[DOC] Architects to the Nation: The Rise and Decline of the Supervising Architect's Office by Antoinette J. Lee at Arts-Photography

Review

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful. Fantastic.By skunktrainIve never heard of Mark Crilley before; never read any of his books; and I have a feeling Im not his usual target demographic (since hes well-known for his manga books and Im not a manga fan); but wow; this was a wonderful book.Its purpose; according to the books notes; is to allow you to experience what its like to have a mentor--someone who will not only teach you how to draw; but interact with you; point out what youre doing wrong; and to encourage you (but not coddle you). This book delivers that; in an abbreviated form.The story is of a boy; David; who meets a woman in the park who is drawing. He begs her to teach him; and she does; for a few hours. But of course; the lesson doesnt end there! Each chapter shows how David and his mentor meet up; and each chapter shows her teaching him a new drawing principle. First; its getting the outline of the drawing accurate. Theres a chapter on shading. Then theres the one about using your pencil strokes to follow along the form. (I enjoyed that one. Finally; a beginner drawing book that doesnt rely on smearing the graphite! Eureka! Glory be!) Negative space is covered; composition--its a really good book!Id recommend it to anyone; of any age. I wouldnt assume that it would be the only drawing book that would ever be needed. It cant possibly cover everything. But it does offer a good start; plus it teaches some truths that beginner artists need to learn; but are things that are often beyond the scope of regular beginner drawing books. Things like wanting to draw for its own sake (not to compete with someone else); and to accept criticism and keep on moving forward.This is a wonderful book and beautifully presented. I think it would be a big hit with anyone; but particularly those under age 18; especially if theyve just discovered drawing.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Easy and accessible intro to drawing for everyone :)By Venkatesh Prasad RanganathI got this for my kids and they are really liking it; of course; I too finished it in one sitting :) The comic format makes the exposition enticing to kids. The embedded instruction is very accessible as it uses simple language and concepts (w/ very little or no math and technical jargon). While chapters cover topics such as proportion; shading; and composition; they do so at a basic level. The end of each chapter has short exercises. That said; it is not a book to master drawing skills; which requires loads of practice. It is an excellent introduction to drawing; specifically; pre-teen kids.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Award winning book on learning to drawBy M. J. MannI saw this book in a school library when I was substituting; and since its not too long; I read it between classes. I liked the story; but I was really impressed with the drawing instructions that are included. The student in the book is taken step by step through a process of learning to draw. I loaned my book to a college professor who teaches drawing and graphic arts nearby; and he has been impressed with it. Did I mention that this book is a Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Winner? Great book.