Art Starts with a Line: A creative and interactive guide to the art of line drawing (Art Starts)

by Erin McManness

An accessible guidebook designed to teach and inspire, Art Starts with a Line offers everything you need to master the art of line drawing, whether the goal is to draw for fun or to illustrate an original masterpiece!

Line drawing involves using a combination of fine lines and bold strokes to create artwork of any kind—from basic folk art to more sophisticated illustrations. This form of art requires minimal tools, making it both affordable and portable. In Art Starts with a Line, artists of all skill levels are invited to learn how to draw almost anything starting with simple lines and basic shapes.

Following a brief introduction to tools and materials, as well as some easy exercises and techniques for warming up to basic drawing tools, you will explore a variety of subjects. You'll draw plants and flowers, architecture and cityscapes, animals, and everything in between. These projects aren't restricted to black and white either! You'll find techniques for adding color with colored pencil, marker, pen, even digitally.

Art Starts with a Line presents everything you'll need to know to learn how to successfully create line drawings of all types. Whether your goal is to create a custom logo for a client, or to simply decorate your planner—it's all here.

Packed with engaging instruction, tips, and beautiful step-by-step artwork, the Art Starts Series presents an approachable and heartwarming guide to line drawing designed to both inspire and teach beginning artists how to create meaningful artwork using simple lines and mindful prompts.

• ISBN13: 9781633224810
• Publish Date: 5 July 2018 (first published 3 July 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Walter Foster Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 128
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Art Starts with a Line through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Art Starts with a Line is a fun art book that, as the title indicates, teaches us the basics of line drawing. This book is perfect for both the experienced and novices alike, as it covers all levels, providing plenty of guidance and projects for all.
I love how detailed this book was. It really does mean it when it says that it focuses on line drawing – that’s the only focus. But it’s easy to forget that there’s quite a lot you can do with ‘just a simple line.’
The biggest part of any art book, and also the most overlooked, are the suggested tools by the artist. I know many would not agree with me here, but its how I feel about it. Know how much or little I can get away with using really removes any lingering anxiety about the issue. By using a pen similar to what the artist in the book suggests, it makes it easier to tell your progress (as opposed to wondering if the difference could be attributed to the tool itself). Once a style is better undersood it is then easier for the new artist to experiment and find the tools they like best. Art Starts with a Line did a wonderful job of listing out the preferred tools and materials, from the most basic to the colors. They also covered digital work, which I very much appreciated (this isn’t a given in art books, so it’s always nice to see when it happens).
Included in this book are instructions for borders, banners, letters, botanicals, architecture, animals and insects, and everyday life. Obviously it’s all much more than that, and there’s countless small line drawings filling the pages of this book.
I personally loved the artist’s preference for bright little lines in their works. It resulted with an almost happy tone, and I found myself very fond of the style in general being used.

For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks