Draw the DC Universe [Paperback]

I like the book, just wish it was larger. It is targeted more for kids, than aspiring artist, but it still has valuable lessons in it. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in learning how to draw the classic look of the DC characters, since they have now been changed in the ridiculous "new 52" event.

I'm 37 years old and I just took up drawing again for the first time since high school. I wasn't that great at it then so I'm not all that advanced of an artist.

This book is the perfect skill level for someone like me. I mostly can copy things right now, but if I draw something from memory, my lack of skill is apparent.That was my motivation behind buying this book. I needed to build on my skills and this book looked like the perfect thing to help with that.

The book starts out with having you trace some pictures just to get your hand and eye used to drawing different lines. I have to say that this may have been one of the most interesting pieces of advice that I have learned from this book so far. I would have never even considered tracing something in the past, but now I want to go buy some tracing paper and try a little more tracing.

As you move through the lessons they become more difficult. After tracing, you work on stick figure frames for the characters, next you practice "piping" which is where you draw guides for the outside lines, and then finally you move on to the detailing that really makes your drawings come alive.

The book is set up so that you can draw in the book itself. This is a great idea as well, but this is also where I ran into my issues with the book.

1. It's too small.

At 8.5 x 8.6 inches the book isn't even as big as a standard piece of paper. It's tough to practice drawing details when you don't have much room to fit those details into.

2. The book doesn't lay flat

The book has a traditional binding so the pages have and arch to them when you try to lay it out flat to draw in it. You need to press down on the pages to flatten them and even then there is still a little curve to them. It makes it tough to draw straight lines at times and since I, and the target audience of this book, aren't that great of artists at this point, it really makes it frustrating to do some of the lessons.

If this book had spiral binding, like a notebook, and was larger I would give it 5 stars in a heartbeat. As it stand now, it's 4 stars for me. I am still glad I bought it because I really feel like it gave me some good things to practice.

This makes a great gift for anyone who loves Super Heroes and also loves to draw. Top quality pencils too. And the best part....totally affordable.