WHAT TO DRAW and HOW TO DRAW IT

In using this book, replicate the final diagram or completed image of the specific series in front of you.

The other diagrams—starting with number one, then moving to number two, and so on—illustrate how to continue with your drawing. They show the sequence for making the different pencil strokes that come together to create the finished picture. The dotted lines indicate where to draw light lines that assist in construction—that is, getting the proportions right, outlining the overall shape, or marking details in the correct spots. Don’t press too hard on the pencil when creating these construction lines, as they can be erased later.

Use pencil compasses for drawing circles, or mark them with buttons or disks.

Take note, first of all, of the difference between an ellipse and an oval.

The large plate explains how to create an ellipse. It shows how to find the points where the three pins are placed to determine the size of the looped string. Be sure to take accurate measurements. Use a string that won’t stretch; cotton thread is good for small ellipses, but silk is too stretchy. A tip for amateur gardeners: make elliptical flower beds this way.

The same caution about accuracy also applies when creating the oval.

Here’s a great list of colors for practical work. The first eight are sufficient for any purpose, but if you want, you can add purple and orange. Moist colors in pans work best. There are many different shades of red, green, blue, and brown paints; and since you might be confused about what to choose, the names of the best shades of these specific colors are also included. The most useful paints on this list are yellow ochre, light red, Vandyke brown, and Payne’s gray. Learn to use them, practice with them often, and notice the beautiful effects they create. Delicate tints can be made with thin washes of yellow ochre and light red. Vandyke brown produces a variety of pleasing shades.

Use bright colors minimally.

You don’t need black paint. Payne’s gray mixed with either brown, blue, crimson, or green creates rich dark tones. Payne’s gray is also great for shadows and shading other colors. For various greens, mix yellow ochre, blue, or brown with Hooker’s green. Use thin washes of light red and blue for the gray of distant objects and clouds.

This is truly an impressive book in which line is established as a valid reason for form. Even the youngest child can understand the enchanting process of this approach and will draw the picture effortlessly and effectively.

INSTRUCTIONS are very brief, for the key lines of each object tell their own story, and the child is captivated by the results they quickly achieve. There is no pointless tracing in this book, as tracing only develops a bit of muscle control at most.

The book offers a step-by-step system that anchors the object in memory and evolves naturally into both a physical skill and a mental understanding of proportion and form.

Foreshortening and perspective, which often frustrate young artists, can be mastered through the simplest progressive examples.

REMEMBERING THE KEY LINE opens the way to the finished piece. There are hundreds of images to create, and all of them are incredibly captivating to the child, who is excited by the "magic" that makes drawing simple and wonderfully engaging.

Just remember the key line, that’s all.