Monthly Art Book Review "The Pencil Box"

This book is an oldie but a goodie.

I actually found the book at an library sale in Paynesville, VIC.

Not all great books have to be shiny and new. Some of the best tutorial books, I find have been second hand. Sometimes you can find art techniques that are, I guess, simply put, not in vogue. I find the art industry trends a bit, especially on social media. It can be easy to get lost in the latest techniques and miss the core basics that make a great picture.

The Pencil Box was written back in 2006 by a group of editors from The artists magazine & North LIght Books. It was in this book i actually came across my favourite drawing technique. They call it ‘creating power points’ where lines of your art intersect to create depth and balance in the picture.

Apart from this, it teaches all the basics step by step from how to actually ‘see’ what you are drawing, to shading techniques, creating depth perception and how to use various tools. It has become my main point of reference when I want to improve my art.

What oldie but a goodie book have you found lately? I’d love to know!