Ruskins The Elements of Drawing, first published in 1857, remains one of the most sensible and useful books on how to draw and paint, both for the amateur and the professional artist. Ruskin reduces the art of drawing to its simplest elements - the making of marks, the perception of shapes and silhouettes before going on to more complex exercises and the use of colour. He emphasizes the importance of observation of natural forms, and of graduated study; and much of his method has strong links wi...