Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and exercises for gaining confidence and enhancing your creativity

I got this book as an antidote to the "follow-these-steps-and-make-a-picture-exactly-like-this-one-I-Drew" books that I've been buying, and that are so common on the market for art instruction books. I wanted to "loosen up" a bit and get a feel for my own artistic voice and creativity. It's definitely helping.I like the fact that he starts with the simple idea of "doodling" and expands from there. Other drawing books start with "how to make marks" with the media, and then you use the marks to draw like the author. "Keys to Drawing with Imagination" gives you examples of "doodling algorithms" (categories)and then assigns exercises wherein you take these ideas and create your own patterns and drawings.Bert Dobson has obviously done his homework, too, and created a logically consistant, naturally progressive drawing instruction text. There are eight chapters: 1. Doodling and Noodling, 2.Drawing a New Reality, 3.Stretching the Truth, 4.Visualizing Ideas, 5.Storytelling, 6.Exploring Pattern, 7.Mining Culture, and 8.Exploring Themes. There is also a helpful glossary and an Index. A total of 36 Exercises are scattered throughout the chapters. I really like the way these are set up. He gives [copyable] examples, and then an assignment to implement some of the ideas on your own. It would actually take a very long time to work through the whole book thoroughly, but it is also possible to skip around and do what you like.In addition to doodling, I am reading some of the wonderful chapters later in the book wherein Dodson does a two-page bio and art examples from specific very creative artists. I enjoyed the section on cartoonist R. Crumb and the inspiring story and works of Elizabeth Layton, for example. Dodson also borrows ideas from many other artists he knows (and credits them) to expand various points, and create exercises along the way. For example,there's a part called "Escher Tiling" wherein you can try out making interlocking drawings to fill a whole space. (ie, no background)Lastly, the construction of the book itself is excellent quality and practical for use. It is a heavy hard-back book with glossy-print pages. There is more artwork than text. Most of the illustrations are black and white, except where the artists have done color work. The book has an enclosed spiral binding, so that when you open the book, it will lay flat. This is extremely helpful.

This book is truly awesome! The online "search inside this book" feature sold me on it because I could see how different it was from other instructional art books. After just receiving it yesterday, I can't put it down! (And of course Amazon delivered it in less than 24 hours as usual - how the heck do they do it??) I have been aspiring to start drawing for some time now - I've even previously purchased a whole shelf-worth of basic drawing books that just left me uninspired. The problem is so many "learn how to draw" books are just so dry and boring. Nothing to really get you over the rocky early stages of learning and inspire you to keep going. I'm the type of person that I want to see exciting improvement right away or I don't have fun. Drawing stupid cones and spheres over and over again is not my idea of a good time. And I always had trouble really sticking to it creatively because I could never really think of WHAT to draw. This book has already given me so much inspiration and creative potential in less than 48 hours I feel like I have completely re-discovered why I wanted to learn to draw in the first place! If there is anyone in your life aspiring to be an artist but who is experiencing roadblocks, I HIGHLY recommend this book. I wish someone had given it to me when I was teenager. Who knows what I might have accomplished by now. It really helps you start thinking in much more creative ways, and to have fun with what you draw. I feel like it is exactly what I have been looking for all these years. I could kiss you, Bert Dodson!

I purchased this author's book "Keys for Drawing" and found it to be a great, reference and good instructional drawing book. It is clear and has many exercises that walk anyone through the art of drawing. When I saw this book at the library, (Drawing with Imagination) I checked it out and really liked it. It is fun and has some great fun drawing exercises. I had to have a copy for my library. It really helps with confidence building with regards to drawing skills and provides some fun exercises that are really good and also very relaxing. So if you dread learning to draw but want to do it in a fun, easy going fashion--try this book and see how relaxing and yet practical it is. The information is very well presented.

Everyone needs this book in their workshop to pick up for inspiration. Bert Dodson gives many different techniques for transforming our work and exploring different ways to express it. He presents many projects which he encourages us to see as problems because he believes that creativity flourishes under constraint. He sees his projects as beginnings and expects (hopes?) students will start there but will solve the problems in their own way and interpret them however they wish. He stresses using our work to manipulate and distort in order to transform it and find new and original directions. The book starts simply enough but gets more complex and involved, and more interesting! Even though illustrations are mainly black and white, it is a fascinating book and well presented with many tidbits of information and hints in technique throughout.