Art Starts with a Line

I’m not an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I love reading books which give me some inspiration that one day I may be! This book caught my eye as I loved the cover, which was wonderfully illustrated.

This book is divided into five sections, each section showing you how to draw different objects within that theme. It also shows you the basic drawing techniques, and what tools you will need for this. There are some instructions on how to add colour to your drawings. Personally, I would find this part really hard as I’m okay at drawing lines or outlines, but not good at working out the shading when adding colour. When I came to this part in the book it did make me feel that the book became a bit advanced for me, and was maybe more suited to someone with more artistic experience.

The examples in the book look beautiful and there are clear instructions accompanying them. My favourite section was the borders, banners and letters section. I could definitely have attempted some of this, as a lot of it was just detailed doodling (and surely everyone can doodle!) There are practice pages in the book, but personally I would prefer to practice on plain paper rather than ruin the book.

It is a beautiful book, and very detailed with good clear instructions and pictures. A lot of it looked quite advanced, so for me as a complete novice I think most of what I would attempt would look nothing like the examples! But for someone who has a flair for art and drawing, this book would most definitely be a worthy add to their bookshelf.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

I really enjoyed this book. It really brought my bullet journal decorations up to the next level. I will definitely use it as a reference.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I truly enjoyed this book. It's a great way to learn how to draw. I loved the challenges, and I liked seeing what I can do with each and every one of them. Each technique was explained in detail and I found the steps easy to follow.

This book seems like a good place to start if you want to jump into drawing. I especially like how there is space next to the examples to try on your own. Being able to compare the original next to yours is definitely helpful when you are learning. It is also nice to see the different mediums and have some tips for each. The step by step guide for every day objects and the animals are super helpful too...I would have put the buildings in the last section since they seem to be a bit harder.

I received a digital copy of this book in return for a review, all opinions are my own.

Great book if you are looking for something to give you indepth and step by steo instructions for drawing and doodling. It is colorful and beautifuly designed, which only makes it more enjoyable read. Definitely recommend it for anyone who is interested in trying something to do with drawing and expressing yourself through art

This small book is a treasure for any artist or craft person. It explores the use of pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, acrylics, colored pencils and even use of computers for designing. The illustrations are plentiful and the book is designed with space to practice drawing after the author gives instructions.
This book would be a reference for sketching and drawing flowers, buildings, and even common household items.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a light, informative guide to creating botanical and urban art. Each section begins with the simplest version of the flower, etc., and then grows more complex in shape, and adds additional media. The demonstration of each piece is clear, and I love the author's encouaging tone, and the included practice space.

Obviously that is only of benefit in the paper version, and I would have liked to be able to trace some of the more complex shapes.

Even a beginner like me finds a lot of value in the simple forms of each exercise, though the more complex instructions were beyond my skill. All in all, I had fun, and would recommend the book to the casual urban sketcher.

Downloaded this to take away on our wifi free holiday with my kids. Perfect for sleep-free fiestas and an opportunity for us to sit down together, while away some time and all feel pleased with the results.
Would also be excellent for registration at school where there is such limited time in the day for children to explore their artistic flair or simply develop precision with a pencil.

I loved this so much!

The instructions were so easy to follow and learn! It's exactly what I needed. I've been wanting to find something informational yet does not require much reading and this is exactly it!


Thank you so much! My study notes will look better now.

I actually loved this book so much that I bought it to have a great reference book for developing my drawing skills. It's a step by step tutorial to show you how to look at things and how to put them on paper but not only it has also some introduction to photoshop so that you could make them digital. I really recommend it!

As a self taught mixed media artist, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my technique, as well as inspiration for future artwork. This book went beyond my expectations. Creative exercises are also included which make for great sketchbook prompts.

I highly recommend this book for every artist,.

I learned some new things from the book. I thank the author for publishing this book that actually helps me with basic art and drawing. The techniques are important to start drawing something decent for me.

The book has spaces for practice, and the increasing in difficulty. But still very much a book that is for starters like me. If you want to learn how to decorate journals and scrapbooks, this is great

A delightful, educational, inactive learn how to draw book! I had a blast with this book! Thank you for allowing me to review this title, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is a charming and whimsical drawing book. I had a wonderful time reading through it and trying out many of the different techniques.

That said, if you are looking for something for an aspiring artist, this might not be your cup of tea. I think it will depend on what your end goal is. I like to doodle and enjoy drawing books that offer very basic instructions and suggestions in a non-intimidating way. This book is very approachable, yet there is discussion of things like shading and perspective and different supplies you may want to consider.

I liked the content because it included borders and lettering, along with landscapes and plants and other more typical things you might find in a basic learn-to-draw book. This would be a great resources for someone who enjoys bullet journaling or scrapbooking and wants to be more creative.

For me, it was ideal. More than enough instruction and ideas to keep me going for some time. I'll be purchasing a print copy that will likely see lots of use.

Art Starts with a Line by Erin McMannes

This is a book I want for my library. As I looked at some of the feathering and borders I was reminded of visiting my grandfather and doing similar artistic things with the 90 year old mother-in-law living with him at the time. Yep, definitely want to find and buy this book!

The book includes information on tools and materials suggested for projects, shading and stippling, borders and banners, lettering, botanicals, architecture, signage, animals and insects, everyday life and then how to use the ideas presented in planners or illustrations or whatever your heart desires.

I loved the idea that lines are what one uses to create images and look forward to using some of the ideas soon for fun or perhaps with my watercolor painting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing – Walter Foster ~ This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This book starts out pretty basic, but comprehensively covers all of the necessary techniques for you to experiment and find the one that works best for you - this also includes digital media, which many art books don't cover.

The chapters carefully lead even the most shy/unconfident of wanna-be artists and guides them through. The first chapter is on banners, and this is a simple method that could be used to embellish notebooks and journals. It shows that bringing art into your life doesn't have to be the big enterprise of getting out a sketchbook, setting up an easel, retrieving the paint box and filling a jam jar with water, but is fairly simple to bring into everyday objects with something as simple as a biro. It is a great way to build confidence. I can quite easily see this book being used as inspiration, and being able to flick through a journal and see the skill and confidence develop through the weeks and months.

I particularly like the flower and plant section, which goes through plants by name (not just generic trees and flowers), making it really useful, and the buildings section is exceptional.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of the book for review.

If I saw this book in a shop, I would be immediately enamored by the cover! As a person who has enjoyed artistic endeavors since an early age, I enjoy collecting books on different art techniques as I believe these particular skills need to be honed through vigorous practice and study. This is an idea the book seems to convey, given the "Practice Here" spaces present at the end of each section.

The book begins by introducing the audience to appropriate tools and colors required for basic line drawing. It is followed by a detailed presentation of all the different ways something as simple as a pencil can be used, through variations in pressure and lead quality, to play with outlines and textures in any illustration. Once you master these techniques, you can progress to the major sections of the book which elaborate drawing different subjects such as plants, animals, architecture and, most enjoyable of all in my opinion, banners and lettering. The knowledge from the artist combined with a persons doodling habits could do wonders of improvement for even the most basic drawings, I believe, as the instructions are simple and flexible, but highlight the role of adding dimension and shading to enhance the professional outlook of any illustration.

The most incredible parts of the book however, provided the current interest in digital graphics, are the two sections which detail how you can upload hand drawn designs into illustration software and modify them through digital tweaking and coloring to achieve a polished end result. I have been on the look out for something like this for a while and online tutorials haven't even come as close to cutting it as this book does!

Would definitely recommend this to young and aspiring artists or really anyone looking to work on their basic illustrative style and then some.

A great reference and practice book, with step by step guides and even including a section on digital art.

Lots of blank spaces are available for practicing in the book itself.

Great book with the basics of drawing, without being stuffy. A very modern approach and accessible. Made me believe I really could become good at drawing.

I truly learned to draw with this book. In just the short amount of time I was able to view Art Starts with a Line by Erin McManness as a reviewer, I was drawing straight line borders and simple drawings. What a boost to my non-artistic confidence! I could actually follow and understand the directions and since the supply list explained what could be used, I found some of the items in my supply horde so I could jump right in. This is one of those books that you could pass along once you mastered the concept because it will have value to most everyone who want to learn to draw and create.
Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.

Excellent! I thoroughly enjoyed using this book to explore drawing and it has been a helpful resource for adding to my journal with the banners and other skills learnt. Even a beginner would benefit from working through the book. Well laid out with clear instructions. With thanks to Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to review.

I like the title because it reminds us that anything, no matter how big or complex, starts from something simple. If you enjoy drawing or doodling this book is a friendly and simple guide with step by step lessons. You can learn to draw borders, banners, letters, botanicals, architecture, animals, insects and everyday life. If you keep a bullet journal and like adding tiny drawings or banners, you are going to love this.

You don’t need to know how to draw, these are simple yet neat looking line drawings. If you want to create more than just a drawing of a single object, each section includes a “creative exercise” where you can go one step further and apply all the info you just learned. Simple yet effective way to get you started drawing something you can feel proud of. *I read this book as an eARC*

A fabulous starter's guide on line drawing! The book is broken down into several categories, like Leaves, Buildings, Flowers, Supplies Needed, etc., and includes a section where she takes you step-by-step through the process of transferring your hand-drawn art to the digital format. There are also pages where you can try your own hand at drawing line art.

Of course, in art, you have to practice freely and copiously to warm up to it. This guide is like how maths is best learnt, you learn the methods and the limits of your tools and the rest is up to your prerogative. That way, you can apply those techniques on any scenarios and inject your own flair, as there are no cookie-cutter ways to art!

(Blog review on phantompaper.wordpress.com will be up in 1-2 days after posting NG's review.)

Thank you, NetGalley for the preview of this digital ARC.

This is my new favourite book. Line drawing is my most used method of drawing Since it requires minimal tools and the end results are most satisfying. Erin McManness explains this beautifully with his detailed step by step instructions. My favourite topics are Banners and Architecture.

Art Starts with a Line is one of the most practical art/drawing book I have ever come across. The author has done a very wonderful job.

Brilliant and fun book for all the family to follow!!
Myself and my children loved copying some of the drawings in our BuJo's. Great for beginners and more advanced drawers

This book has simple designs that will make even first-time doodlers look good! It is divided into 5 parts (Borders, Banners, and Letters; Botanicals; Architecture and City Life; Animals & Insects; and Everyday Life) and each is a small treasure trove of illustrations.

I liked this book! I’m a huge fan of art books overall and this one really worked for me. I can’t say my skills are much better (I’m really bad at stuff like this) but it was helpful all the same! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ears!

Well done beginner's guide to art making. Intelligent development of material. Overall interesting book,

This is a lovely inspiring book for anyone wanting to begin drawing or adding illustrations and colour to anything. It is especially good for journaling as it includes borders, lettering and banners. My favourite section was the architecture, mainly because I loved the cover and wanted to produce something like that.. Overall a brilliant creative book that is easy to follow and allows a beginner to produce something really good very quickly. My only wish was that there were more subjects and themes included. Thank you.

I enjoyed this book. I am an amateur drawer. I found the instructions clear, and my finished product was better than I expected. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a very straightforward book with projects that are nice for beginners. I do feel that parts of it rushed a few steps but overall I enjoyed seeing the examples and will be using this for future projects of my own. The different sections were formatted well and the writing was clear for the instructions.

This is a really nice and pretty book about line drawing. It gives some basics on using pencils and pens, and how to use color - with watercolors, coloring pencils and acrylics. Then there is a chapter on how to scan your drawing into Photoshop and do some basic manipulation with it. Then off you go to do some drawing.
First, they explore elements like borders and corners, and banners, then they go to using lettering. Then there are several chapters on flowers, buildings, everyday objects and such. There are basic step by step instructions for examples gives. Some are black and white, and some has colors.
I really liked the author's artistic style. There are a lot of interesting ideas in the book. The interactive part of the book is that some of the examples in the beginning include empty space for you to try to do it yourself.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley