Draw Every Little Thing
Learn to Draw More than 100 Everyday Items, from Food to Fashion
A primer on the ins and outs of illustration techniques and a source of inspiration, Flora Waycott’s Draw Every Little Thing focuses on everyday surroundings and encourages expressive details. Its pointers are influenced by both English and Japanese art.
Sticking to a “simple is best” ethos, the book forwards guidance on illustrating objects from four different environments: the home, the natural outdoors, everyday life, and around town. Waycott provides a rundown of the practical tools of the trade, including pens, paints, and palettes, as well as the basics in crucial areas such as color theory. Along with her step-by-step tutorials, she injects plenty of useful advice on everything from finding the right kind of sketch paper to playing with motifs and backgrounds and having an artistic “travel kit” at the ready in case inspiration strikes.
Waycott’s artwork is consistent and charming, and her example drawings gain intricacy and depth through straightforward use of colors and additional flourishes. Finding the beauty in commonplace objects like vases and clothing before moving on to more ambitious subjects, including pets, cupboard contents, full meals, insects, and gazebos, the book’s easy-to-follow directions supply plenty of material for study. They are an invitation to expand one’s artistic boundaries and cover a wide range of subjects.
The book concludes with three crafting projects, including a concertina book, a greeting card and envelope, and a bookmark. As with Waycott’s work throughout, they represent the homey, handmade quality that exemplify her art, and they make Draw Every Little Thing a fine starting point for fledgling artists and a handy reference for more experienced illustrators seeking a fresh jolt of creativity.
Reviewed by
Ho Lin
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
