Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered

If you have an under-three, you'll know that kids draw with freedom, unconcerned with accuracy or the 'right' way. Sadly, as adults, we often spend the rest of our lives trying to recapture that childish artistic freedom. And a large proportion of us will go on to say we 'can't draw', when what we mean is that we can't stick to what we perceive to be the rules of things like perspective and shading. Consider again your three year-old: no knowledge of either of these concepts, and turning out a masterpiece a day, no doubt.

Consider also the celebrated illustrator Quentin Blake. His anarchic and spiky style laughs in the face of rules. If there is perspective at play, it's well-hidden - and he's made a career out of it.

His Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered, half instruction book, half sketchpad, would be a great gift for a child just at the point where those uncertainties are about to step in: perhaps you can stem them all together. It's all about instilling confidence in your child that whatever marks they make can be perfectly valid, but beware: according to the Amazon reviews, this booklet will be snaffled up by the adult members of the family, too. Before you know it, your own pictures will be jostling for fridge-door space with those of your kids. Perhaps two copies, then.