Learn to Draw in an Hour a Day: Techniques, Exercises and Practice Projects to Master the Art of Drawing and Painting

by Richard Taylor

Overview

The complete guide to learning how to draw at your own pace, from just an hour a day or over the course of a weekend.

• Packed with techniques, exercises and practice project
• Boost your creativity and artistic skills at your own pace
• Written by Richard Taylor, a prolific author and art tutor, well-known for his tutorial style and artistic ability

Give your creativity a boost with a complete drawing course that can be achieved in just an hour a day!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781446315897
Publisher:	David & Charles
Publication date:	02/17/2026
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	131 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Richard Taylor is an experienced artist, teacher and popular author of many instructional painting books, specialising in watercolour. Recent publications include The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Color, Natural Watercolours, The Watercolourist’s Year and the popular Drawing Architecture book published in 2023. .

Read an Excerpt

Drawing was the lifeblood of communities long before early civilisations even knew of artists – drawing on cave walls, for example. Pablo Picasso drew, Leonardo da Vinci drew, as did numerous artists whose names are not so readily acknowledged by history. 

But these people did not draw just to enable them to produce paintings – although that certainly helped – they drew for the sake of drawing and to gain a greater understanding of their subjects.

Drawing is the first art form that most of us encounter. We are often given crayons at a very early age, and in our first days at school we are encouraged to draw pictures that inform teachers about our lives outside of school. I really do believe that all of us have some drawing ability somewhere inside us and the purpose of this book is to help you to bring that ability to life and to develop it into something that you can be proud of.

Learning any new skill requires practice. I had to learn to draw myself early on in my career, and I know that such skills can be developed through regular, almost daily practice over a sustained period of time. This book is structured in a way that allows you to achieve this without having to buy costly equipment and with just the use of your kitchen table. 

The exercises that I have devised and constructed for you start out with the simplest of subjects and require only around ten minutes to ‘have a go’ at. They grow in complexity as the book progresses, as will your skills. 

It may help you to structure your day around the timing guidance of the step-by-step exercises.Practising for ten minutes before you set your breakfast table, for example, and then for another ten minutes before you begin work in the garden will certainly help, always drawing the subjects that you see around you in your daily life.

 

Initially, do not be so concerned about having to produce a ‘picture’ that is a photographic replica of the objects in front of you. Instead, concentrate on feeling at ease with your materials and gaining confidence in drawing round or curved objects, for example. The ‘picture’ element will come in time.

The simplicity of the materials required and the structure of this ‘drawing course at home’ will allow you, with practice, to develop your skills and to gain confidence as you make progress. I have enjoyed putting it all together – I hope that you will enjoy using it. 

Best wishes for your future drawing,