Learn to Draw Cool Stuff: Master Shading, Textures and Optical Illusions

Jon Ross: My son is in junior high, grade 8, and many of the ways of practicing technique that he is currently doing are shown here too. Instead of texture on a hand, it was an image divided into six like a wheel but the exercise was to practice much of the same.
I plan to hand him a bank sketchbook and this and see what comes over the winter break.

Canada on Oct 23, 2023

Amazon Customer: Gut beschrieben

Germany on Sep 10, 2023

FF: The book was not what I was looking for. Gave it to my son.

United States on Aug 10, 2023

Adam Feher: The wife loves it!

United Kingdom on Jun 11, 2023

Amazon Customer: Love that it shows detailed steps
Good directions

United States on Apr 21, 2023

chrissy: Great liners for air fryer

Australia on Mar 21, 2023

Chris Hogan: I write this review as someone who processes the very smallest of artistic talent (read - ZERO) but I have always wanted to be able to draw. I still have a long long way to go but what this book has done, is provided me a path. Bit by bit, I am working on elements that are clearly presented in the book and then work to expand on them. The variety of subject matter and concepts to be practiced, has keep me engaged.

I may not be a part of the intended age group (I am substantially older) but this book is just perfect for me. I am so grateful to the author, for sharing their gift with those of us who lack the same. I am progressing!

Canada on Feb 16, 2023

Kyle F: This review is for the Kindle version. I am always cynical when I buy drawing books because most start with ellaborate drawing exercises the author tells you to do daily. Which if that is not part of your daily drawing routine you are short changing yourself. When I was in the military there was a saying train as you fight and I have always practiced that motto which has paid dividends with this book.

The book starts out simple to complex, which any logical drawing book should. The first chapter is is about more efficient ways of drawing proportional basic 3D geometry. This has made my basic shape practice vastly efficient, I am not filling whole pages just to get the proportions correct.

As you get further into the book things start to get more complex with proper shading techniques and which pencils should be used in which ways. Then into mandalas which are extremely complex but the way Catherine lays them out the process is easy.

I will definitely pickup her other books due to her method of instruction that out the complex drawing theories and makes them easy to digest. One thing I would like to add her other book some reviewers have bashed because of the...

United States on May 03, 2020

Richard and Liz: I love the way this book explains art. For example: basic geometric shapes being 2D. These explanations along with the vocabulary sections make this ideal for student and teacher alike. Do you have students/kids that are still 'stuck' on stick figures? Direct them to the "Human Outline" tutorial.

This is NOT a short book! In fact it is over 220 pages so there is a LOT in here! The importance of drawing lightly is emphasized many times, and rightly so, to enable you to erase lines that are no longer needed once your drawing is complete. Not sure which pencils to use? This is all explained at the beginning of the shading chapter. What are positive and negative areas?

WARNING: The actual art instruction pages are in FIXED format on the Kindle so will not change size by opting for a larger font size. Yes, you can double click on the page to enable the picture to fill the page but this is obviously limited by the size of your screen. Although totally readable on my Paperwhite a larger screen would be preferable. Some aspects of the book would definitely be more suitable in a physical copy of the book, like tracing the Mandala template, however the Kindle version is most...

United States on Oct 12, 2017

Bookish: If you liked Catherine Holmes' first book, How to Draw Cool Stuff: A Drawing Guide for Teachers and Students, then you'll like this sequel as much.

Once again, Holmes opens with similar encouragement and general tips for students, slightly reworded (and some saved/elaborated upon for an ending in this book rather than ending abruptly with a lesson). The teacher specific instructions aren't as extensive; personally I think inserting the same instructions verbatim from the first book would be fine for continuity and a refresher.

This book includes a table of contents (hooray!) whereas the first didn't.

This book is structured like the first with each lesson containing the know, understand, do and vocabulary prior to actually drawing. I think this works great for teachers and students alike. If students understand the principles behind the lesson, they are more prepared for the actual mechanics of drawing. Many will probably produce better, more skilled artwork with this background knowledge.

This book, as the title suggests, covers shading, textures and optical illusions. Lessons are new and not repetitive from the first book. Shading lessons include...

United States on Mar 16, 2015