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The Challenge

For many people, just the thought of learning to draw and paint is a challenge in itself. “I can’t draw”, “I’m not artistic enough”, “I’ll never master it” are thoughts that crowd the mind of many a budding artist.

There are three common problems which usually arise when learning to draw and paint:

• How to silence your bossy logical nature and let your artistic side do what it does best

• Frustration with your skill level. Beginning artists often think drawings should be lifelike, almost photographic in quality. Many of the drawing and painting learning materials available give a structured, approach which can prove difficult and discouraging for artists just starting out.

• The widely held belief that you must draw well before you should be allowed to paint.

How Does “Painting and Drawing Secrets” Alleviate These Problems?

In summary, “Painting and Drawing Secrets” by Alfred Daniels gives you the ability to:

• Let your drawing and painting happen naturally; use your materials to do the work, allow your hands to have their way and your eyes to dictate their impressions.

• Learn different modes of “seeing” and use the one(s) which work best for you.

• Fully understand the equipment and materials, learning the different uses and effects for each.

• How to draw and paint for the enjoyment it gives you. (If you are concerned only with doing it well you may feel so inadequate that you won’t do it at all.)

• Learn the general lines on which to travel, avoiding rigid, structured methods, and allowing your own inclination be the best judge of what is best for you.

• Get rid of the old belief that you must draw well before you should be allowed to paint. As there is really no real difference between the two activities it is simply a matter of temperament and choice which one you start on first.

The Upside of “Painting and Drawing Secrets”

There’s obviously a lot more to “Painting and Drawing Secrets” than listed in the summary above.

Written in 1961 by the acclaimed master Alfred Daniels and recently re-released, the book contains timeless information which is still relevant today.

The work is divided into six main sections:

• Beginning To Draw
• Watercolor Painting
• Sketching Outdoors
• Oil Painting
• Picture Making
• Summary and conclusion

Daniels has arranged the book so readers can dip into any section and it will always relate to what has been read before. For example, what he has written about painting will also apply very well to drawing and vice versa – in other words, the ideas contained in both activities are completely interchangeable.

In the first section, “Beginning To Draw” Daniels stresses his number one (and only!) rule, which is to “have fun”! His overriding principle when learning to paint and draw is to work naturally, accepting your own drawing style and vision. If you don’t force anything, allow your materials to do the work, and your eyes to dictate their impressions you will become proficient and enjoy what you are doing at the same time.

Learning to develop the ability to “see”, then “draw what you see” is not new – most learning materials cover this topic. However, again Alfred Daniels provides some suggested techniques for achieving this, leaving the preferred choice of method to the individual. In similar fashion he outlines techniques for mastering the three basic drawing elements of line, tone and shape – nothing is set in stone, rather he suggests some tried and true methods, all of which can achieve the desired effect.

Equipment and materials are also covered comprehensively in the first section. Daniels outlines the differences between various drawing media, the correct way to use them, and which drawing supplies best suit specific projects.

Painting with watercolors is covered, once again with a focal point on avoiding over concern with elaborate techniques. The importance of using quality brushes, paints and papers is highlighted, and students can select the techniques which best suit their style and enjoyment.

The section on sketching outdoors alone is worth the price of the book. Daniels believes that outdoor drawing and painting is the best source of ideas. It is not difficult – if you have drawn or painted inside, you will be able to do so outside Topics covered range from what to wear, how and what to put in your satchel, where to go, what to draw or paint and a wealth of other useful information. He then goes into detail about drawing and painting techniques specifically suitable for sketching outdoors.

For those interested in painting with oils, the chapter on oil painting thoroughly covers the three basic activities of oil painting;

• choosing the colors to be mixed

• mixing them so that they fuse and handle well and

• applying them to the canvas or support with brush or knife.

Once again, experimenting with different techniques is the key focus, and Daniels teaches several different ways to learn about the way oils behave, avoiding the waste, mess and confusion that can often result.

The last couple of chapters cover picture composition and the best ways to fix, fame and hang your artwork. There is also a good chapter which covers the tried and true techniques for analyzing the paintings you can view in art galleries and museums.

The Downside of “Painting and Drawing Secrets”

This book was written in the 1960’s and although there are many plates and illustrations, none of them are in color. However, the black and white drawings and illustrations are very clear and illustrate Daniel’s teaching very well.

Those who like the touch and feel of a physical book, may also not like the fact that this newly released work is only available in downloadable form from the internet. However, it is easily printed which may suffice.

Overall, this is an excellent book for beginning artists wanting to learn to draw and paint, as well as those with gaps in their skills who want to improve.

Click here to buy “Painting and Drawing Secrets” now - we highly recommend it!

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