Peggy Dean

I bought this as a mother's day present, and while my mother loves it, I have to admit I've been borrowing the book for my own use, and I'm a big fan as well!

The tutorials are very easy to follow along with, and my only complaint is that the plants aren't labeled. It would have been nice to know what it is I'm learning to draw! But the results have been great every time, and while I've been getting better at drawing recently, it's not a natural skill for me. So I really believe that even if you're not an artist, you would be able to follow along with these steps and create very appealing drawings!

All of the drawings I've attempted have been fairly easy to adapt and build upon as well, so you'll have a lot to work with even beyond the large variety provided in the book. So if you're a journaler, a doodler, an artist, into bullet journaling and planning, or just looking to fill up the corners and borders of your notes and lists, then I'd recommend this book.… (más)

Mindful Sketching by Peggy Dean
~ How to develop a drawing practice and embrace the art of perfection imperfection ~

Preparing for a trip that will require over twenty-four hours reminds me of previous trips…more than one had me in an airport on a long layover and one memorable layover had me buying colored pencils and paper then sitting around a table sketching what I saw, I went into greater detail and beverage bottle but all around me was fare game. This book would have come in handy had I had it to refer to at the time. I wonder if my children and their friends remember passing the time sketching at that table, too?

This is an art/sketching book that incorporates “mindfulness” in the way the author sees it – as an “awareness” of what we see and experience. Perhaps sketching allows us to deal with suppressed thoughts and emotions if we choose to let that happen. Ms Dean also speaks of taking up sketching with the intention of being imperfect but in so doing putting down what we see and feel in the moment.

The book has easy to follow directions with examples related to perspective, scale, and framing that make it simple for anyone sketching anywhere to use. Two-point perspective and having people “on the sightline” was something new to me and well worth learning in a new way. The suggestions on choosing subjects to draw and how to assess what is important were relevant and helpful with a lists and questions to ask oneself when preparing the “why” of what will be sketched.

This is definitely a book I can see having on my bookshelf and will look for when on my next trip to the USA. I have also decided to pack some pencils – lead and colored pencils – with a sketchbook should I be inspired to sketch on the long trip to the USA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spruce Books – an imprint of Sasquatch Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (más)

Botanisch tekenen, meer dan 200 planten en bloemen in 5 stappen door Peggy Dean

Een boek dat niet enkel belooft om je te leren tekenen maar tevens een boek dat tof is én werkt. Jawel, ik heb het al geprobeerd en begin al van een nieuwe carrière als tattoo-artiest te dromen.

Ik hou van bloemen en planten, en ik teken graag maar bracht er niet echt veel van terecht. Tot nu. In Botanisch tekenen staan meer dan 200 planten, bloemen, bladeren, cactussen en vetplanten, stap voor stap getekend. Elke tekening bestaat uit 5 stappen, die je één per één in het kader onderaan de pagina kan tekenen en na stap 5 heb je dan een indrukwekkende bloem getekend. Echt eenvoudig en met een tof resultaat. Iets dat moeilijk lijkt in delen opdelen en daarna pas beginnen tekenen, dat klinkt oersimpel en logisch maar je moet er maar opkomen.
Ik ben alvast dol op dit boek, voorkennis of talent is niet vereist.

Die bloemen en planten kan je gebruiken om je brieven of bullet journal mee te versieren, je kan ze combineren tot hele schilderijen of je kan ze ook gewoon op je Instagram posten en iedereen jaloers laten worden op jouw tekentalent…

Super simpel concept maar echt een geweldig tof boek. Het ziet er ook mooi uit dus misstaat ook niet als cadeautje, ik zou niet weten wie hier niet blij van wordt.… (más)