Pen and Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide

I bought this guys book because his tutorials on youtube are second to non I literally went from a horrendous drawer to something approaching half decent simply by watching one of his playlists, I couldn't believe what had just come out of my pen and how well explained and useful and concise his videos are. I am forever indebted to this man for giving me a new passion for something which previously seemed completely out of reach. To thank him, and also because I seem to learn from him really well from him I purchased this book. The cost was arbitrary as I felt like I already owed him money for teaching me to draw! I'm going to be quite honest now, I really like the book it lays things out in a very pleasant way its really easy to look at and nicely presented. The drawings are really inspiring and a lot of the things in the videos are presented which is nice as it gives a good chance to study close up techniques from the videos. For me personally I actually found the book less useful than the videos in terms of learning, and honestly not sure if this is a fault of the book or testament to the videos or just the way I learn. I do wish it had been bound, I'm not sure anyone ever does this but its something that really annoys me with book on a practical skills, why give them a spine making keeping them open a bit of a nightmare when the publisher/author (whoever makes that decision) clearly should know you will need your hands free while using it. I also would have liked to have seen more step by step examples on more of the textures and techniques although there are plenty already, I think these are the most inspiring for me anyway because you feel like you can have a go at whatever it is, following each stage, however there is plenty of this, I just wish there was more. Also a lot of things in the books are already covered in the videos so the crossover of knowledge meant some of the information was a bit redundant to me as an avid viewer of the YT channel. TL/DR A fantastic teacher of drawing, deserves every success for passing his extensive knowledge of drawing on via youtube and this accompanying book, I have some small gripes with the book,but I still love it, think it was absolutely worth the money and have really enjoyed reading and working though it. Maybe would have been a 4 star review on book alone had I not gained so much from the video tutorials already and feel like that fantastic FREE content is easily worth double the price I payed for the book. Alphonso Dunn when you release more books I will buy them instantly, I watched every video you made and am so so so happy with my drawing currently, I cant express it enough, you gave me a new life skill. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I saw Alphonso's vdeo couses on YouTube. As a complete beginner with limited abilities, he has given me the basic skills and confidence to improve my technique in sketching as well as Pen & Ink. This book is a good complement to use alongside his YouTube videos. He breaks down his exceptional skills and talent into simple, logical and easy to follow steps which provide the foundations to build upon. I have tried many times in the past and failed, but thanks to Alphonso I have found a system which works well for me. This book is a good investment.

An easy to read and entertaining introduction into drawing. It is not only for beginners, but for all who want to improve their drawing (who doesn't?). Contrary to other books with a similar subject Dunn explains all the basic ingredients that finally make a drawing, like different strokes, shading, textures, forms etc. Even if you think you are good at drawing already, he gives you always some new ideas to try out. This is a unique approach as he focusses not so much on the final product (like "How to draw a cat, a house etc.") but more on the techniques that enable you to draw basically anything. -- He also give you valuable tips on how to make progress with your work - other authors will leave you alone with that. --- What I missed were at least some short notes on perspectives and proportions. Other books will help you there as will Dunn's own YouTube channel. Perhaps he will take this up in his next book (where I also like to learn more about coloring your drawings). But for now this is an excellent book that I can highly recommend.

I bought this to support Alphonso, and as thanks for how useful and interesting his youtube channel has been while I am learning to draw. Having received it I'm happy to say it is actually a very nice book and good value in its own right. There are some nice pen drawings in there, plenty of examples of technique and generally it is a great consolidation of the various videos he has released. Probably most of the information has been touched on in his channel, so that is the place to look for a preview of what is covered, but the book itself is a great addition to those as you can see examples really close up, and the book has clearly had a lot of time put into it's design, as it is nicely laid out and enjoyable to read.

A fantastic, straightforward and inspiring text book for those with some basic drawing knowhow who want to extend their skills a little further and begin to use ink in their work. I have been sketching on and off for 30 years, mostly self taught and with varying degrees of success. This year I have decided to get a little more serious and focus on the process of drawing a little more with a view to perhaps completing a Foundation Art course next year. This book is ideal for helping me prepare for that. There are simple exercises in the book, which can be completed anywhere. The book is made from sketchbook paper and has areas in the margins where you are encouraged to have a go or just exercise your pen a little. This feature makes it highly interactive and I found it a little addictive as well as I wanted to complete and fill the book with lots of little rehearsals and practices all the time. I did find it handy to have a sketchbook with me as I was reading as I sometimes wanted to copy a drawing or carry out an exercise more than once. A great text book that I will cherish and return to for years to come. If only every art text book were this good!

This is a very comprehensive book, ideal for beginners. It has a nice range of textures to draw and samples of finish drawings you can explore.

I have recently retired and needed something to do with my free time, so I took up photography and adult coloring books. I had wanted to learn to draw for a long time, but there was nothing that I could find for a truly beginner, I did a lot of research on YouTube on learning how to draw and came across Mr. Dunn's channel. After watching more videos than I probably should have at one sitting, I purchased Pen & Ink Drawing, A Simple Guide.. I have had this book for about 2 weeks now and feel I can give an honest and thorough review. Pen & Ink Drawing - The book This 165 page book is easy to understand with clear explanations and examples that you are encouraged to do yourself. The chapters covered are supplies, strokes, shading,simulating texture, sketch booking, stages of a finished drawing, and secret of line balance. Each chapter goes into specific detail and is well organized. There is an extensive chapter on shading which, to me, is the most important chapter in the book, because without shading, your drawings will not look realistic, There are a lot of drawing books on the market, but they are filled with pictures and examples that you can copy. Mr. Dunn has taken that to another level explaining the "why" behind each stroke, simple forms, etc., which is what sold me (I'm the type of person that needs to know why I'm doing something and the reason behind it - maybe a little OCD going on). For example In the chapter, "Lines of Balance," he explains what the line of balance is and examples of how to draw animals, portraits, nature, hair, the human figure, discusses rhythm and a lot of other things you would never think about that goes into drawing. Throughout the book he gives a "why" to whatever he is doing. You can tell Mr. Dunn put a lot of effort into his book, not only showing you, but explaining the "why" behind it.- very well done! To supplement this book, I would highly recommend you watch his YouTube videos where he covers some things in the book in more detail and you can also draw along with him as he takes you step by step, There is a video that tells you about basic lines (which I would have like to have seen a brief chapter in the book about). Watching his videos is like sitting in an art class with an instructor who knows what he is doing and what he is talking about. In the videos he goes into great detail about simple forms, how to pay attention to structure and proportions and too many others to list here. In addition,he has video series on landscapes, etc. - just too many to mention - Just check them out and have your pen ready to take notes. You won't be disappointed! The most important thing that stuck with me while watching the videos is to not just look but observe as well. When you observe, you can see simple forms (cubes, cylinders, spheres, triangles) in everything you look at. You have to adjust your thinking and think about everything before you put your pen to paper. (this too is covered in the videos), so now I literally don't look at things the same :) What I would change - The order of some of the chapters. After the supplies chapter and before the stroke chapter, I would have included a small section from the Youtube video, the 7 basic lines of drawing. I thought this was really important to explain vertical, horizontal, parallel and perpendicular lines. Another thing, which is totally personal preference, I would have put a table of contents in the front rather than an index in the back, or maybe both (I was looking for a table of contents). Other than these, two issues, there is absolutely nothing I would change. Conclusion - This book is for the beginner as well as the seasoned artist. I had no experience in drawing and wanted to learn and now I feel very confident that I can do this (though haven't started using a pen yet, but I'm working on it). My sketch book is full of practice pages and everyday I look forward to and am excited to work on something..One thing I would recommend is to make a chart of the basic type of strokes (page 24 so you can have it handy when you ink your masterpiece. The key to a fantastic ink drawing, sketching or anything is practice, practice, and practice some more. Everyday I get better and better, but most of all, with my photography and now my pen and ink drawings, I am having fun!! Thank you, Mr. Dunn, for your generosity in sharing your knowledge. I look forward to whatever you have in store next! On a side note, I also purchased "How to Sketch: A Beginner's Guide to Sketching Techniques" by Liron Yanconsky.

Duidelijk en handig boek voor een beginnend tekenaar.

Perfect for anyone who would like to learn pen and ink drawing, but also for those who have some basic knowledge. There's plenty of advice, and the techniques are clearly explained. Together with the workbook, this is a great book for artists. Highly recommend!

Alphonso Dunn is a talented artist and a good teacher, or I should say a great artist and a very good teacher, he delivers in a simple and clear style without showing off. The book explain basic and more advanced pen and ink techniques giving solid foundation, but above all the drawings use various styles and are also very inspirational. Highly recommended. Be sure to check the author Youtube channel. Chapters: Supplies, Stokes, Shading, Textures, Sketchbooking, "Secret Line of Balance".

Alphonso Dunn is an excellent teacher. From the very first page onwards, he makes the student so comfortable and at ease to approach the basics of drawing. And, after a few pages, one is all set and ready to apply the knowledge that is laid out in a logical and step-by-step format. The narrative of the author and the kind and empathetic approach towards teaching the student is so palpable that one is in awe and full of gratitude and all praises for the author. Whatever your medium of drawing, be in pen & ink or pencil drawing , the book is a gem for students or artists of all levels. For amateurs, is a lighthouse to embark on their journey of drawing and for intermediates or advanced level artists, it can always serve as a valuable revision resource or a refresher course for brushing up on their already acquired knowledge, and feel inspired once again ! Some people might find the price a bit on the higher side, but the level of knowledge and skill one develops from the instruction in this book, it is a worth buy. Thanks for reading !