How to Draw Cool Stuff: Shading, Textures and Optical Illusions: 10th Anniversary Edition

The 2nd Book in the ＂How to Draw Cool Stuff’ series. From basic shapes to realistic drawings, mastering shading, texture, and illusions. A must-have for artists of all levels.

Inside this book, you will find simple illustrations that cover the necessities of drawing cool stuff. Specific exercises are provided that offer step-by-step guidelines for drawing a variety of subjects. Each lesson starts with an easy-to-draw shape that will become the basic structure of the drawing. From there, each step adds elements to that structure, allowing the artist to build on their creation and make a more detailed image. Starting with the basic forms, the artist is provided a guide to help see objects in terms of simplified shapes. Instructions for shading to add depth, contrast, character, and movement to a drawing are then covered. The varieties of texture and pattern that can be included in an artwork offer another layer of interest and depth to a design. These elements are necessary to indicate the way something looks like it feels in a work (texture) or creating the repetition of shapes, lines, or colors (patterns). Illustrated optical illusions involve images that are sensed and perceived to be different from what they really are, showing examples of how the mind and the eyes can play tricks on each other.

This edition includes new pages, new exercises, and advanced shading exercises not included in the 1st edition. All you need is a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser, and you are ready to draw cool stuff. Once the drawing is complete, it can be colored, shaded, or designed in any way you like to make it original. Following these exercises is a great way to practice your craft and begin seeing things in terms of simple shapes within a complex object.

Catherine V. Holmes is an art teacher, artist, youth advocate, and the author of the bestselling ＂How to Draw Cool Stuff＂ series, The 15-Minute Artist, and other drawing books. She lives with her family in Plymouth, MA,