Book by: Shirish Deshpande 

Pages: 98

This is a short quick read on use of pen and ink for sketching written by author Shirish Deshpande, a Pune based artist and an IT professional. 

The book is available on Amazon and I happened to get it at Rs 280 (approx). The book is filled with pen and ink illustrations. The book starts with introduction to sketching and use of pen and ink in sketching. I particularly liked the shading techniques well classified for pen and ink which involves hatching, cross hatching, contour shading, scribbling and stippling. The book throws light on all aspects of practical sketching that includes: sketching of trees, grass, shrubs, stones, rocks, animal fur, wood and water. The book ends by providing step by step process to sketch a nature scene with coconut trees and an old house on woods.

The book is a very short and a quick read. It talks about gross things but misses on actual steps in detail on laying the strokes – hatching and cross hatching. The sketches seems to be deliberately darkened may be for the purpose of publishing. The last part of the book which is step by step technique also lacks detailed steps – it’s just like gross – to make cake – take flour, wet it, cook it and freeze it. Get the point of detailed missed steps ? 

The book has lots of sketches – which one can definitely try for practice. The book has many QR codes – that links to his online YouTube and websites (huesandtones.net). A good book to just get the orientation to pen and ink but lacks the details.

Personal Stats:

Date of Start: 28 Sep 2023

Date of Completion : 30 Sep 2023

Time taken: 1 Hr 33 Min 

---

You may also like to read on:

1. Drawn on the Way – Sarah Nisbett (Book Review)
2. Urban Watercolor Sketching: Book Review
3. The Creative License – Book Review
4. EveryDay Matters – A Memoir (Book Review)
5. Sketching Page