A Short Book about Drawing

Like millions of others, Andrew Marr draws. He hasn&#39;t had lessons, yet since childhood, the journalist and TV presenter has been at his happiest with a pen or brush in his hand. One way or another he draws most days, even if it&#39;s just a doodle on the edge of a newspaper.But why does he do it? Does it have a point? And in what way, if any, does this activity of his relate to what we think of as &#39;art&#39;? In this intriguing new book, Andrew Marr explores the subject of drawing and painting through his own experience.He considers the mechanics of the drawing process - the act of making and its importance for a happy life - along with the ways in which good drawing or painting can make us think harder and see the world differently.He also investigates the tensions between drawing as concentrated work and drawing as an expression of freedom or play, and looks at the historical differences between drawing and fine art as well as how drawing fits into today&#39;s art world. Written in his signature fresh, engaging and evocative style and illustrated with his own work, A Short Book About Drawing is Andrew Marr&#39;s unique take on this absorbing subject.

Andrew Marr was born in Glasgow in 1959. He studied English at Cambridge and has since enjoyed a hugely successful career in political journalism, working for the Scotsman, the Independent, the Daily Express and the Observer. From 2000 to 2005 he was the BBC&#39;s Political Editor. He has presented a range of programmes for television and radio, and most notably hosts The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday mornings on BBC1. He lives in London with his wife, political journalist, Jackie Ashley, and their three children.

Andrew Marr

&#39;A humble, amusing and unpretentious look at issues such as taste, creativity and beauty by a man who brings both his own enthusiasm to the table and his own refreshingly unpretentious insights as a part-time painter.&#39;

In A Short Book About Painting, writer and broadcaster Andrew Marr tackles the subjects of inspiration, creativity, politics, beauty and form. How does the artist make good work? What constitutes &ldquo;good&rdquo;? How important is technique &ndash;&#160;and the imagination? 
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 Following a serious stroke in 2013 that left him partially paralysed, Marr struggled with the physical rigours of painting using oils. This led to his wrestling with some of the very fundamental questions about painting as an art form in itself &shy; and to interrogate himself daily about brushstrokes, colour balance, line and texture. Using his own work in progress as examples of failures, and examples of techniques from classical artists right up to the present day, Marr examines how the painter can improve and learn from his or her mistakes. 
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 Marr&rsquo;s provocative, political and instructive book is not just an essential resource for all amateur painters, it is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the creative process and the limits of human artistic achievement. 
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Andrew Marr

Praise for A Short Book About Painting

'A humble, amusing and unpretentious look at issues such as taste, creativity and beauty by a man who brings both his own enthusiasm to the table and his own refreshingly unpretentious insights as a part-time pa ...

Books by Andrew Marr

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