Archi-doodle: An Architect's Activity Book by Steve Bowkett

Despite the intimidating title this isn't a book just for architects, it's for anyone who is interested in buildings.  Our copy has been slowly and deliciously devoured by both me and my 10-year old daughter, and I've recommended it to anyone who will listen.

Archi-doodle is a landscape A4 sized 160 page book and on every page is a task with inspiration, for instance, sketches of the world's tallest buildings with space for your own, famous buildings cut in half vertically for you to complete, sneakily learning about the buildings (Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower) as you go, bridges to complete over a canyon, road and estuary and on and on.  This is simply an enchanting book, introducing thorough creative fun all the major figures and movements in world architecture, from Gaudi to Bauhaus, windows, roofs and islands to underwater cities.

A Short Book About Drawing by Andrew Marr

Andrew Marr is of course one of the BBCs best known news correspondents, reporting and commanding interviews with insight, making difficult and complex situations digestible to the viewer.  And he is famously fighting his way back from a life changing stroke.  But all his life he has sketched and in this book he reflects on what drives him and millions like him, not necessarily (but sometimes) world famous artists, often ordinary people, to draw.  He speaks of what drawing asks of in the viewer and what it does for the creator.  It is generously illustrated with his own sketches and paintings, some paper and canvas, many created on his iPad.  Inspiring and insightful.

Comics Sketchbooks: The Unseen World of Today's Most Creative Talents by Steven Heller

A hefty coffee table book packed with the studies and notes on sketchbooks from 82 of the foremost comic book artists working in the field today. It is a generous work, artists showing how the pristine work that we read in their comics comes to the page. And it is inspiring, showing how different artists work their way from idea to finished product.

Doodlepedia by Doring Kindersley

I ordered this for my 9 year old who is really into her drawing and art and she loves it.  It's quite large, about 25 by 30cm, and each double page spread contains a drawing, information about and around the drawing and white space for your child to add to and create their own drawings.  The range of information is broad and perfect for boys and girls, for instance, the page I'm looking at on crocodiles contains a spread of black and white illustration of a swamp and your child is invited to colour all the crocodiles.  Information is given on the page, that crocodiles are carnivores, what they eat, how big they grow and where they live.  This would and has been a perfect book for car journeys, just add a pack of coloured pens / crayons and I don't think you'll hear anything for a while!

The Drawing Bible by Marilyn Scott


A lovely spiral bound book, easy to use and well laid out.  It is split into 3 sections covering all aspects of drawing:
choosing and using materials - including pencils, charcoal, conte, ink, pens, pastels and papers
further techniques - including tonal, lifting out, blots, stippling, brush, line and wash, contour, frottage, burnishing, masking, impressing, resist and scraperboard
subjects - including figures, landscapes, cityscapes, still life and nature

Each page is really well illustrated with information, artists tips, step by step instructions with photographs and lots of artwork to inspire you

My only reservation is that the tutorials aren't quite up to the same standard, one of them has a lot of complicated preparation that could put a beginner off.

Learning to Paint and Draw by Hazel Harrison

As a newbie kind of lost in the world of materials and techniques but desperate to express myself this is a brilliant book, covering briefly many aspects of drawing and painting, using watercolours, pastels, graphite and coloured pencils, oils and acrylics, and pastels.  A really good starting point.