Drawing for Joy

Book excerpt: Give yourself the gift of creativity—take the first steps toward learning to draw. In Drawing for Joy, author and illustrator Stephanie Peterson Jones offers beginning artists a relaxing, rewarding way to build a successful daily drawing practice in just 15 minutes a day. You’ll go on an enlightening and enriching drawing adventure by following the seven fun, engaging prompts in each of the 52 weekly exercises. Start by giving yourself permission to become an artist, and learn how meditation will help you let go of negative thoughts and bring you into the present so you can enjoy making one mark at a time. Draw simple shapes, lines, and textures as you learn about the elements and principles of art making. Follow the art starts—light gray outlines that guide your drawings—as you build and strengthen your skills. As your art practice continues, the exercises gradually progress in complexity so that you determine how to combine shapes and use your imagination to add creative touches. With Drawing with Joy, you’ll learn to draw with confidence, embrace your inner artist with self-acceptance and delight, and make the experience of claiming your creativity deeper and richer. The hardest part will be limiting your artmaking to just 15 minutes a day—all that joy can be addicting!