawing is fairly flat looking unless im explicitly copying a photo reference. If you have the basics down and want to bring yourself to a level that will allow you to truly come into your own as an artist i believe this book is for you. I love the quote from the book "The sooner you make your first 5000 mistakes, the sooner you can learn from them" great quote as success truly teaches you nothing.
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