Jenny Rodwell

Complete drawing course books are ten a penny but this is one of the best layed out. I purchased it as an example for my daughter of different styles and subjects that she could employ when creating her own portfolio. There are 37 individual projects which I have listed below:

Charcoal/Chalk: shape forms, Sheep's skull, old telephone, Country lane, silhouette (portrait)

Conté crayons/Stuudio sticks: Still-life with drapery, Lobster on a plate, Satchel hat and coat, Egyptian man

Pen, brush and ink: pot of paint brushes, Circus scene, Quayside sketch (in ballpoint)

Pastel: Red cabage, Swimming pool, Bowl of fruit, Wash asin, Rural scene, woodland scene, fields of Tuscany, Venetian waterfront, Flotsam and jetsam, Lloyd's building at night, French church, Rodeo cowboy, Couple, Potted primroses, vegetables

Graphite: Gorilla, self-portrait, New York's Central Park

Coloured pencil: Palm trees, girl on the beach, Four trees

Magic markers: Orange lily, Venetian washing line, Deserted beach, City street

There is a worthy introduction to the book that covers the basics for planning your picture: proportion, perspective etc.
Chapter two covers equipment.
Then each of the mediums has its own chapter broken down into more specialised materials and techniques.
None of the chapters are too long, but they are inspiring and make you want to grab some paper and try it out for yourself.

Some of the materials have changed over the years. Magic markers no longer come in stubby glass bottles (more is the pity as I grew up on those). So the instructions on 'stripping a marker' no longer apply. but, I can't fault this book to be honest.

I have never read any of Jenny Rodwell's other books but I do own Jack Buchan's excellent The Graphic Artist's Handbook which I can highly recommend. Jack was also a contributor on this book (I suspect he had something to do with chapter 9 especialy).… (altro)