How To Draw Happy People

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· 212 ratings · 19 reviews

Start your review of Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People

We recently started a family art/craft night to mix things up a bit. This is an attempt to combat all their school work that is done on the computer. Their handwriting! Goodness. They so rarely print much less write in cursive. Art? A thing of the past until middle or high school. So, the first night we started with this wonderful series Illustration School by Sachiko Umoto and Creative Lettering: Techniques & Tips from Top Artists to get things started. The simple drawings were perfect and did We recently started a family art/craft night to mix things up a bit. This is an attempt to combat all their school work that is done on the computer. Their handwriting! Goodness. They so rarely print much less write in cursive. Art? A thing of the past until middle or high school. So, the first night we started with this wonderful series Illustration School by Sachiko Umoto and Creative Lettering: Techniques & Tips from Top Artists to get things started. The simple drawings were perfect and did not require expert skill. We played music and our whole goal was to create and hang out together. Our #3 and my husband had a blast drawing faces and Happy People: frown, smile, smirk! Our #2 started playing around with her name and adding rainbows and butterflies to her signature. And, our #1 might just have some decent handwriting in her yet! ...more

May 30, 2013 Pannita rated it really liked it

To me, this style of human drawing is in between stickman and full figure drawing. It's actually harder than it looks! I often use this book to help with my thumbnail sketch, so i get the sense of how the actual work will turn out. Check out my full reference books collection here: http://korpannita.wordpress.com/2013/... To me, this style of human drawing is in between stickman and full figure drawing. It's actually harder than it looks! I often use this book to help with my thumbnail sketch, so i get the sense of how the actual work will turn out. Check out my full reference books collection here: http://korpannita.wordpress.com/2013/... ...more

These books are so fantastically charming and have easy-to-follow instructions! I also got the animals books and the plants & small creatures book. Absolutely recommend!

Jul 22, 2017 Mycala rated it liked it

This book was just plain fun. I don't need help with drawing skills but it's entertaining to get ideas from other people, and the idea of drawing a person and then adding accessories and other elements was inspiring. This book was just plain fun. I don't need help with drawing skills but it's entertaining to get ideas from other people, and the idea of drawing a person and then adding accessories and other elements was inspiring. ...more

Jul 28, 2018 Fox rated it really liked it

Great little book – I just wish it wasn't full of gender stereotypes (male doctor, female nurse, etc). Great little book – I just wish it wasn't full of gender stereotypes (male doctor, female nurse, etc). ...more

Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele
Rezensionsexemplar, zur Verfügung gestellt vom Verlag im Austausch für eine ehrliche Rezension ♥

"Illustrieren: Lustige Leute von heute" sieht aus wie ein Kinderbuch zum Malenlernen und liest sich auch erst einmal so, denn auf den ersten Seiten gibt es "Lieder" nach denen man einen Jungen, ein Mädchen, einen Prinzen, eine Prinzessin und einen König zeichnet. Als Erwachsener kommt man sich da schnell etwas dämlich vor, wenn man überhaupt bereit ist, sich auf dieses kindliche Niveau "herabzulassen". Dabei ist genau das die Strategie dieses Buchs und es ist eine, die durchaus nicht schlecht ist, denn wie die Autorin bereits ganz zu Anfang sagt: "Es heißt, das Lernen beginnt mit der Nachahmung."

Man fängt ganz klein an, Punkt, Punkt, Komma, Strich, in diesem Bereich bewegen sich die ersten Figuren, die einen Sachiko Umoto in diesem Buch zeichnen lässt und dann wird es immer komplexer. Ob bestimmte Berufe, verschiedene Trachten, bekannte Märchenfiguren oder ganz einfach grundlegende Unterschiede zwischen Figuren verschiedener Altersklassen, Schritt für Schritt eignet man sich hier durch die Nachahmung der liebevoll erklärten Zeichnungen mit ihren Schritt-für-Schritt-Erklärungen eine gewisse Zeichentechnik an, die vielleicht keine allzu realistischen oder ausgefeilten Figuren entstehen lässt, aber definitiv auch deutlich mehr als einfache Strichmännchen.

Außerdem liegt in der Klarheit der Figuren und ihrer vermeintlichen Einfachheit ein großer Vorteil und das sind die Kombinationsmöglichkeiten. Denn spätestens wenn man die ersten 30-40 Seiten hinter sich gebracht hat, hat man ein gewisses Repertoire an Grundlagenwissen/-fähigkeiten, das es einem erlaubt, mit den Figuren zu spielen, sie den eigenen Vorstellungen anzupassen und die Vorlagen der Autorin der eigenen Fantasie entsprechend zu verändern, etwas wozu Sachiko Umoto ihre "Schüler" auch immer wieder auffordert und die Aufgabenstellungen und Zeichenanregungen werden im Laufe der 112 Seiten so auch Stück für Stück immer etwas freier.

Das Einzige, was mir vielleicht doch etwas gefehlt hat, war die Dynamik, die Möglichkeit etwas Bewegung in die Figuren zu bringen, diese auch in Gruppen glaubhaft darstellen zu können, sie in verschiedene Posen zu versetzen. Das wird alles nur sehr kurz und sehr am Rande angeschnitten, allerdings ist es wohl auch zu komplex und hochtrabend, um es in ein solches Grundlagen- und Anfängerbuch wie dieses zu packen. Diese Fähigkeiten wird man sich wohl anschließend im selbstständigen Studium aneignen müssen, da werden wohl die eigenen Beobachtungsfähigkeiten gefragt sein - an sich ja auch nicht verkehrt.

Alles in allem ist "Illustrieren: Lustige Leute von heute" von Sachiko Umoto ein ganz tolles Buch für alle, die immer gerne mal zeichnen können wollten, denen aber nicht mal ein Strichmännchen gelingt. Man muss bereit sein, sich auf die anfangs sehr simple und damit auch absolut kindgerechte Erklärweise der Autorin einzulassen, wenn einem das aber gelingt, dann kann wohl so ziemlich (fast) jeder mit diesem Buch Zeichnen lernen und bald seine eigenen lustigen kleinen Figuren aufs Papier bringen. So macht Lernen auf jeden Fall Spaß! ;)

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Such a cute and easy how-to-draw book! My favorite part was the illustrations of different cultures in the back. Now I know the differences among traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese dress. The fairy tale section was also fun because, being written by a Japanese woman and originally published in Japan, it includes several story characters from Japanese folk-tales, like the Inch-High Samurai and Princess Kaguya. Actually, I love the Japanese perspective overall. The book has grea Such a cute and easy how-to-draw book! My favorite part was the illustrations of different cultures in the back. Now I know the differences among traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese dress. The fairy tale section was also fun because, being written by a Japanese woman and originally published in Japan, it includes several story characters from Japanese folk-tales, like the Inch-High Samurai and Princess Kaguya. Actually, I love the Japanese perspective overall. The book has great variety and character. I'll definitely be picking up Umoto's other books. ...more

Feb 26, 2014 Refine Lubis rated it really liked it

oh! we love this book so much. we actually collect this book. this book comes in a series. there are 4 books all together. we purchased the books from booksactually as it is not easy to find them in the book store. we love how sachiko umoto guide us along how to sketch. her drawing are super cute and easy to follow. the other 3 books are : let's draw plants and small creatures, let's draw magical color and cute animals. if your kids enjoy drawing, these books are a good start. oh! we love this book so much. we actually collect this book. this book comes in a series. there are 4 books all together. we purchased the books from booksactually as it is not easy to find them in the book store. we love how sachiko umoto guide us along how to sketch. her drawing are super cute and easy to follow. the other 3 books are : let's draw plants and small creatures, let's draw magical color and cute animals. if your kids enjoy drawing, these books are a good start. ...more

Sep 15, 2011 Melissa rated it it was amazing

So cute, in so many ways!!! Love this! My children love this! Great book to start ideas rolling. I am not a fan of colouring in books or tracing books as they inhibit creativity, but this book is different. It just gives hints and tips to set you on your own 'doodling' journey. Sachiko's artwork is beautiful, and she manages to give simple drawn people wonderful personalities. So cute, in so many ways!!! Love this! My children love this! Great book to start ideas rolling. I am not a fan of colouring in books or tracing books as they inhibit creativity, but this book is different. It just gives hints and tips to set you on your own 'doodling' journey. Sachiko's artwork is beautiful, and she manages to give simple drawn people wonderful personalities. ...more

Super fun "how to draw animal" book with a twist! My more musical friend pointed out that there are little songs to guide the building of these little guys! And the designs are so smart! Addictive!!! ;) Super fun "how to draw animal" book with a twist! My more musical friend pointed out that there are little songs to guide the building of these little guys! And the designs are so smart! Addictive!!! ;) ...more

Mar 01, 2013 Lotuslulu rated it it was amazing

While this book is hardly something one might read, it i full of happy moments and opportunities.Everything is so clearly laid out and easy to follow that this is making a great additional to my art library.

Aug 20, 2012 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Such cute illustrations. I'm constantly drawing from it, I can't put it down. Such cute illustrations. I'm constantly drawing from it, I can't put it down. ...more

The illustration is really cute. I love this and will practice as soon as possible.

Jan 04, 2013 Trish rated it really liked it

Really fun book, and a nice reference for me. I like drawing cartoony, cute people, so this author/artist's style really suits me. Really fun book, and a nice reference for me. I like drawing cartoony, cute people, so this author/artist's style really suits me. ...more