Barrington Barber - Drawing is Cool: Learn how to draw everything

In this book youll learn how to draw an amazing array of things. Our simple step-by-step technique will help you to create some fantastic images!

Just follow the steps...

... and you ll be drawing like a professional in no time!

Before you start, there are some important things you need.

You can choose from a variety of drawing tools, including pencils, pens, chalks and paints. An ordinary HB pencil is best to start with.

You can choose from a range of tools to create perfect shapes. A good, solid ruler is ideal for drawing straight lines.

We all make mistakes once in a while - that`s why every artist has a good eraser as an important part of his or her equipment.

There are many types of eraser available, but a nice soft one with a chisel tip is best to start with. When using your eraser, always be gentle and rub out the mistake gradually. Scrubbing hard at your paper will smear and ruin your work, and possibly even rip your drawing.

You will need a clean sheet of paper for your final drawings, but scrap paper is useful for your practice work.

You can draw a perfect circle with a pair of compasses, but they can be tricky to use at first. Try using a coin, bottle top or any other small round item you can find.

The drawings in this book have been finished with an ink line to make them sharper and cleaner.

Professionals use dipping pens and brushes, but you can achieve a similar effect by using a ballpoint or felt-tip pen.

First test your felt-tip on a piece of paper similar to the one you will be using for your final drawing. This way you can make sure the ink doesn`t spread too much on the paper.

Adding colour to your drawing will really bring it to life.

Use water-based paints, like poster paint or gouache, as these are easier to clean out of your brushes or mop up after any spillages.

You can apply paints with a brush. Use a round, pointed brush for detailed and smaller areas and a broader brush for larger areas of colour.

Alternatively, you can use felt-tip pens or coloured pencils to colour your drawing.

Before you start, look at the finished picture you want to draw and think how it will fit on the page. Get an idea of its shape, position and size. Here weve used the spinosaurus from .

Look at how the parts fit together to make the final image. Its important to note where the lines end. Try to make sure they dont run outside the shape.

Once you are happy that the basic shape is correct, you can start using your pencil to add in the detail.

Next ink over your pencil line and then, once its dry, gently rub out the line with your eraser. Finally, add your colour and your drawing is finished!

You dont have to copy just the pictures in this book. Anything with a face can be given expression and character.

Practice altering the facial features to see what effect this has on your character. Look how you can change the expression of the prince from with just a few simple lines.

If you want to practice before making your final pencil drawing, lay a thin piece of paper on top of it so you can see the shape through it.

If you want to practice before making your final pencil drawing, lay a thin piece of paper on top of it so you can see the shape through it.

When using colour, it really helps if you work steadily and dont rush. This is especially important if you are working with paints, as mistakes are more difficult to correct.

Apply the colour thinly at first, as this allows the white paper to shine through and makes the colour brighter.

Using just one colour creates a flat image, as shown here.

Adding a darker shade of the same colour makes your image look more solid and three-dimensional.