Pen Mind, Beginner's Mind ― A Mindfullness Approach to Beginning to Draw

This book is a chronological record of the growth of an artist starting from an untrained state of disbelief in himself. Drawing examples in graphite and pen and ink wash are presented with the author recalling them as they were encountered for the first time. These moments and recollections give the reader a sense of the "Beginner's Mind" — a child-like sense of wonder and exploration. The author also stresses "noticing" as a way of increasing awareness of both the external and internal worlds of the artist.

Jim Hodgkinson is a retired technical writer who worked in a team that wrote training modules for The Government of Alberta Apprenticeship Program. He lives in Alberta, Canada.