"Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain"  WORKBOOK

What will this do for you... the student? 

I think one of the best answers comes from Betty Edwards, the author of a series of drawing books that opened my eyes to something that I already understood just beneath the surface but just didn't know it yet. Observational drawing leads to creative problem solving, critical thinking, reflective thinking, and can be used as a tool to become more perceptive. 

"Because the exercises in this book focus on expanding your perceptual powers, not on techniques of drawing, your individual style—your unique and valuable manner of drawing—will emerge intact. This is true even though the exercises concentrate on realistic drawings, which tend to "look alike" in a large sense. (This probably is true only for this century, because we are used to seeing radically different forms of art, both stylistically and culturally.) But a closer look at realistic art reveals subtle differences in line style, emphasis, and intent. In this age of massive self-expression in the arts, this more subtle communication often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. As your skills in seeing increase, your ability to draw what you see will increase, and you will observe your style forming. Guard it, nurture it, and cherish it, for your style expresses you."

-Betty Edwards 

The New Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain