Start with a Scribble: Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered

Can you find the pointy end of a pencil? Then you can draw! Start with a Scribble will banish your inner critic and kick-start your inner genius, as you learn to capture the spirit of things with a little how-to and a lot of just-do. An artist-quality pen and two 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.

Sir Quentin’s sage advice appears throughout, 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? YOU are the only person qualified to express your unique you-ness.

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

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.