Belleville van stone sketches pdf. Stone Belleville-Van: Sketchy! How to sketch in everyday life. What is this book about?
About the book
Drawing exercises and practical tips are something that will be useful for both experienced artists and those who do not know how to draw at all.
Urban sketching or the practice of daily drawing “in between” is a new trend. And for representatives of creative professions, this is often an urgent need, given the active modern lifestyle.
In this inspiring book, self-taught artist France Belleville-Van Stone encourages readers to rethink their daily schedule to spend at least 10 minutes a day sketching. She encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and also gives tips on how to turn a rough sketch into a finished drawing.
Belleville-Van Stone learned to draw through daily practice, and knows firsthand how difficult it is to find time for creative expression in the busyness of everyday life. In the book, she talks about several effective ways:
Drawing objects according to the order of letters in the alphabet: airport and banana, face and hands, business meeting and workplace.
Tips on the tools and materials you might need and how to carry them all with you.
Chapters on the inevitability of mistakes, drawing under time constraints, and changing the way we think about drawing completion.
The pros and cons of digital sketching, including a description of applications and their capabilities, as well as styluses.
For those who want to have time to draw between school and work, the bathroom and the bedroom, the alarm clock ringing and leaving the house - practical advice from the book will be a real salvation. Author of the book "Sketches!" shares details of organizing her own creative process and inspires both beginning and established artists. You will be able to reconsider your daily schedule, learn to enjoy the process of drawing and keep an artistic diary of your daily life and the world around you.
From the author
Remember: how did you prefer to spend your time as a child? Build castles, have a tea party for dolls, make snowmen or go fishing? All my childhood memories are connected with the LEGO constructor: all my free time from school was spent on it. I had two huge boxes of parts and a stack of building plates. I loved building houses and spent my days thinking about the best layout. I did everything in a big way: a courtyard, four bedrooms, huge tables, large beds, a garage for two cars and a spacious hallway. I sat for hours at this activity, so that I could then place small LEGO figures in the built house, select suitable cars for them and, finally, play.
Each time I looked forward to the moment of the game, but as soon as the house was ready, I almost immediately lost all interest in it. That same day I dismantled the newly built building and started all over again.
In the end, I realized that it was not the game with the house that attracted me, but the building process itself, and when it was over, my enthusiasm disappeared. Although I was eager to see the results of my work, the real motivation was the desire to build itself. Going through endlessly many pieces in search of one suitable one, under the influence of a sudden idea to look through them all again, make decisions - that’s what playing with LEGO was for me.
Drawing is very similar to playing with construction sets. Probably, first of all, you want to see the result, but you will enjoy the process, the model, the paper, the pen, the pencil, the pressure, the shading, the color, the strokes and your own mistakes.
My book is about how great it is to draw. In it you will find practical advice, recommendations for choosing materials and tools, ways to find creative stimulation - in other words, something that will help you start drawing.
about the author
France Belleville-Van Stone is a self-taught artist who grew up in Montbéliard, France, and loved cars and drawing since childhood. As a teenager, she became interested in studying English under the influence of the works of Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and John Steinbeck. After receiving a master's degree in English from the University of Strasbourg, she moved to America and became a teaching assistant at Pennsylvania State University.
I didn't study drawing in high school. In 2006, I started a blog called wagonized (being passionate about retro Volvo wagon models), where I posted my sketches to motivate myself to draw daily. This led to acquaintance and joint creativity with colleagues from different countries. Danny Gregory used her sketches in his book "The Drawn Life" in 2008.
Today, France lives in an old house in northwestern New Jersey with her daughter and a husband who does upholstery, builds gazebos, and plays the ukulele. She can often be seen drawing with a cat on her lap.
2nd edition.
That's all, you don't have a single excuse left, because the author of the new book “Sketches!” - self-taught artist. France Belleville-Van Stone not only draws great, but has also achieved popularity. She worked on interesting projects together with professional artists, despite the fact that France is an English teacher by education.
It doesn’t matter what degree you have, grab a pencil, a sketchbook - and go!
Who is this book for?
For those who believe that without art education nothing will come of it. But no! Work hard every day and believe in yourself. Everything will work out!
What is this book about?
There is an entire chapter dedicated to the lack of art education, and it is very compelling. All you need is the desire to draw and develop. And there is no magic here. No, you won't become an amazing artist just by reading this book (and all the others), but you will understand what direction to move in. And you will also understand that the most important thing is not to stop moving forward.
Any book written by an artist will have a chapter dedicated to materials. But everyone is unique. The author's individual style also dictates an individual set of tools. France talks in great detail about his main material - liner pens. And no less fascinating about some others. The main feature of the materials described is their compactness and ease of use, which is very important when your main working surface is your own knees. Everything that the artist uses fits into a small pencil case, because the desire to make a sketch can catch you at any moment.
There is another whole chapter about any minute. When to draw for a person who honestly works from 9 to 18 and still has a lot of household chores? The answer is simple: along the way. Draw in public transport, in line at the clinic, while the potatoes are boiling or the washing machine is spinning your clothes. In these few minutes you will not create a masterpiece, but is it necessary? The author encourages you to change your attitude towards drawing: lower your expectations, don’t strive for an excellent result, and then you will gain freedom and be able to focus on the process. What can be called a finished drawing? Take a closer look at your half-drawn sketch, because it also has a special charm.
Digital sketching
Turn your gadget into an art workshop! There is no need to carry around a pencil case and sketchbook or think about how to sit comfortably in the open air. A tablet, a stylus and a convenient drawing program are all you need for digital sketching.
You can spend a lot of time trying to figure out which program to download and which stylus to choose. And France has already reviewed the best, in her opinion, styluses and programs. She also very clearly described all the pros and cons of drawing on a tablet. And, of course, she writes about drawing techniques. The variety of tools in drawing programs is simply amazing and opens up new horizons.
Source of ideas
An entire chapter is devoted to the sore point of all artists in the world: what to draw? France approached the solution in an unconventional way and suggests at least one topic for sketching for each letter of the alphabet. There will definitely be enough ideas for the first time. And then the process will captivate you so much that you will have to write down your own so as not to forget.
How is the book made?
Form or content? What is more important to you? I can say with confidence that their unity is important to me. And this book fully matches my preferences. Lots of original drawings (black and white and color), stunning imitation of rough watercolor paper on every page, rounded corners, high-quality printing and a very nice cover design. The combination of matte and glossy elements looks beautiful and feels simply amazing! At the bottom of each page is the chapter number and title and a drawing of the wonderful little car from the cover. The entire design has a single inspiring force. Believe me, it’s simply impossible to resist buying the paper version.
Bottom line
A very beautiful and useful guide to daily sketching from a self-taught artist. France Belleville - Van Stone, a young mother, knows how difficult it is to find time for sketching in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and how wonderful it is when you do find it. And she knows for sure that daily work will bear fruit, but there is simply no shortcut to success.
Buy the book by France Stone “Sketches! How to sketch everyday life"
The book “Sketches! How to make sketches of everyday life" is available for order in the Ozon online store at a price of 700 rubles.
Today I want to talk about my latest book acquisition. To be honest, in this case I was led by the cover and the publishing house.
"MYTH" has always been famous for its good attitude towards works and careful selection of authors. In addition, such books always have a beautiful layout and nice illustrations.
Frankly, I was a little disappointed in the way the book was put together. If you have ever held in your hands colored diaries and all kinds of creative notebooks from EKSMO, then everything is exactly the same here - the principle of a paperback book. In this case, the cover is composite, plus the nice rounded corners will prevent it from quickly becoming unusable, but the stitching and gluing, which does not allow the book to be opened without breaking the spine, disappointed me. I usually handle my library very carefully, so I read it without opening it all the way and now I hesitate when I put the book into someone’s hands. 
The second point that slightly bothered me is that the author is a “self-made artist,” i.e. a person without a specialized education, but I managed to quickly leave my petty snobbery behind the scenes. 
Madame Belleville-Van Stone talks so simply and frankly about her creative path, describes her tools and discoveries in the field of materials and technology so simply and in detail, that I could not help but be inspired. 
For example, it was in this book that I learned that the MICRON pen is not blurred by watercolors, i.e. the contour can be completely wetted; Staedtler or Faber Castel cannot boast of this. 
The main tenet of the book is that you just need to keep practicing, and sources of inspiration can be found everywhere. 
By the way, this is exactly what the last part of the book is devoted to, designed in the form of an impromptu alphabetical reference book. 
In general, my summary is as follows: I can’t say that this book is some kind of super practical guide, but it is quite suitable as a library addition or a nice gift for an amateur artist or teenager. 
Click on the title image of this post and you will be taken to the book’s page on the publisher’s website.
Sketchy! How to Sketch Everyday Life
France Belleville-Van Stone: Sketches! How to sketch everyday life.
The original title of this book is Sketch!: The Non-Artist's Guide to Inspiration, Technique, and Drawing Daily Life. This guide for non-artists: Rest assured, you can draw very well too! Quick sketches and improvisation are the key to success and will help you achieve heights in drawing.
This is not a textbook or step-by-step instructions on “how to learn to draw,” but a book filled with inspiration, tips and tricks about drawing in everyday life. When you don't have the opportunity to go plein air. When you can draw what close to you, so that it becomes real art.
France Belleville-Van Stone is a famous blogger on the site www.wagonized.com she posts her drawings from everyday life (sketches from the living room, the backs of her colleagues during meetings, cars, shoes, or her cat): the style of her pen and ink drawings is recognizable and very interesting, and the blog is very popular. She can find time to draw even though she is a very busy mother and French teacher. Now her book has been published - large, detailed, and even in Russian!
The author doesn't dive into explanations of basic drawing techniques (perspective, shape, etc.), but she is obviously guided by these ideas. Drawing here appears serious, almost professional, but a very accessible matter for each of us to understand.
The practical advice in this book is suitable for both experienced artists and beginners. The drawings in the book are by no means simple. It's really good drawings that can become illustrations for your books, if you are an author, or decorate the interior.
The beginning of the book.
The book shows the personal journey of the author, the artist, which is interesting and revealing. The introduction and the first chapter tell us about France. Reading this book is interesting. The author's main focus is to inspire us, to make drawing a part of our daily life, because without this it is simply impossible to achieve a good result. There is also stories about basic techniques, which will help you gain some basic artistic knowledge and skills.
France explains clearly the drawing supplies she uses, basic techniques, recommends what and where to draw when time is limited, shows digital drawing on a tablet (she uses an iPad), and finally gives a list of objects to draw in alphabetical order. This book is a clear guide that will help you move from the “dead point” and try to find yourself, your creative style. Drawing in everyday life, when it seems there is neither time, nor funds, nor spectacular objects for a still life at hand, is possible for everyone.
The book is very stylishly designed, cover with rounded corners. The pages look like textured paper (although in fact they are smooth, thick). The cover is soft, very durable: this gift version of a non-standard book for any person who wants to learn how to draw, tries to draw. Including and for children, teenagers.
If you've always wanted more than to learn how to simply redraw ready-made drawings, but dreamed of taking a sketchbook and pencils, sitting on a bench with a view of the landscape (or even without such a view) and getting carried away for a few hours, this book is for you. Speed doesn't matter, perspective and proportions don't matter: every time you draw, you learn new skills and constantly improve.
This is a motivational and inspiring book. This is a book that you can take with you to the park, for a walk, to the country house, to the beach, or just on the sofa, and read it slowly. We recommend it to all draftsmen and artists. 
Even cheap pencils and a very simple sketchbook can work great, you just need to learn how to choose them and, most importantly, how to use them. It's hard to spend money on a hobby that's in its early stages when you're still unsure of yourself. However, it is useful to have an understanding of how different tools can create different effects, as this book will teach you.
Once you become familiar with the tools, let's begin simple exercises to develop different drawing techniques, shading, and more.
Which watercolor to choose? In Russia, the best watercolors are considered White Nights, you can take Ladoga (it’s cheaper) - in general, watercolors from ZKH are recommended. If you draw seriously, then it is better not to take watercolors from Gamma; they are more suitable for children.
The book as a whole is focused on basic pen and pencil drawing techniques, it is graphic, although sometimes color is also present (usually watercolors).
The last chapter is tips. Animals, airports, suitcases, bananas.... lots of great ideas, with examples and tips. This is a great chapter for when you just don't know what to draw. An alphabetical list of various objects that are great to be drawn, with a little explanation of how and why they can be drawn, will be a great help to any aspiring artist.
The main thing is not to put too much emphasis on the final result, otherwise you will miss the joy of the drawing process. Work with what you have on hand and find inspiration in the everyday things around you.
Good motivational book for drawing anywhere, anything, on anything.
Book size about 19x23 cm, 144 pages - with text and drawings.
In the photo below in the gallery there are some more examples of pages..
