The Drawing Lesson by Mark Crilley

The Drawing Lesson by Mark Crilley is a new graphic novel centered on learning to draw.  I love that this book is done in graphic format.  David is young and has no money to buy the art book at the used book sale.  Well he has $1.19 but the seller is not interested in cutting him a break so off he goes to the park.  Who should he meet in the park but Becky.  Becky is a real artist and she is good--better than Ryan Pasternak, who can draw a Lamborghini without even looking.  Becky may not be interested in teaching David to draw but David has persuasive powers and convinces Becky that teaching David could be interesting (or at least easier than convincing David to quit pestering her).  Becky walks David and the reader step by step into drawing.  David gets better and better beginning with drawing Becky's watch and ending with working with David's drawing in the art museum and in nature.  David practices and practices his skills as daily Becky works with him on new techniques to improve his drawings.

I loved how the author teaches drawing through the graphic medium.  How intuitive of him to know that young budding artists may be more involved with pictures than words.  I love the way that David persists in convincing Becky, who any adult could see was busy with her own artistic endeavors and thought that David was a pesky little kid, to teach him to be a real artist.  Becky doesn't cut him any slack but takes David along for the artistic ride of his lifetime into the world of art.  She teaches him sketching, shading, proportions, and finally creating a whole composition.  THEN she leaves him to create on his own.  Becky sadly must move away but before she leaves she gives him a tearful hug and tells him he can do it because he is so talented. 
 I received this great book from Blogging for Books for this review.