Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun (Lab Series)

I love this book! It just arrived today so I haven't had time to try any of the exercises yet, but I've read it through and I'm looking forward to experimenting with the techniques and creative ideas provided by the author. For many artists, drawing can seem intimidating. I myself have less than fond memories of the drawing courses I took in college and later in art school. But this book is very different from the traditional studio approach to drawing--thankfully! The exercises and prompts in this text are perfect for kids of all ages as well as for playful adults looking for ways to add an original element to their artwork. One of my favorites is the "Imaginary Creatures" assignment, which begins with random paint splashes and encourages creative thinking as you look for "creatures" in the paint, which you then draw with an ink pen in a sketchy manner. It's pretty cool, and definitely original! If people and portraits are your thing, the author provides several exercises that will spark creative approaches to portraiture and life drawing. Out of the seven units in the book, my favorite is called Inspired by Famous Artists. Various assignments in this section encourage you to really learn from the masters by not only copying their work but adding a special twist of your own. One example is to try creating your own abstract drawings of dogs reminiscent of Picasso's cubism style; another is trying your hand at a Joan Miro abstract drawing. The author breaks down this assignment by starting you with simple hand-drawn symbols that anyone can invent (or use the author's provided symbols). Fill your page with them, and when satisfied with the design go over the penciled lines with a dark marker. Then add washes of paint, preferably in the primary colors that Miro often used in his art. And wa-la, you have your own "Miro" drawing/painting to enjoy and admire. Speaking of painting, I really hope that the artist will follow up "Drawing Lab" with a book called "Painting Lab!" She's great with paint, and I'd love to see a fun project book on this subject from her. Someday I hope to take a workshop with Carla Sonheim (she has a stellar reputation as a workshop art instructor), but until then, this book will do very nicely. Thank you, Carla, for sharing your creative ideas and talents with us! And do please consider writing a book someday on your creative painting techniques. Sharilyn Miller, author of Bead on a Wire

I have no shortage of art/craft books- both those for inspiration and those for instruction, but "Drawing Lab" tops them all. Not only does it offer both inspiration and instruction, but it does so in a way that makes you believe that you can actually *achieve* results. And the book is complete eye candy, to boot. Each page of the book offers one simple exercise- the steps are laid out and very straightforward, but the instruction is incredibly flexible so that you can put your own spin on it. I think this is why it reminded me of a cookbook; the book tells you about the steps to take but doesn't give rigid instructions on *how* to do each step. There are numerous examples of different artists' interpetations of each exercise in full color on every page, and large enough so you can see the details, but not so large that the text gets lost. It's just a great mix of instruction and creative spark, sort of like a scrapbook. I have so many art books with detail project step-outs that require multiple pages, and while I appreciate the detail in those, they always intimidate me because even if they are simple projects, they really LOOK like they require a massive amount of materials, concentration, and time. I feel like before I try anything in those books, I need to assemble all my supplies first, clear space off my worktable, do some preparation... etc. And I never get around to that. But the minute I opened this "Drawing Lab", I reached for a scrap of paper sitting on my desk and just tried one of the exercises. Just to see, really quickly, what would happen. And I've *never* had an art book that inspired me to just reach for a scrap of paper and a pen and try something inside quickly, just to see what the results may be. This book got me drawing instantly, and without fear or anxiety, and for that I am in awe. Sprinkled among the pages of exercises are different interviews and bios of artists, with tons of examples of their work. I just LOVE this book. Not only am I inspired, but I really believe I can actually *try* everything in its pages. I also can't wait to try some of these exercises with my four year old daughter, and I went ahead and sent a copy to my friend, who is an early-childhood art teacher, because I truly believed she would be able to use a lot of the exercises in her classroom. I hope for more "Lab" books. Wonderful!!

I have countless drawing books, all of which have remained unused after the first chapter....but not this one. I love it. The exercises are fun and are tailored that you do them as you want to do them. It is all about you. It gives a list of materials that the author uses, but this is not a must have list...it is reinforced over and over that you do what you want, with what you like. The book is about providing inspiration for when you face that blank white page and freak out, or worse, remain as blank as the page. This is the book you want when that happens. Don't be fooled that you won't learn technique however...the book is not only full of inspiration, but technique as well. Drawing instruction meeting you where you are now. Making this process easy and fun and giving you confidence to keep drawing. There are exercises that I am going to do with my children as well, so it really caters for all levels. I can't recommend it highly enough. The pictures re delightful, and there are artist profiles which offer great advise and tips as well as background about their work. I feel less scared just looking through the book, and I am off to do the first exercise now... I have only one regret, that I did not know I could purchase it from Carla herself, as people that do get a special bonus, and I love that elephant drawing!

I can't begin to explain how delightful this book is. Not really. I'll give it a try, anyway... If you love to draw, or know someone who does, the exercises in this book will break through walls and self-imposed limits to unveil creativity in a whole new way. Whether you're a beginner or an illustrator with decades of experience (like me), this book is simply amazing. Starting with the first lesson, I looked at what I was drawing and thought, "Wow... I drew that...? I'm a better artist than I realized!" It's key to draw at least as many figures or pages as she suggests. Don't stop just because the first five giraffes (or bears, or anteaters) look wonderful. Keep going. Do what she says. You'll then go through a bunch of oh-dear-heaven ugly drawings, and, a dozen (or so) figures later, an entirely new -- and more authentic -- style will break through. If you'd like to become a more charming, expressive, and delightful artist -- no matter where you're starting from (including struggling with stick figures) -- I think you'll love-love-LOVE this book. You'll need to be daring. There's not a lot of "copy this, then copy that, and add the whiskers..." in this book. It WILL push you to find your innate (sometimes hidden) creative resources, deep within yourself. The adventure is very worthwhile, and so is this book.

I was kind of expecting a book that I could draw directly in, kind of like a sketchbook but with the little lessons and ideas to spark creativity ( Idea Journal is more like that sketchbook kind of format). The Drawing Lab is more like a lesson-by-lesson format though, with lists of materials you'll need (could always improvise but you will need some sort of art supply stash to do the activities). I've glanced through the different lessons in it and have done the first one already, and it was pretty fun. It was a nice exercise to stretch myself beyond what I would normally do, and I got a ridiculously cute sketch of a cat out of it. Where she says limitations "relieve the pressure of what to draw" is exactly what this book is. It gives your creativity a direction and you end up creating things that otherwise you probably wouldn't have. Fun stuff.

I just got this book a few days ago in the mail and I have to say that doing the exercises I had a huge smile on my face. While I only got through the "inspired by animals" section, I have flipped through the others and they are all so diverse and interesting, and most importantly FUN. Some include tracing, some sketching a clay figure made by a child, working with watercolor, etc, etc. Too many different ones to list. Each activity allows you to take it to another level by giving you ideas of just how much further you can take your creation. When you do each activity, you feel extremely at ease because the book is so "it's ok to be silly" in attitude that you want to just keep jumping on to the next activity. I am not good at drawing, painting, or anything artistic. I am in my mid 20s, a college graduate and do not have the job that I want to have at this moment. My job involves boring office work. This book I feel will allow me to bring some color and sillyness to my life that I will never get from working my 9-5 job. I decided to start learning how to draw and look at art to bring some color to my days. I think that this book is a great introduction to someone like me who is not very artistic, but who really really wants to be able to express themselves through art. Also, I highly recommend taking (and/or purchasing the prior lessons on the author's Etsy page) the "Art of Sillyness" class that the author offers.

I loved this book. It was instantly inspiring and not just to me but also to my 8 year old daughter which spilled over to my 5 year old son and my mother was visiting and she was doing some of the exercises as well. This book is very creative, fun to look at, fun to read with easy to understand exercises. It is a very useful tool in my bookshelf for those times when I am feeling like being creative but can't quite start anything in the limited time I have. I have surprised myself with some of these exercises. They bring out hidden abilities I think. I recommend this book without hesitation and I am adding it to my list of gifts for friends.

I am a fifth grade teacher and used this book for ideas this past year. I did a few of the lessons in here with my kids just the way they were taught in the book. The way I used it the most was to borrow the idea/ lesson and adapt it and add an art element to the different social studies, reading, or science curriculum I was teaching. The lessons are very short in terms of reading. There are a few examples provided and step by step instructions. In terms of materials needed they are not too difficult to round up. That may be the expensive part for teachers. It can be difficult to get class sets of art supplies when funds are limited. Even so, there are many lessons in here that simply require paper and pencil. I would say that as I get more comfortable teaching art more in my classroom and slowly build up the supplies I need that this book will be even more awesome.

Es un libro increíble. Tiene técnicas muy interesantes. Vale mucho la pena.

bellissimo! ricevuto come regalo, lo riprendo spesso dalla libreria quando sono a corto di idee. Anche se in inglese, si capisce molto bene, e gli esercizi sono utili per "sbloccare" il processo creativo, consigliato per disegnatori e illustratori. Consiglio: non limitarsi a leggerlo ma mettere in pratica i laboratori consigliati!

C'est un super livre avec plein d'idées et des exercices de dessin (et activités créatrices) avec des exemples et des belles images à s'inspirer ou tout simplement à tirer une idée. En plus, l'auteur nous fait part aussi des situations vécus. Avec ces idées, on ne peut que rajouter un peu plus à notre vie quotidienne, à un travail artistique avec les enfants ou tout simplement à un moment en famille ou même, un moment avec nous-mêmes. C'est un livre géniale. À avoir!

Me encanta, te anima a volver a empezar a dibujar, a perder el miedo a que no salga bien a la primera y a que imagines, tiene ejercicios originales que te van a ayudar a soltarte y apreciar lo que haces porque no tiene que ser algo perfecto sino algo que te guste a ti. La verdad es que no me arrepiento de la compra es un libro muy práctico y original que recomiendo totalmente.

Livro em otimo!! estado, praticamente novo.