Line By Line, a new weekly essay and drawing lesson from James McMullen, makes me love the New York Times even more than I already did. (How fabulous that a news organization gives equal weight to aesthetic pleasures.) The column is “about rediscovering the lost skill and singular pleasure of drawing,” and does a beautiful job of it. In the first three columns, McMullen slowly builds both your skill set and your appreciation for art, starting with the simplest of ovals. It’s a drawing lesson, a history lesson, and a meditation all wrapped in one. I was an art major in college, and while I don’t use many of the skills I learned on a day to day basis anymore, I have never looked at the world the same way again. I can’t wait for next Friday to see what the next lesson will be!