A Portable Classroom

I started out as an insecure, fumble-fingered incompetent -- couldn't even doodle. With the techniques Edwards puts forth, I've been able to learn a tremendous amount about drawing, and about looking at the world (a side-effect not to be understimated). This workbook provides a classroom experience for those who can't find or afford a classroom. For those of us with some experience, it's a great refresher course. I recommend it very highly. In fact, I'm ordering my second copy, for an insecure, fumble-fingered friend.

80% "wordy" text, but only 20% illustration

"DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN"?

Same author also wrote: "Drawing on the Artist Within".

In one instance, it is drawing on one side of the brain, and in the other, it's drawing on the "artist within". Next year, perhaps "drawing on" the cash in your wallet. Betty Edwards is an art fad theorist.

What EDWARDS actually offers is a psychological crutch, for all the drawing instruction is founded upon a singular theory. Art has never been founded upon a singular theory. Often as not, ART is the anti-thesis, the opposite, of all theorizing. EDWARDS makes the practice of ART a theory-dependent activity. I cannot recall it was ever considered beneficial that we all be bound by a confusing theory. It's a very undemocratic idea; but at the same time, credit Edwards with coy marketing.

What does one actually draw WITH? Is it one half of the human brain? ...OR... Is it the Heart? Because if it is the latter, EDWARDS' art theorizing collapses. To put this in simplest terms, I venture to state that strong artists draw from their HEART, and that is what makes Edwards' rambling intellectualizing so corny.

ART is the opposite of any such instruction that reduces itself to any kind of theoretical hand-holding. And for these reasons, EDWARDS books are a conflicting hodge-podge of New Age metaphysics, pseudo-scientific jargon, infectious ideas, the nature of which, great ART has been combating from time immemorial, for all such ideas place a crippling limitation upon free spirits. Art is about freedom, rather than the binding or crippling attachment to intellectualizations, human fear, doubt, insecurity or angst. If you are not burdened with such negativisms, there is no reason to buy Edwards' theory; no need to draw-on-the-cash-in-your-wallet.

Excellent tool for artists and non-artists

I have to disagree with the few negative reviews that have recently appeared for the Edwards workbook.

This is a fine gift for anyone interested in learning to draw. While it doesn't go into depth as "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" does, it does provide enough information to get started - the methods and approach of Dr. Edwards are groundbreaking and absolutely essential information if you want to use your WHOLE brain. (And yes, Nicolaides' book is important, too, but Edwards work is very complementary to it, and carries his work many steps further...)