Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
by Betty Edwards
Our Price: $18.89
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.40 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Betty EdwardsEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1989-05-01
ISBN: 0874775132
Number of pages: 254
Publisher: Tarcher
Book Reviews of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Book Review: 80% written text, but only 20% illustration
Summary: 1 Stars
Betty Edwards book, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is 80% text and only 20% illustration for all 254 pages, and very few of the illustrations are Edwards' personal drawings.
It is a clunky and overly intellectual approach to drawing, presenting a virtual, THEORY-OF-EVERYTHING.
According to p. 46, an "alternative state of consciousness" is required before one can draw. That's NOT liberating an "artist within" but rather binding the "artist within" to Edwards' art theories, hardly a liberating work. Moreover, where are the scientific studies that prove that Betty Edward's "students" have obtained an ALTERNATIVE STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS? There are none of course, because it never happened. There is no such thing as a scientific measurement of "consciousness". This is why Edwards claims are such a baffling mix of SCIENCE and SENTIMENT and unverifiable by any known means. It is not just bad that this is PSEUDO-SCIENCE. It is PSEUDO-ART THEORY!
Consider this quote:
"Although the exercises themselves are based on classic systems of drawing instruction, she presented them in a simple and LOGICAL manner that made them especially easy to learn." -----Brainy Encyclopedia website
If this is a LOGICAL system, it flies in the face of the RIGHT-BRAIN methodology, because Edwards has such a wordy text that only those operating in the ANALYTICAL & LOGICAL LEFT BRAIN are going to grasp much of it; but if you keep any audience confused for long enough, (such as is possible when mixing science & metaphysics, they'll start to believe they sort of understand you.
Edwards shifts back and forth between unscientific New Age rhetoric and quotes from scientists. Edwards does not seem to recognize the distinction between Metaphysical Nominalism [WORDS-ARE-NOT-REAL] and Metaphysical Realism [the old Platonic: WORDS-ARE-REAL], and she conveniently ignores the fundamental contradictions of the core assumptions of science and metaphysics that abound in her chapters.
Edwards caters to many who operate with a false assumption: the I-CANNOT-DRAW crowd. After proving they CAN draw, the crowd throws aside their crutches and declare themselves healed, and rate the book FIVE STARS. Notwithstanding, the FIVE STAR reviewers who laud Edwards with praise, declare themselves a not very intellectual LEFT BRAIN crowd but praise the RIGHT-BRAIN theory, OR...what is yet more strange, flatly refute the RIGHT-BRAIN theory, but praise the book?!? Here's an example of the latter:
"Instead of using left brain- right brain theory to describe this, in my view the more correct description would be to learn to access your SUBCONSCIOUS MIND which functions at a deeper level, while reducing the way in which your conscious mind interferes with the creative process." --from a 10 Feb 2005 review on Amazon [In other words, the RIGHT-BRAIN theory is totally false; But what the heck, let's give the false theory a FIVE STAR rating anyway!]
The missing element here is a fair and objective examination of the claims by some that they "cannot draw". We are unable to verify these petulant claims. Please understand, I am not unfamiliar with that feeling and I do not mean to be cruel; but the "testimonial" is the least scientific and least reliable form of evidence. Though Edwards cheering section happily declare that they COULD--NOT--DRAW and chant that mantra repeatedly in reviews, does Betty Edwards support the theory that there are people who CANNOT DRAW? No, that is not what Betty Edwards teaches. According to an art philosophy website that trumpets her books loudly, they offer this claim:
["California State University professor Betty Edwards believes ANYONE WHO CAN TIE A SHOELACE OR SIGN THEIR NAME CAN LEARN TO DRAW."] -by Mr. Steve Parr, M. Ed. City University 1996
So Edwards knows there is no such thing as people WHO-CANNOT-DRAW in the first place. Related to this contradiction is the implied assertion that those who read her book and attend her seminars (and can now "draw") are somehow..."ARTISTS". They CAN draw, ergo, they are "artists". Of course, there are no scientific measurements of "artists". There are also no scientific standards for measuring drawing ability and degrees of drawing ability.
The website "BRAINY ENCYCLOPEDIA" offers this pleasant biography and a somewhat positive handling of Edwards books:
["She proposes exercises to bring out the creative abilities
of the right side of the brain, as opposed to the analytic and logical abilities of the left brain."] -Brainy Encyclopedia
That only makes sense if her book merely consists of a set of exercises, which it isn't. How does Edwards do this? She offers a wordy and overly intellectual LEFT-BRAIN HEAVY book of theories and quotations which constitute her text, and to such a degree that only a LEFT-BRAIN predominate person could actually read her work critically. So much for steering the student away from "the analytic and logical abilities of the left brain."
The testimonial is great for Multi-Level Marketing, Pyramid Schemes, and TV EVANGELISM, but falls far short of objective proof. We have no way of knowing what drawing efforts these individuals put forth prior to self-determining that they CANNOT DRAW. We don't know what books they studied, or under what teachers, or for how long, or whether they drew with sidewalk chalk, crayons, or spray paint. That does not stop Edwards' groupies from declaring their handicap as though it were a medically verified condition of mind or body, and CONTRADICTING EDWARDS' AFFIRMATION:
["California State University professor Betty Edwards believes ANYONE WHO CAN TIE A SHOELACE OR SIGN THEIR NAME CAN LEARN TO DRAW."] -by Mr. Steve Parr, M. Ed. City University 1996
With a penchant for New Age rhetoric it is not surprising that Edwards makes a foray into discussing "Zen" by Chapter 12, entitled, "The Zen of Drawing Out the Artist Within". It's a very corny trend in American culture, when you want to baffle the audience, just mention ZEN, as though both you and your readers knew precisely what you are writing about....... the "ZEN" of something. It's a very gooey cosmology, irrational, and moreover, irrelevant to art. Betty Edwards would like to think of herself as the AMERICAN HIGH PRIESTESS OF ZEN BUDDHISM, after all, don't university professors know EVERYTHING?. The analogy breaks down when anyone who has studied ZEN for one day finds writings on ZEN declaring that ZEN is "WITHOUT DOCTRINE" and here's Edwards' book that is a re-hash of every doctrine from Science, and Eastern and Western Religion, all thrown together as though they pronounce a "Zen" truth, understood by everybody, expounded by the Pied Piper of the art world. I believe the real purpose that this book was written, had something to do with...."The Zen of Drawing Money Out Of Everybody's Wallet", a very ZENNY accomplishment I suppose.
I consider book prices on eBay and in other used book vendors as a "benchmark" of a book's ultimate value. There are dozens of Betty Edward's "DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN" dumped on eBay for prices ranging $.99 to $5.00 and HUNDREDS of copies of Edwards books stuck on used book dealers shelves that don't sell, which is a clear indication that the book and its fundamental theory is a New Age fad rather than valid art theory.
Summary of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Edwards uses the latest in brain research to explain how anyone can learn to draw more accurately and creatively. This edition contains a new illustrated section in color, several fully revised chapters, new sample drawings, and a new section on handwriting.Drawing Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Drawing Books
Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Editionby Mike Mattesi
Focal Press; Published: 2006-09-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.36
Price in other shops:
The New Yorker Album of Drawings: 1925-1975by The New Yorker
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1978-09-28; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
Sketch Book for the Artistby Sarah Simblet
Prentice Hall; Published: 2006-03-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $137.26
Landscapes in Pastel: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started (Collins Learn to Paint Series)by Jenny Keal
HarperCollins UK; Published: 2003-06-01; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Collins Art Class: The Essential Guide to Creative Painting Skills and Techniqueby Simon Jennings
Collins, London; Published: 1999; Hardcover; Book
Coloured Pencils: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started (Learn to Paint)by David Cook
Trafalgar Square Publishing; Published: 1999-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $74.22
Collins Learn to Draw: Birds (Learn to Draw (Collins))by Peter Partington
Harpercollins Pub Ltd; Published: 2000-01; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Amphigorey Againby Edward Gorey
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2006-10-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $18.74
Price in other shops:
9 Heads: A Guide to Drawing Fashion (3rd Edition)by Nancy Riegelman
Prentice Hall; Published: 2006-07-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $74.88
Price in other shops:
Drawing from Observationby Brian Curtis, Brian Curtis
McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; Published: 2001-11-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $25.00
Similar Books and other products
Drawing the Head and Figure (Perigee)by Jack Hamm
Perigee Trade; Published: 1982-01-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.32
Price in other shops:
The Human Figure (Dover Anatomy for Artists)by John H. Vanderpoel
Dover Publications; Published: 1958-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.34
Price in other shops:
Drawing for Older Children & Teensby Mona Brookes
Jeremy P. Tarcher / Perigee; Jeremy P. Tarcher / Perigee; Published: 1991-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: A Course in Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidenceby Betty Edwards
Tarcher; Published: 1999-09-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $18.97
Price in other shops:
The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Studyby Kimon Nicolaides
Mariner Books; Published: 1990-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.65
Price in other shops:
Drawing on the Artist Within: An Inspirational and Practical Guide to Increasing Your Creative Powersby Betty Edwards
Touchstone; Published: 1987-04-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.77
Price in other shops:
Keys to Drawingby Bert Dodson
North Light Books; Published: 1990-08-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.80
Price in other shops:
Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colorsby Betty Edwards
Tarcher; Published: 2004-09-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.74
Price in other shops:
New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook: Guided Practice in the Five Basic Skills of Drawingby Betty Edwards
Tarcher; Published: 2002-10-28; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $11.20
Price in other shops:
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brainby Betty Edwards
Putnam; Tarcher; Published: 1999-08-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.78
Price in other shops: