This book was given to me by a friend around 1961 when I was starting out my art studies...it was so inspiring I followed its excercises about gesture and contour drawing, and ignored my regular art school classes!. The great thing about this book is that it teaches you to SEE with the eye while simultaneously DRAWING with the hand. The excercises both free your vision and give you the necessary discipline to draw without forcing you to adopt any particular style or technique. Good luck!