Start with a Scribble: Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered, Hardcover

Just start with a scribble

Start with a Scribble will banish your inner critic and kick-start your inner genius, as you learn to draw with a little how-to and a lot of just-do. An artist-quality pen and watercolor pencils (red and black) are included. Inside, you'll find:

• Prompts to inspire you (e.g., "emotional rabbits")
• Doodles to finish ("Mrs. Thudkins takes her floppaterasis for a walk")
• Techniques to try (only when the mood strikes you), from shading to perspective
• And plenty of wide-open space to play around in.

We're much less interested in the appearance of something than in the something itself. So, when you've settled on your subject (a monster? a cockatoo?), first figure out what its essence should be (ferocious? bashful?) . . . and then, just toss that ball up (artistically speaking) and give it a good swat across the net. Voil You're an artist.

Throughout, beloved illustrator Sir Quentin Blake shares sage advice, from "it's best to name your animal after you draw it" to "don't worry too much yet about ankles." The most important lesson? Let go and give in to your own creative spirit

Publisher's note: Start with a Scribble is an updated North American edition of Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered (Klutz, 1999).

About author(s):Sir Quentin Blake, CBE, is one of the most beloved illustrators in the world today. His distinctive drawings have graced more than two hundred books, including all of the children's classics written by Roald Dahl. He formerly headed the Illustration Department of the Royal College of Art. He is the recipient of many awards; in 1999, he was appointed Children's Laureate of Great Britain. He is better at drawing than he is at shaving. He lives in South Kensington, UK.

John Cassidy cofounded Klutz in 1978 and was its creative head until 2000. He has written over two hundred books and received the Legacy for Children Award. He currently lectures at Stanford's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. He lives in California.