The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards (1999, Hardcover, Revised)

This was a ground-breaking book back in 1979 when after studying the research done by Robert Sperry on Right Brain function, Better Edwards, an art teacher, applied the principles to her art classes. My personal journey that lead me to read the book began 2 years before Edwards published her first version. I had been studying Art at CSUN and UCLA and wasn't especially good. But during one class something happened and suddenly I becoming an artist, literally over night, (one day I couldn't draw, the next day I could and went on to win awards and sell hundreds of paintings and drawings) I was baffled about what had happened to me. I would paint, usually in the evenings, and the next morning I couldn't believe I had done it. I was afraid I would lose whatever it was that had happened. So I framed each new work, hung them on the wall in my family room and put teeny little price stickers on each one. It's funny now thinking back on it. But I remember the day that 2 of my friends came over to see my work. Each one wanted to by a piece. I freaked out. Yes, I did want to sell my art. But I said they could have them in a week and I painted another one of each one before I delivered the ones they had purchased.

Over the next 2 years I painted day and night, selling several 100 pieces. I entered art shows, being given many blue ribbons, and best of show honors. Yet, it just didn't seem real. Then one day I read about a women who was teaching kids to draw their hands. I knew the human hand was considered one of the hardest subjects to draw. But I saw examples of the work and it was amazing. I had to learn more. She was too far away for me to study with.

So, I was thrilled to hear she had written a book. I got it and dived in. Now I understood why I could draw. And I wanted to learn more. The book was fabulous. It made total sense to me. So I managed to find one of Betty Edwards' former graduate students who was teaching a full course based on the Right Brain Drawing concept at UCLA. I signed up and again I loved every second of it. After I finished school I able to offer workshops based on the concepts. Eventually I was teaching it at several local colleges to full classes every session.

I was astonished at the results. My classes were packed, and every series of 8 to 12 meetings would was averaging 97% of the students having seen amazing results. Some were selling their work before the end of session. Everyone improved.

I eventually met Betty Edwards at a book signing for her 1999 edition. I purchased a copy told her about my experiences with the concept. She asked me to join her for a talk and we spent about half an hour discussing the results with 1000s of both of our students using the method.

Her 1999 book contains many of the original material along with some new ideas that are positive additions to the original book. I recommend either version of the Right Brain Drawing Books, to anyone who is interested in learning to draw well in a short period of time. It works if a person is willing to begin at the beginning and do each lesson exactly as outlined. It's a series of lessons about learning to actually see what you are looking at. As strange as that sounds, it absolutely works and drawing well is the result.

After teaching the method for almost 20 years at 9 different colleges and prep schools to over 20,000 students I can honestly say that if properly applied, there is no other method with results that compare.