Cover Image: Complete the Drawing

Complete the Drawing

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This could be a good book for the drawing novice who is looking to improve their skills through simple exercises.

Was this review helpful?

In the ebbing sea of the drawing prompt genera, this book caught my eye with it’s simplistic uniqueness. Everyone else seems to go with a written promo and the looming blank page. This one gives you a visual prompt with the flexibility to finish “as expected” or to follow your fanciful dreams. By doing this, it quells the creative anxiety and allows you to put pencil to paper and experiment with “what if...”

Was this review helpful?

This is an interesting book! I thought that it's sorta like an open-ended colouring book. With no introductions whatsoever, every page has a drawing prompt that may or may not be obvious. Readers/Artists are invited to fill in the gaps with their creativity and make the drawing whole. I "read" this book through a digital ARC, so I printed off several pages and tried it out myself. It's a very relaxing experience!

Was this review helpful?

A great book to stimulate the imagination without the fear of the blank page! Lots of partial drawings, some with quite an obvious way to complete them and some more ambiguous.

Was this review helpful?

Complete the drawing: a few lines on the page suggest -what? A lava lamp? A spaceship? A robot? The drawings are simple or as complex as your imagination.

This book begins with no introduction. It launches you straight into the drawings with no preamble or explanation. At first glance the first image could only be a lava lamp - just add walls - but the invitingly blank space is waiting for the reader/artist to think outside the box and imagine what ELSE it could be. Turn it on it's side - is it a robot? Is the mask really a flowerpot, the spanner something else altogether?

Aussie kids of a certain generation would remember Mr Squiggle, the pencil-nosed puppet who turned random squiggles and doodles into imaginative drawings, turning things upside down and sideways to create the most unexpected artwork. I see these drawing prompts in a similar light: a way to kickstart the imagination and think of all possibilities.

Whether one uses it as a meditation task to or simply follows the suggestions, the end goal is the same: drawing and imagining and creating.

** I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Was this review helpful?

This book contains many drawing prompts which are meant to stoke your imagination and “get you started on the path to becoming an amazing illustrator.” Does it deliver? I think that depends on your expectations.
The included drawing prompts are very basic. There’s nothing wrong with simplicity - sometimes great drawings can be sparse, but I didn’t find these to be very inspiring. Most of them show a basic line drawing of part of an everyday object. While mundane things can be turned into extraordinary things, there’s nothing to help you get there. I think some text prompts and short, general drawing tips would’ve been really helpful. I also think it would’ve been great if the drawing prompts looked hand-drawn. Computer generated vector art has a completely different feel to it, and since the prompts are intended to be completed by hand, the finished drawing looks discordant. Some variation in line width and textural delineations would’ve been nice touches.
For someone with merely a pencil in their hand and a desire to doodle, this may be a fun way to pass some time. If you’re looking to improve your drawing abilities, or if you’re an experienced artist looking for ways to ignite your creativity, this may not meet your needs.

Was this review helpful?

COMPLETE THE DRAWING by Quarto Publishing Group-Chartwell Books

A fun-filled, joyous book that gets you started with sketches of partial objects, and then you complete the drawing, however, you desire. The image that I liked the best, was the tree trunk. The publishers leave to you the options of drawing a big, beautiful treetop and or going below to create a massive tree root system. You can use the start that they give you for a detailed family tree or a simple doodle sketch of a tree.

It is possible to complete the drawing and fill the entire thing in with a design, to make it "yours." It was a little awkward since this is an eBook, but it's doable. If you feel you are not able to freehand copy the image that is provided for you, use a piece of tracing paper to help you capture the object. Highly recommend.

Much gratitude to #netgalley @netgalley for #completethedrawing complimentary copy, I was under no obligation to post a review.

Was this review helpful?

Complete The Drawing does what it says on the tin more or less. This is literally is a book of drawing 'prompts'. Interesting and varied enough to inspire.
I would say that this is more of a 'doodling' book than a drawing book prompt if i'm honest.

Whilst I appreciate the direct nature of it, to have no preamble or introduction is rather unsettling personally.

Was this review helpful?

I initially thought this book would be about figuring out what the other side should be. Although that is one way to go through it, I started using my imagination to try to come up for something creative for the whole image. A box of chocolates now had ribbons, the trees had fruits, etc. It's also a great way to get the creative juices flowing and giving you ideas for different sketches.

Was this review helpful?

This was a very enjoyable and relaxing book that fueled my creative side. The book consists of partial drawings of common items that you can trace or copy, then fill in what is missing. A few of the items were unrecognizable to me which opened up the creative juices even more in imagining what to add. You can complete the drawings as are or add different, exotic ideas to make them more abstract, cartoonish or towards any idea you have. Also, you can get very creative in decorating the item. Something such as a simple teapot drawing has so many options. This book is appropriate for both beginner and advanced artists. Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read #CompletetheDrawing for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I'm not sure this was what I expected. It is very basic and for many may not inspire creativity. I do feel it has wonderful possibilities for those that love to doodle and like to expand on basic shapes and lines. It could also be great fun for young children who would enjoy finishing the simple pictures.

The book has half finished drawing that can easily be finished simply by adding the missing half or lines so nothing inventive or exciting involved but probably enjoyable nonetheless.

If your looking for a book to quickly get you doodling (or as a learning tool for children) this may work for you. I had hoped for more complex drawings.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book is great fun, yes it looks simple and maybe not inspiring, but in reality, if one uses it properly, the book really delves into creative possibilities.
The half finished drawing can be finished simply by adding the assumed half, but they can also simulate the brain to create all sort of magical drawings. so much so that the finished picture may not relate to the first impression of the sketch.
A person is only limited by their imagination

Was this review helpful?

*DISCLAIMER* I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. I only accept books I think I’d like because life is too short to waste on bad books. That said if I don’t like a book, I’ll say so, free or not. With that out of the way, onto the review:




I’m really struggling with what to rate this one. The concept makes for a great art journal. Especially for newbie or struggling artists.

I found some are practically finished, while others have only a hint of a drawing started. Even liked that.

It still feels like it’s missing something? Maybe I’m just looking for something else. It feels too generic. For example: Page one is a lava lamp with the base, top, bubbles drawn. Feels like a connect the dots without the dots - when you get to it’s done enough to identify it and you don’t even need to look at the numbers to finish.

I think on some days this would get two stars from me. Some 4. Settling on 3. It’s a useful book, I just think it could have been much more than it is.

Was this review helpful?

I really liked this book. Each page has two partially drawn images for you to complete. There isn’t much of the image drawn, just enough to prompt you into creating a picture. Good clean lines and a varied selection of drawings. Good for those days when you want to practice drawing but just can’t think of what to draw. Thank you #netgalley

Was this review helpful?

What a great book idea for children (and adults). Each page has the starter of a picture and you complete it in any way you like. I like that this is mindful and relaxing. Just doodle along!

Was this review helpful?

This is a cool book! It includes different prompts that have a partial drawing and the artist completes it. It’s a great way to practice drawing and be creative.

Was this review helpful?

Complete the Drawing
Drawing Prompts to Get You Started
by Editors of Chartwell Books
Back of the Book: “Begin your artist's journey today! Complete the Drawing is the perfect push to get you started on the path to becoming an amazing illustrator.
Every page has a new drawing waiting for you to fill in the lines, add a compelling background, or embellish every nuanced detail. With over 200 drawings for you to finish, you can encourage your creative side every day. Whether you're a casual doodler looking to improve your skills or a pro creative looking for some easy inspiration, Complete the Drawing will get those creative juices flowing. Drawings eager for your influence include: Unfinished monsters to imagine. A flower bouquet waiting to be customized. An empty fridge ready to be stocked with your imagination Unfinished animals to bring to life. An unfinished skyscraper for you to design With lots of space for your imagination to take over, this journal has a minimal design that will encourage your own art work. The compact size is perfect for on-the-go drawing and the lay flat format facilitates your focus on your work.
With so much of our lives and contact going digital, the Creative Keepsakes journals offer an intimate way to nurture your connection with yourself and the people around you. An entertaining way to get off your screen, these guided and free-form journals are great for writers and artists alike. Each journal offers content around a different theme, including silly prompts for a laugh, random yet thoughtful questions, inspiration for art and composition, interactive prompts to learn about your heritage, and blank interiors on high-quality paper stock to use as your creative canvas. Beautifully designed and full of mindful prompts, channel your inspiration as you put pen (or pencil, or marker, or crayon!) to paper to learn more about yourself, your talents, and the people you love.”
Impressions: You don’t need this book. The unfinished pictures feel just like that, unfinished. There is a line missing here or there that you would put in but not enough of an imaginative space to fill in. I was not very impressed with the drawing prompts. The objects themselves were not very creative. I don’t mean to sound so critical but to pay for a book that you hope to spark your creative juices and inspire your drawing this book missed the mark.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

Was this review helpful?