The Artist's Sketchbook

Book excerpt: Sketching requires only the most basic tools to get started and is immediately accessible to anyone who has the desire. It is a simple yet rewarding exercise, serving as the foundation of all artistic pursuits. This illuminating guide draws on the vast experience of established artists to give readers a rich variety of working methods and topics that will guide and encourage their sketching ability. Artists of all skill levels will benefit from exercises that show them how to: * Sharpen powers of observation and analysis * Capture movement through line * Set up powerful compositions * Render tiny details that breathe life into a sketch * Use sketches as the basis of strong paintings Lucy Watson has a degree in Fine Art with a Masters in advanced printmaking. She is highly experienced in all media and her drawings, prints and paintings have been exhibited at prestigious venues all over Europe, from the Academie Royale de Beaux Arts in Brussels to the National Portrait Gallery in London. She lives in the United Kingdom.