52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun (Lab Series)

I love this book. Having used several "how to" art books in the classroom, this little book gives more helpful ideas and thought than any I have ever seen. I can't wait to start using it as a motivator for my summer school art class. Wonderful gift to the art educator from the creative mind of my sister-in-law!

A different and extremely natural aproach to drawing. Everybody walks no matter how they do. But draw? so much fears that block our minds. This book free you from those fears. just enjoy drawing, no matter how you do! If you enjoy it, it is worth doing. Thank you Carla!

I misunderstood what the description of the book was claiming so this review is to warn others that might be looking to learn to draw. What I now see (after purchasing) is that on the front cover it says it's "exercises to make drawing fun" ....the implication is that you must know how to draw already and this book will just show you how to make it fun. This book does NOT teach you how to draw, in fact, it assumes you know things about drawing that I just didn't know which is why it is of no use to me.

For instance, the very first lab says "think about what a cat looks like; ears, face shape, body shape, tail, and just spend the next ten minutes or so drawing as many cats in as many positions as you can think of." Problem for me is that I can think of cats all day long but that doesn't mean I can draw a cats body or face shape and there was no instruction on how to draw cats.

Other exercises require you to have things (like photo's of giraffes, Dr. Seuss books, friends who will let you sketch them, clay models) or tell you to go certain places (zoo, coffee shops, etc.) and then sketch the animals or people you see. Exercise 14 and 15 require you to find and join a life drawing group. (If I joined a life drawing class with real models why would I need this book?)Exercise 39 tells you to outline a flower shape then says "add shading with pencil." (If I knew how to shade (which I don't) why would I need this book? Exercise 43 tells you to go outside, find a scene, then "very lightly sketch in the basic shapes or your composition, but build up the bulk of your drawing with shading and tone rather than just line" (again, if I knew how to do that I wouldn't need this book).

So, as someone that does not know how to draw, sketch, shade, tone, etc. I did not find the book at all useful.

edit....I have since purchased "You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less by Mark Kistler" and this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. This book teaches you how to draw. I'm only on lesson 5 and I'm already impressing people with my "ability" to draw, shocking! It truly teaches you...shadows, perspective, lines, etc. I highly recommend it.

My 8-year-old grandson has recently taken quite an interest in drawing, and has been using some of my old (very old!) art books to draw from. Drawing Lab looked like it would be fun for him, judging only by what I could see of it on the web site, but I think it needs to be used with the help of an adult. It would be an absolutely wonderful resource for a teacher, as it has a lot of simple, fun and creative ideas, and if I were looking for an art resource book I would give it 5-star review, but as I was looking for something my grandson could draw from on his own, I gave it a 4-star review.

Carla Sonheim is an artist and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. Her innovative ideas are now collected and elaborated on in this unique volume.

Carla offers a year's worth of assignments, projects, ideas, and techniques that will introduce more creativity and nonsense into your art and life. Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists offers readers a fun way to learn and gain expertise in drawing through experimentation and play. There is no right or wrong result, yet, the readers gain new skills and confidence, allowing them to take their work to a new level.

Review: This book is by far one of my most favorite inspirational books ever! I will be telling every librarian and teacher I know about this awesome collection of super fun and creative lessons. I love the fact that most of these labs can be done by a wide variety of ages and that there is really no right or wrong way to do it.

A few of my favorite lessons include:

Picasso Dogs...very easy to follow instructions that will result in each participant ending up with there own version of a Picasso Dog...AWESOME!

Sidewalk Crack Drawing...can you look at a crack in a sidewalk and imagine all the different shapes of animals you see? This fun lab will show you all the steps to create fun imaginative creatures that will end up good enough to frame!

Ugh, those are only two of many, many! Through out the book the author also has pages where she features various artists and their own unique styles...my favorite? Gustavo Aimar...

*Fresh and imaginative ideas
*Clear instructions with room for your twist
* Lots of pictures and inspiration
*plus a whole lot more!!!

I can't recommend this book enough for people who love to be creative, who want to be creative or anyone who is looking for creative inspiration!

Ummmm can you tell I like it??? YES!

This book is brimming with brand new ways to approach the page, and whatever you want to learn to do on it. Carla is great teacher, she is very popular and now everyone can see why! Thank goodness for this quirky vision she has, it brings life and fun to the table for every level of experience in drawing. The added pluses are the approach of her various featured artists from all over the world, and the number of mediums she shows you how to use. Not just drawing, but how to add layers and textures in ways that are unique to her. It is hard to imagine the wanna be or already is artist not enjoying this one.

As the author of Raising a Creative Kid and a parent who firmly believes in the importance of nurturing creativity in our kids, I was thrilled to stumble upon a way to grow my own creative spirit. Since kids watch our actions closely, modeling a behavior we are trying to instill is the quickest way to inspire action.

Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists offers simple projects that I can do easily Most projects can be done in 15-30 minutes. Something even my busy schedule can accommodate. (There are a few projects that require a longer time commitment.)

The author offers many material suggestions but states in the beginning that all you really need is a pencil and paper. Since drawing is new for me and simply a fun, creative experiment I was excited to learn that buying a bunch of expensive products is not necessary. (There are some projects that require other materials such as ink or watercolors.)

I really connected with the Inspired by Children & Childhood sections. It's been my experience that inspiration strikes when I see creativity flow from kids. It was also a great reason to share my own creative process with my kids... an important step in their creative development.

If you are looking for a book to help you get started drawing, working your creative muscle, or strengthening your drawing skills the is the book for you.

Carla Sonheim is a remarkable artist and an excellent teacher. This book clearly walks you through the process of drawing in her whimsical style. Unlike many books on the market, this book doesn't rely on specific expensive materials but rather teaches you to use the simplest of supplies with great results. It is great for the beginner as well as the more experienced artist and guarantees a fun, 'no tears' approach to drawing.

Carla Sonheim has written a book that makes drawing fun again. I don't have to just sketch the shadows on oranges or cones or cubes (boring...!). Instead I can have fun doing 100 different faces or finding animals in the cracks of sidewalks or doing any number of fun exercises she suggests. Reading the book is like taking one of Carla's wonderful classes - you feel encouraged, inspired and ready to spread your creative wings. Thanks Carla for such a wonderful book for all ages.

Carla Sonheim has written a book that makes drawing fun again. I don't have to just sketch the shadows on oranges or cones or cubes (boring...!). Instead I can have fun doing 100 different faces or finding animals in the cracks of sidewalks or doing any number of fun exercises she suggests. Reading the book is like taking one of Carla's wonderful classes - you feel encouraged, inspired and ready to spread your creative wings. Thanks Carla for such a wonderful book for all ages.

I have bought and read tons of drawing/art books. This one is by far my favorite. I love that it isn't really an instruction book but more of a creativity booster. I have been looking for a book like this for years.

Carla Sonheim is wonderful! I sent her an e-mail to let her know I love her book, and she got back to me within 24 hours. It's awesome that she takes the time to acknowledge her fans.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys creating art, even if you think you aren't "that good." This book focuses on the fun of just creating for the enjoyment of it. I love the whimsy of Carla's work and the lack of focus on perfection which makes it all even more "perfect."

I have waited all spring for this to be released. Was getting ready to order it from the store and walked into B&N yesterday and there it was...what a surprise! It is fabulous...and if you want to awaken your drawing abilities or get started on developing them...this is a great book. Carla is fun, the drawings inspirational and the format is user friendly. I would highly recommend the book...it was very worth the wait...and a real addition to my library...now it is at my bedside...where I expect it will remain for some time. Great, great book!

I'm currently enjoying this book. Whether or not you've got background in drawing, I think you'd enjoy this book. I found that I put much less pressure on myself and allowed myself to experiment and play and was very happy and surprised by what I've created!

This book is and excellent for starting or advanced creatives. it encouraged me to start drawing again and unleashing my passion for it after over 20 years of not touching and arts tools. Highly recommended.

This is a very child oriented book in my opinion. It might help with imagination, but to call it a "Drawing Lab" is a real stretch. The amount of high ratings for this book are confusing to me. I really believe that anyone can learn to draw well. These labs are for little kids. If you are 12 or older....skip it.