The Natural Way to Draw

The Natural Way to Draw is a digital PDF edition of Kimon Nicolaides’s working plan for art study. It presents a structured approach to drawing based on correct observation and physical contact with subjects. Instant download is available after purchase.

Nicolaides developed the material through his teaching at the Art Students’ League of New York. The book was prepared for publication after his death, using his manuscript, other writings, authentic student notes, and drawings from his classes.

This digital art book is suitable for readers studying drawing, contour, observation, and sustained practice through a planned sequence of exercises.

Book Overview

The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study is an art instruction book by Kimon Nicolaides. Its central premise is that drawing depends on correct observation rather than artifice, technique, aesthetics, or conception alone.

The work presents a concrete system of study built around exercises and examples. Its materials include sketches made by Nicolaides for individual students, student drawings from actual classes, and master drawings selected to show how an artist begins working.

Because Nicolaides died in 1938, the book was published posthumously. Mamie Harmon undertook the editorial work, arranging the material according to his plan and incorporating additional writings and authentic student notes to remedy a few omissions.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• A working plan for sustained art study.
• Instruction centered on observation and physical contact with subjects.
• Contour as the basis of the book’s first exercise.
• Sketches made by Nicolaides in his classes for individual students.
• Student drawings showing work at comparable stages of the study plan.
• Master drawings selected to show how an artist sets to work.

Why This Book Matters

The book preserves Kimon Nicolaides’s distinctive system of art teaching and his experience as a teacher at the Art Students’ League of New York. It also documents how former students and associates helped bring his unfinished publication materials into book form.

For students and readers of art education, its value lies in the direct connection between observation, repeated exercises, classroom examples, and a planned method of study. The included drawings retain the personal and practical character of Nicolaides’s teaching.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, and no physical copy will be shipped. Access is available after purchase.

The PDF works with appropriate Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, mobile devices, and compatible reading apps. Device features may vary by application.

FAQ

When can I access the book?
Access is available after purchase as an instant digital download.

Will I receive a physical copy?
No. This product is a digital PDF, so there is no physical shipping.

Which devices can open the file?
You can use appropriate Kindle apps, tablets, desktop or mobile devices, and compatible reading apps.

Download The Natural Way to Draw for a focused digital reference on Kimon Nicolaides’s approach to drawing and art study.