Very basic, but nice artwork style, and it breaks the steps down fairly well. This would be a good gift for a young teen, or for an adult who’s never drawn before and wants to add pictures to their bullet journal or make custom stationery. I don’t think this would be of any use to an artist, or anyone with any art experience at all.

Most of the steps consist of ‘sketch the basic shapes from your reference picture, add detail, go over outlines in pen, add colour if you like’. Which is fine, but gets a bit dull after 50 pages of very similar objects. I found the borders and lettering section the most useful - it’s very basic, but I’m not an artist so I didn’t mind that.

Overall this was sweet and a pleasure to browse. I’d imagine anyone with experience in art or design would find it far too simple (does anyone really need a step by step guide for a very simple line drawing of an umbrella?), but for a casual dabbler who likes things laid out simply and doesn’t mind feeling a tiny bit patronised, or a young teen looking to learn some basics, it’s a pleasant book to browse.

As this came as an Adobe Editions protected pdf, I am unable to read it.
As this came as an Adobe Editions protected pdf, I am unable to read it. As this came as an Adobe Editions protected pdf, I am unable to read it. As this came as an Adobe Editions protected pdf, I am unable to read it.

I love this book! I was attracted by the cover art. The lessons within are simple and approachable. Don't expect to exactly replicate Erin McManness' style on your first try but she breaks down complex objects into simple forms that are helpful for beginners and are still useful if you've been making art for awhile. If you're interested in making sketches of life on the go, in your neighborhood or while traveling this book touches on a lot of the basics and teaches helpful tools for approaching architecture, animals and every day objects. If you prefer a lot of advanced theory or want something very involved you might be disappointed but if you're looking for a helpful guide to help you get started I enthusiastically recommend Art Starts with a Line!

This gorgeous guide teaches artists of all levels how to develop line drawings that can be used in stationery, patterns, logos and even stand-alone creations. 5/5 for the fun elegant approach and beautiful illustrations.

Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group - Walter Foster, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#ArtStartsWithAline #NetGalley

A beautiful designed guide to the art of line drawing. The book gives a lot of tips and tricks and the step-by-step instructions are easy to follow.

The book starts with an introduction and 4 pages dedicated to differect drawing materials. Basic drawing techniques are explained, like how to chade using a pencil.

The book is divided into five main sections; Borders, banners & letters, Botanicals, Architecture & city life, Animals & insects and Everyday life. Each section teaches you how to draw objects within that theme. The sections start out with basic toturials and become more advanced. Each section also includes a creative prompt that encourages you to use your imagination and creativity.

I recommend this book to everyone who wants to give line drawing a try.

Loved this book tons of easy to follow drawing instructions that any one can do.  There are a lot of great information about different pens and fun questionnaires about the dogs in your life.

Okay this one is tough for me. I gave it three stars because it doesn’t offer anything new or special. If you’ve read other books that cover the topics it covers, you’ll feel a sense of dejavu. Pretty sure I seen that same teardrop / heart border in every book that has a reason for showing borders, always described the same way. It’s boring now.

That said, if you’re just starting out and want a little on lettering and a little on borders and a little on color and a little on general drawing but haven’t seen other books on the subject, this is probably an okay place to start.

Some of the instructional sections are more detailed with more tips than others. The buildings section was particularly weak with most of the projects instructions just telling you to sketch the scene, clean it up, add details, color if desired, done. Too obvious and too little details for those who are starting out and don’t really even know how to start drawing such things.

Overall: a good overview for beginners but light on details and unique content.

It’s been a little while since I last reviewed an art/craft book but as soon as I saw Art Starts With A Line I was drawn in by the beautiful pastel cover design. Written and illustrated by Erin McManness, the owner of greeting card and gift company Paper Raven Co, the book shares a range of tips and techniques for mastering the art of line drawing and is a perfect guide for beginners.

The book begins with a guide to tools and materials, covering pens, pencils, paints and more, showing the different effects that can be created. It then splits into sections focusing on a range of different subject areas including borders, lettering, plants, animals and even iconic landmarks. There is also a short but informative section discussing how to work digitally with step-by-step guides on scanning and editing in Photoshop.
One of my favourite things about the book is the fact that the author encourages an interactive experience with sections to practise the various techniques right there on the pages - although sadly as I had a digital copy I had to dig out a sketchbook instead! I also really enjoyed the design of the book overall and how some of the ideas such as the illustrated borders are incorporated into it.

Whilst the majority of the content covers basic techniques there are also elements that I’m sure will appeal to those simply looking to improve upon their illustration skills or find new inspiration. Although I don’t use a bullet journal or scrapbook myself I can certainly see how this would be a great little guide full of ideas on how to jazz up your pages and make more personalised designs. I also think the techniques included in Art Starts With A Line would be fantastic for using on homemade cards, or even to create unique pieces of illustrated art for your home.

LOVE THIS BOOK! Neat, easy to start, and easy to understand, this book is for both illustrators and for beginners. All drawing starts with lines, so whoever wishes to draw nicely and neatly should know how to use lines to form a picture, and this book provides some basic practices starting with banners, borders, and lettering.
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Overall: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Appealing: 5/5
Page Design: 5/5

Art Starts with a Line is a fun art book that, as the title indicates, teaches us the basics of line drawing. This book is perfect for both the experienced and novices alike, as it covers all levels, providing plenty of guidance and projects for all.
I love how detailed this book was. It really does mean it when it says that it focuses on line drawing – that’s the only focus. But it’s easy to forget that there’s quite a lot you can do with ‘just a simple line.’
The biggest part of any art book, and also the most overlooked, are the suggested tools by the artist. I know many would not agree with me here, but its how I feel about it. Know how much or little I can get away with using really removes any lingering anxiety about the issue. By using a pen similar to what the artist in the book suggests, it makes it easier to tell your progress (as opposed to wondering if the difference could be attributed to the tool itself). Once a style is better undersood it is then easier for the new artist to experiment and find the tools they like best. Art Starts with a Line did a wonderful job of listing out the preferred tools and materials, from the most basic to the colors. They also covered digital work, which I very much appreciated (this isn’t a given in art books, so it’s always nice to see when it happens).
Included in this book are instructions for borders, banners, letters, botanicals, architecture, animals and insects, and everyday life. Obviously it’s all much more than that, and there’s countless small line drawings filling the pages of this book.
I personally loved the artist’s preference for bright little lines in their works. It resulted with an almost happy tone, and I found myself very fond of the style in general being used.

Although this book has covers a lot of ground, it really did not match my expectations. The book is divided into borders, banners and letters: botanicals; architecture; city life and animals and insects. With the exception of the first section on different drawing and colouring mediums, and the section on borders, banners and letters, the book runs a series of pages of pencil drawing. Some of these demonstrate very basic drawing instructions, in others just drawings. There are included some blank spots for self exercise.

I love this book! For those who, like me, are frustrated artists - This book is for you. I was intrigued by the cover so I decided to take a chance and look inside. To my absolute delight, I found a book written by an author/artist who seem to understand the challenges that exist for people like me. Someone who has a desire to draw or illustrate but feels let down when it did not come out the way it was envisioned. With patience and following the author's instructions as well as the clearly reproduced examples, the reader/frustrated artist will find themselves able to reproduce artwork that will raise their self-esteem. Also, while I love the ENTIRE book, my favorite chapter was the one on architecture. Great book! I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book that was provided by NetGalley and Walter Foster Publishing.

I consider myself a creative person, with varying levels of comfort when it comes to writing, working with yarn or clay, even sewing and quilting, but drawing eludes me. I have long joked that my skills stunted at the level that a four-year-old child is impressed by, and it's not hyperbole to admit my 7-year-old daughter has already surpassed me in artistic ability.

I was drawn to Art Starts with a Line in hopes Erin McManness could teach me some new techniques to improve upon my infantile ability. The author is a professional illustrator and, after resources including recommended materials and basic techniques and digital tools, she spends the majority of her book divided into five sections:

1) Borders, Banners, and Letters;
2) Botanicals;
3) Architecture and City Life;
4) Animals and Insects; and
5) Everyday Life

Each section has some step-by-step examples, as well as some more advanced drawings for added challenge.

I started a bullet journal last year, so I was initially drawn to the section with ideas on banners and borders. However, I found myself pulling out a notebook and a pen (should have been a pencil, but the pen is good quality and was nearby) to attempt several of the drawings. My succulent and heel were sorry looking, but I fared much better on my bird, cat, dandelion, dog, beetle, and tree, much better than I could do previously. If I spend time practicing (and started with a pencil so I could later erase guide lines), I know I would see further improvement.

If you are, like me, hoping to gain skill, this could be a good beginning resource, assuming you have no other similar books on hand.

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Naive style, very basic techniques, detailed description of the projects (botanical, cityscapes, ecc.). Maybe it's just me, but I've found it boring, not inspiring, too simple, would recommend it only to a complete beginner, for leisuretime doodling, surely not to an artist. I like the cover painting though...

Seriously? I haven't had this much fun - and looking forward to practicing "lines" in a long time. The illustrations, short text, and clear explantations make this a great book to take on the bus or play with during work breaks. One of the most helpful things in the outline is the blank space beside demos, for your own efforts. Draw - or paint - and compare.

You'll enjoy the playfulness and the information if you are a beginner or intermediate draw-er. Pick up a copy and let the fun begin.

This is a great introduction to line drawing. The instructions and examples are clear and the drawings are inspiring. There is help with how to convert a line drawing into digital media which is very helpful to include.

I like the space within the pages that has been included to try what has been taught.

The supplies list might seem a little daunting for an introduction or a beginner but the book does creatively and interactively guide you into the world and use of line drawings. A good addition to a personal library if you are looking for inspiration for drawing or wanting to learn more about line drawing.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A straightforward, well-thought out resource for artists and readers of all skill levels. I love that anyone can pick up this book and learn from it. I specially loved that McManness has a section on traditional and digital tools with brief information on what each tool is used for. The book also includes practice areas that provide readers with the space to apply what they learned from a specific section. From lettering to drawing daily objects, animals, and buildings, Art Starts with a Line offers something for everyone!

Lovely art throughout the book and clear design so that the instructions/suggestions don't overwhelm. The art itself makes one want to draw, rather than the book being a dry manual.

5 stars

*Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I've never read a book about drawing before - which is another love of mine, so I thought I'd give this one a try! The cover was pretty and I was interested in seeing more of McManness style of illustrations inside.

It was a fun, interactive book full of helpful tips, tricks, and opportunities to try out the different techniques for yourself. I'm going to need to get a physical copy of this book so I can put it to good use!

Looking to journey into drawing? 10/10 would recommend this to you!

The book is dedicated to line drawing. Starting with basic borders, step-by-step instructions guide you to more detailled borders, and in the next chapters to drawing letters, plants, animals, architecture and city scapes. Practice pages invite you to start drawing right away and give the forms and lines your unique touch.

After introducing tools, materials and basic techniques, and how to work digitally, the five chapters about Borders and Banners, Lettering, Botanicals, Architecture and Animals follow with basic examples to practice that become more advanced towards the end of each chapter.

I'd recommend this guide to anyone who would like to add a little swirl to their journal, or bullet journal, but this is definitely not limited to journaling alone, you might use these techniques and ideas for scrap booking, hand made gift cards and so much more.