Kickstarting a sketchbook to alleviate the terror and tyranny of the blank page

We've featured Christopher Locke's art here before on several occasions: his spiders made from confiscated scissors bought at TSA auctions; his mobile phone amps made from crazy-quilt brass instrument chimeras; his fossilized modern objects.

So it's treat to feature his first Kickstarter: "a sketchbook that alleviates the anxiety that comes from starting with a blank page. Filled with just the beginnings of drawings, it's up to you to fill in the blanks. Artist's Block has no place in this book!

The sketchbook will be offered in paperback and hardcover, both offering heavy paper suitable for pencil, pen, crayon, marker, or collage. This book is appropriate for kids who are learning to draw, as well as veteran artists who draw all the time. Unlock your potential, and draw something you've never dreamed possible."

There are also mini-lessons on drawing interspersed throughout the book. $15 gets you the paperback, $25 for hardcovers.

Are you nervous about the fact that you haven't taken an art class in a decade or more? Don't worry! I've thrown in several mini art lessons to refresh you! Proper proportions of the human face will help you draw realistic people. A lesson in one-point perspective will bring back what you already know about vanishing points. Follow that up with a lesson on two-point perspective to further hone your skills as a draftsman. I firmly believe in drawing from observation, so I've included a couple of grid drawings, which will help you slow down and draw exactly what you see. Also included are lessons on shading, including crosshatching, stippling, and scribbling. They will help you free up your hand and mind, and try new things.

Every single drawing in this book has been tested on 150+ people, and I know they work. Kids as young as 11 have turned out drawings that they are proud of and can't wait to show off. Draw with confidence, and know that people will beg you to flip through this book!