Book review

Drawing and Painting: A Complete Study Course for New Zealanders by Elva Bett
Published by H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1984 

Reviewed by PATRICIA DUNN

This book is a stimulating and practical guide to drawing and painting in the tradition of the artist's manual. A real concern to make the language of art available to all is expressed in the book's dedication to `my brother who paints'. It is Elva Bett's belief that every person has the capacity to draw and paint; and this book is her gift to all the people who have expressed the desire to do so.

An appreciation of a major problem—finding the time—has led her to make timing a key factor of her programme's structure. The course is divided into twelve chapters—each a month-long study unit which is further broken down into four weekly sessions totalling eight hours of (creative' release. A clear pattern of two hours on four days a week is required and constant instruction about timing should help the student maintain this schedule. If the suggested requirement is too demanding modifications are allowed. Each monthly chapter covers four related assignments, the last being a significant piece of work. Material requirements and books to read accompany each unit.

The units progress in difficulty and are designed mainly for beginners; but advanced students might well find it a good refresher course or useful to fill gaps of a technical nature. It should be particularly useful for senior secondary school students, tertiary students and mature beginners since it covers a wide variety of theoretical, technical and subject areas. The clear lay-out also makes it useful as a general reference book for specific areas of study.

The first week's eight hour unit, a drawing, shows the student how to relax (with breathing exercises) and how to get the hand to move in a flowing rhythm, with the aid of music.

Week two deals with vision and how to strengthen (or heighten) the reaction of artist to subject. Week three explores the other sense reactions of hearing, taste, smell and touch, and four separate drawings are done in response to subjects which stimulate these senses. A strong physical rapport with the subject is encouraged throughout the book and later, when a full-figure self-portrait is undertaken, the student is instructed to begin by drawing `the hardness of your bottom upon the chair'.

Week four requires that the eight hours (minimum) he spent on a still-life drawing a la Cezanne expressing all the sensual reactions explored so far. This first unit provides a simple and sound basis for the detailed explorations—mainly of physical nature and environment—that are to follow.

Later chapters include discussions and assignments on topics such as the Fibonacci sequence, the Golden Section and men's and women's fashion. One of the most thoroughly covered topics is figure drawing and painting with four chapters devoted to its various aspects; namely anatomy, study of the head, life drawing and portraiture. The text and illustrations give clear and detailed anatomical information and a variety of useful assignments without thrusting simplified manikin-type figure drawing systems upon students. The many different styles seen in the figure drawings and paintings reproduced in these sections show just how much individual interpretation of the figure has enriched this area of art. Unfortunately the usual male bias continues in the illustrations of basic anatomy. How good it would be to see for once a clear illustration of the female musculature in all its glory.

Teachers of Art and Art History should find discussion of subject areas such as portraiture and landscape, stylistic elements such as colour, form and composition and techniques such as oil painting and watercolour useful when preparing material on these topics. Most common terms are well-defined and they are often illustrated. Doing some of the simpler exercises would also be an excellent way for Art History students to better appreciate the making of the works they are studying.

The book is laid out generously, in a large paperback format, with divisions into sections and exercises clear and well-marked. It is lavishly illustrated with just on two hundred plates, twenty-six of which are in good quality colour. The bulk of the black-and-white plates are good hut some are far darker than they should he. One of the nicest things about the book is that almost half the plates reproduce New Zealand drawings or paintings.