Published in 1909, this comprehensive tutorial on art is not only a guide to creating art for the cultivation of the soul of the individual and culture, but also as a practical guide to how the artist can make their passion into an occupation.
Johnson appeals to a broad spectrum of people, specifically calling to “those who have not the time or money to go to an academy” by simplifying the instruction of design, drawing, and painting so that anyone with a desire to learn has access to the education they need to hone an artists' skill.
He also creates a completely accessible gateway to art by demystifying the process of creating it. In his foreword he states: “The idea that an artist is born as artist is a fallacy…. If any one thinks himself a born artist he is the victim of a delusion… if one can write, one can draw.”
