Dynamic Figure Drawing (Practical Art Books)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A GREAT REFERENCE FOR DRAWING
  • draw the human figure
  • my review
  • Art Lesson & History Lesson
  • Lack of facial illustration, emotion, expression, etc...Not quite a good "first book" on the human figure.
Dynamic Figure Drawing (Practical Art Books)
Burne Hogarth
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Study & TeachingStudy & Teaching | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Figure DrawingFigure Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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  1. Drawing Dynamic Hands (Practical Art Books) Drawing Dynamic Hands (Practical Art Books)
  2. Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
  3. Drawing the Human Head (Practical Art Books) Drawing the Human Head (Practical Art Books)
  4. Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books) Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books)
  5. Dynamic Light and Shade (Practical Art Books) Dynamic Light and Shade (Practical Art Books)

ASIN: 0823015777

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A GREAT REFERENCE FOR DRAWING.......2007-07-12

This book has help me with my figure drawing a great deal. I see a big difference in my art work.This book is in my top 5 try it it doe's the body good!!! see ya...

5 out of 5 stars draw the human figure.......2007-04-21

If you want to learn to draw the human figure from the imagination with confidence, all you need is the dynamic figure drawing and 'draw from your head' by Jamieson and your well on your way.

5 out of 5 stars my review.......2007-03-13

this book is for the advanced artist. if you already can draw the human body doing anything, this will help with the shading and making you picture even more realistic.

5 out of 5 stars Art Lesson & History Lesson.......2007-01-09

I liked the art history part of this book. I thought it was good exposure to show where art came from and where it is headed. The anatomy section was pretty good to gain a basic understanding of human anatomy. However, I also use other references for anatomy as well as this one. I thought the Todd McFarlane forward was pretty good too.

3 out of 5 stars Lack of facial illustration, emotion, expression, etc...Not quite a good "first book" on the human figure........2006-12-14

"Dynamic Figure Drawing" by Burne Hogarth

I've withheld my comments and review of this text for a couple of years, because Hogarth is one of the artists and instructors whose work is not easily placed in regard to other authors and instructors. It has been charged that Hogarth does not implement a complete and integrated methodology of teaching. I agree with that analysis.

We ought to strive for generosity and fairness, and in that spirit, I think that it is correct that Hogarth can be of assistance in combination with other books and materials; and Hogarth certainly can draw and illustrate. All the same, I think that the fact that there are books for beginners that will stand by themselves without additional texts is important in comparisons.

I find it to be a perennial fact that whether it is the field of chess, or martial arts, and yes even fine art, or any endeavour, the strongest practitioners are not always the best instructors.

That Hogarth keys in upon the illustration of "dynamic" or "action" figure drawing is much appreciated. I'm disappointed with books on figure drawing that only represent seated or prone and lifeless figures devoid of action. However, there is a specific and identifiable shortcoming here, because while the entire human figure is shown in dynamic action by Hogarth, there is nothing at all in this book about the animation of the face, it's emotions, feelings, and expressions.

Whereas some reviewer might claim that this book is not "FOR BEGINNERS" as a stand-alone text, no beginner will be able to discern that for himself. My recommendation of 5-STARS will only be given to a "stand alone" text on figure drawing.

Hogarth is one of the instructors of drawing that will have a place in the published texts on figure drawing. He has some fine and innovative methods; but I do think beginners are best to look to other authors. Of course, if anyone wants to buy the book anyway, that's fine, but I certainly will not recommend it as a first or even second text, when other beginner books have more illustration, less text, and do include active facial expressions to be combined with the dynamic figure.
Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Masterful Resource Written by a Master - THE Source on Drawing Realistic Clothing
  • Student Artist-Modeler-Animator:
  • Definitive, but pricey considering alternatives that exist.
  • Drawing clothing, wrinkles & drapery from *memory*...
  • Exagerrated for better understanding
Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books)
Burne Hogarth
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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  4. Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
  5. Drawing the Human Head (Practical Art Books) Drawing the Human Head (Practical Art Books)

ASIN: 0823015874

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Masterful Resource Written by a Master - THE Source on Drawing Realistic Clothing.......2007-08-08

Burne Hogarth was one of the very first artists I came across when I began teaching myself to draw, and Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery is one of the very first of his books that I purchased. Very few books that I have come across deal with the folding and wrinkling of cloth and other materials in so meticulous and compendious a manner as does Hogarth. Wirtten less as a 'how-to' and more as a series of well-designed examples, Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery covers nearly every kind of clothing wrinkles one might think of, and provides exceptionally detailed illustrations to show you how you can apply these lessons to your own work. While other books give short shrift to drawing realistic-looking clothes, this one is simply THE only source you will need on how to give your characters' costumes that extra pop of realism. An indispensible book, and highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Student Artist-Modeler-Animator:.......2007-06-08

As most Hogarth's books, this one is not at the least descriptive. The drawings are a bit more frequent, and you may find it useful. Some of the drawing I did not enjoy too much, but, all-in-all, they still demonstrate the proper material. The author provides 4 decent approaches to the illustration of wrinkles in different situations, mostly differenting dependent on the type of physical movement the character (human, in all cases) makes. Most of the book talks about drapery, but there is some information on how to apply the same principles onto skin.
This is a must-have for a character designer, whether you work in 2D or 3D. It will provide a beginning artist with the basic understanding of the dynamics of drapery and clothes, but it won't be much use for a medium-to-experienced studio artist, especially when she/he draws from life.

4 out of 5 stars Definitive, but pricey considering alternatives that exist........2006-11-25

I owned this book for years, and as a picture reference it covers every conceivable wrinkle and drapery situation. But when I had to sell off most of my library, I faced the fact that I simply never used this book. The copious but maddeningly abstract text and little arrows never succeeded in helping me think about wrinkles so that I could predict them and do them without reference. And if you're just copying them for reference, you'd really want many more pictures of commonplace clothings rather than one each of every possible kind of clothing. The truth is, leafing through a bunch of magazines or stop-framing DVDs is more likely to get you exactly what you want.

And yet, while seeking to revive my cartooning habit recently, I found I did want a printed reference on clothing wrinkles -- but only if it were cheap. Following the suggestion of another commenter here, I got a copy of Jack Hamm's Drawing the Head and Figure, used, for under five bucks. And I highly recommend it. The twenty-ish pages on clothing wrinkles at the end of the book are obviously not as definitive as Hogarth's treatment, but they are aimed dead-on at the practical needs of the contemporary artist (and fortunately, men's clothes have not changed that much in the decades since it was written -- at least not from the wrinkle standpoint). It's at least as good a practical guide on this subject, and includes a wealth of material on similar topics that somehow get skipped in most art books -- men's and women's shoes, for instance. For five bucks or less, a much better value than the Hogarth. Though I can't rate the Hogarth below four stars, and understand five: he does his utmost to deliver, and the illustrations are marvelous.

4 out of 5 stars Drawing clothing, wrinkles & drapery from *memory*..........2006-05-05

Probably the *easiest* way to learn to draw clothing is to copy photos right along with pictures by our own favorite artists. That *seems* to be the most direct approach. But couldn't we profit from a book on this subject? The answer here simply is- Yes!
This is intermediate info here- a *much* better book for beginners is Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm. It contains a brief yet excellent section on clothing, wrinkles & drapery, in addition to the obvious figure drawing skills- my highest recommendation!

Burne Hogarth's accomplishment here includes a brand-new vocabulary for identifying & describing pretty much all possible wrinkles. He does more than describing with words- he *depicts*. The entire book is drawn with a red-orange pencil-crayon, and all drawings are by Hogarth himself. Packed with illustrations- every single page has a drawing on it- most include instructions-words. It's basically learning by example here; these drawings are meant to be copied. Yes, many examples are a bit overly wrinkled, as some have pointed out, but I think he does this in a positive way. What good is a book on wrinkles if the drawings barely show any? This book is great for fashion artists and anyone concerned with drawing from memory. It's not entirely necessary for everyone however; moderately recommended.

Other books worth considering: Jack Hamm's Drawing the Head and Figure; Barbara Bradley's Drawing People: How to Portray the Clothed Figure; George Bridgman's Drawing the Draped Figure; and even some of the many Japanese animation & comicbook instructionals, like How to Draw Manga: Bishoujo Around the World by Hikaru Hayashi. Check 'em out!

5 out of 5 stars Exagerrated for better understanding.......2006-03-28

I can only recommend this book to every artist out there, because it's the only one that covers this very important subject -- how to draw clothed human figure effectively. And not just sitting or posing human figure, but a figure in complex motion.

Let's face it; this subject is not for beginners. You need to have some clue and love for drawing. Also, this book book is even challenging for artist used to paint and draw lifeless poses and naked figures. Yes, Burne Hogarth challenges all of them, same as Michelangelo challenged and criticized Tizian, emphasizing Tizian's lack of will to study drawing and human anatomy. Although one of the greatest painters and masters of color in human history, Tizian had his shortcomings in the eyes of Michelangelo. Just compare their two distinctive styles and you will understand why.

Drawings in this book are well presented but exagerrated for our better understanding. Simply, if we don't understand how our body moves under the cloth, we'll have no idea how to render wrinkles and drapery. In other words, this books gives understanding, sets the basic principles and rules, and encourages us to study subject matter profoundly.

Art is not easy. Drawing human figure is difficult, but drawing clothed human figure is even more difficult, because wrinkles will show all the shortcomings in our artistic skills. Drawing better and drawing more, and exploring great references such as this book will make us better artist in all respects.
Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Force Dynamic Life Drawings for Anomators
  • Helpful, but needs more...
  • most important book i ever read
  • This is what I was missing..
  • Big, Awesome.
Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition
Mike Mattesi
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0240808452

Book Description

Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators

Capture the force in your life drawing subjects with this practical guide to dynamic drawing techniques - packed with superb, powerfully drawn examples that show you how to:

* Bring your work to life with rhythmic drawing techniques
* Create appealing and dynamic poses in your drawings
* Experience the figure's energy in three dimensional space
* Use the asymmetry of straight and curved lines to clarify the direction of force in the body
* Build on your foundational anatomy and figure drawing skills to animate your drawings
*Apply the theory of force to your on-location and animal drawing observations


Whether you are an animator, comic book artist, illustrator or fine arts' student you'll learn to use rhythm, shape, and line to bring out the life in any subject while Mike Mattesis infectious enthusiasm will have you reaching for your pencils!

Mike Mattesi is the owner and founder of Entertainment Art Academy (www.enterartacad.com) based in Southern California. He has been a professional production artist and instructor for the last fifteen years with clients including Disney, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, DreamWorks and Nickelodeon.

Audience level: Intermediate to advanced

* Discover and master the techniques of rhythmic drawing and bring your work to life
* Learn from a professional production artist who has successfully taught his unique techniques for the last fifteen years
* Written in an accessible, enthusiastic style which will have you reaching for your pencils!

Download Description

Prepare to experience a brand new thought process on the drawing of life and the expression of energy. This important concept is also the least talked about subject in figure drawing classes today. Artist Michael Mattesi is your guide on an exciting and provocative journey through multiple methods of thinking using easy to understand critiques of dynamic drawings. Learn to approach drawing through Michael

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Force Dynamic Life Drawings for Anomators.......2007-09-12

This book is a very practical source for animators to bring life and drama into their work. Excellent renderings and examples for developing each concept presented in the chapters. The book is intended to be used in sequence in order to build from one concept to the next. Easy read and approach for students that already have some background in drawing.

3 out of 5 stars Helpful, but needs more..........2007-08-28

As a comics creator, I applaud how this book reminds me about injecting more dynamism into the forms I draw, whether they be human, animal, or environmental. I would have given this book five stars if the author had included final art versions of the framework drawings. Or, to take finished illustrations and make some kind of commentary or diagram overlay. As the book stands now, it needs more interesting content given the cover price.

5 out of 5 stars most important book i ever read.......2007-08-13

been drawing all my life, and this book taught me everything i've been looking to know but couldn't teach myself. simplified everything to the point where i feel like i'm weilding the most powerful tools in the world, and even a child could use them.

5 out of 5 stars This is what I was missing.........2007-08-05

I have been illustrating professionally for 15 years. I am self taught, meaning I rely on books and the advice of my peers.
I've always noticed there was some elusive thing that was usually missing from my figure drawings that made them less dynamic. Burne Hogarth's books were very helpful, as in Dynamic Figure Drawing (Practical Art Books). But they didn't teach me how to get into the flow. How to make them go POW!!
Remember those John Buscema roughs in How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way? I used to think that his talent was the ONLY thing that made his work so forceful. This book gives you the direction to feel out these forces and shapes. I used to think that these things couldn't be taught.
When Mr. Mattesi's lessons click in your brain, you are truly feeling this power.
For me it makes all the difference in the world.
Brian LeBlanc

5 out of 5 stars Big, Awesome........2007-03-03

The way the examples are drawn in the book is through beautiful sweeping gestures, all of them very full of motion. The book contains very little analysis of the body's physical presence, but this is not a downside at all. Mattesi emphasizes the balance and weight and volume of the form instead of going back to the dreary analysis of human biology (completely necessary to know)that is in so many of my other books.

I wouldn't recommend it for the FIRST life drawing or figure drawing book, but perhaps after a year or so of study of muscular structure.

For the price, this book is huge, and an amazing deal. A must-have for any figurative artist or animator.
Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Muscle-bound.
  • A useful book, but very stylized drawings
  • A good book becomes great
  • Dynamic Anatomy
  • 5 Stars= Original Version; 1 Star= '03 Revision-Update
Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
Burne Hogarth
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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  4. Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books) Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books)
  5. Dynamic Light and Shade (Practical Art Books) Dynamic Light and Shade (Practical Art Books)

ASIN: 0823015521

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Muscle-bound........2007-06-09

This is a fascinating approach to anatomy, utilizing over-emphasized musculature to better illustrate the human form. Anyone considering purchasing this book must possess the understanding that these are exaggerated proportions not demonstrative of a realistic human form. But they are not designed to be. They convey the inter-relationships between masses that would normally be only subtly perceived. I did not require the art history lesson in the beginning, but perhaps that may appeal to some customers who would like to see the artistic past that helped inevitably shape artists like Hogarth. Overall, this is a good work that acheives its purpose.

4 out of 5 stars A useful book, but very stylized drawings.......2007-05-31

If you've seen Hogarth's book before you can probably guess what this book is like with amazing accuracy, if not, here's the scoop: He breaks down the figure into extremely exagerated/distorted shapes ("dynamic") as a way of understanding it's structure. He is a master of explaining the figure geometrically, and it's a useful perspective to be exposed to. There is a lot to be learned here, and his style is pretty interesting, but without a more realistic artistic anatomy book to supplement it, Dynamic Anatomy would be pretty misleading; people simply don't look the way Hogarth draws them.

By the way, the difference between the old and updated versions is not very significant. Basically the new one has more (oddly) colored drawings. I'd save your money and get the old one used.

5 out of 5 stars A good book becomes great.......2007-02-18

I first bought this book back in the early 70s, and it was a great relief to see human anatomy depicted in action, versus the clinical and static presentations more common to the books my father had. At that young age, I wanted to be a comic-book artist, which was all about action, and Hogarth knew that world well.

This new edition, expanding on the original and with a wonderfully contemporary design feel, truly fills out the original vision. The essays included are insightful and relevant even today. I am totally pleased with this book.

5 out of 5 stars Dynamic Anatomy.......2007-01-19

This is a very good reference book for learning to draw the human figure in action. I am a commercial artist and designer, but have worked for many years on non-figurative projects. I am focusing on figurative work again, primarily in the game, fantasy and science fiction field. My goal is to draw entirely from imagination without having to use reference material, and this book by Burne Hogarth and his Drawing Dynamic Hands are helping me to reach this goal. The illustrations are very well done with good explanation and many drawings showing the figure in action. The muscles are heroic in proportion, which helps in identifying them. As an artist, you can choose to emphasize them or not... but knowing the structure is very important. I have had many life drawing sessions and have always been taught to "draw what you see", but over the years I have come to the conclusion that "drawing what you know" is equally important, both for time efficiency and quality of the finished illustration or painting. I highly recommend this book for any artist that is serious about drawing the human figure in action.

3 out of 5 stars 5 Stars= Original Version; 1 Star= '03 Revision-Update.......2006-05-27

...The *original* version is in my Top 3 Burne Hogarth books. But in 2003, the new, *revised* version changed my 5-Star rating...
To make this simple: there are 2 versions of this book. The *original* version is ISBN 0823015513, 232 pages, and is predominantly black & white, with a few bronze & white drawings for a little splash of color. The original version is *brilliant*- and is widely considered a classic. The new *revised & expanded* version is ISBN 0823015521, 255 pages, and is a completely random mix of black & white, red-orange, bronze, grey, and sometimes blue-lined drawings. The original has copyright dates of 1958-1990(paperback)-2002. The revised & expanded version is copyrighted 2003- and is available today. Currently, both versions share the same reviews listing, hence my mixed 3-Stars.

Because there are 2 separate versions, I'll be giving 2 separate reviews.

1. '5 STARS'- Original Version: It really is great(!)- EVERY muscle of the figure is shown in brilliant, 3-dimensional perspective. How brilliant is this? To many, it's simply an introduction to Dynamic Figure Drawing, which is often considered Burne Hogarth's *best* book. But Dynamic Anatomy is much more than that. It's his very 1st book-1958, and it's the basis of everything he's ever taught in the Dynamic Drawing series. All 5 of his other books spring from this. Essential bits & pieces of those books are actually included & originated from here!

As much as I love Dynamic Figure Drawing, Dynamic Anatomy *does* do a few things better. The figures in Dynamic Anatomy tend to be a little more sharply delineated, clear, high-contrast, and detailed. Proportions are also very clearly detailed- in Dynamic Figure Drawing the emphasis isn't as sharp in this area. Dynamic Anatomy features fantastic close-up views of the figure's main parts- Dynamic Figure Drawing concentrates mainly on the interconnection of parts, as well as with brilliant, full-figure construction from memory. Both books get my *highest* recommendation!

And Dynamic Anatomy really is a classic. Even Marvel's legendary John Buscema recommends it- check out his bibliography in How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. It's important to note that he never saw the 2003 update of this book, so his recommendation is referring to the brilliant *original* version only. He also recommends a few George Bridgman books to go along with this- definitely a great idea!

2. '1 STAR'- 2003- Revised & Expanded Version: An interesting but absolute *mess*! What in the world were they thinking?!?
Goodness gracious alive, I can't stand this book now. As mentioned above, this book is a complete & total random mess of color. We get black & white, red-orange, bronze, grey, and sometimes blue-lined drawings- an especially hideous example of 'revision & expansion'. Nobody in this WORLD can convince me that Burne Hogarth would've wanted it to be seen like this.

Consider this- Burne Hogarth created this book in 1958- he passed away in 1996. He had about 38 years to make whatever changes he wanted, and guess how many changes he ended up making in all this time? Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Absolutely NONE. Apparently he was happy with it exactly as it was. Yet not even 10 YEARS after he passes away, the Hogarth family decides to change it. Even with the *best* of intentions- this is morally & ethically wrong. Even the BEST intentions here can't make this 'wrong' a 'right'.

Do we 'honor' artists by changing their work? Do we 'honor' Michelangelo & Da Vinci by 'revising & expanding' what they did? No! We preserve it- maybe restore it- but we never... EVER... change what they did. But we have good intentions right? Let's break apart Michelangelo's sculpture of David, and then reassemble it with a few new parts, gluing it all together with a bright orange, neon epoxy! Not a good idea you say? Well it just happened to Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Anatomy! And it's truly made a mess of a brilliant work of art.
The Fantasy Figure Artist's Reference File with CD-ROM: Hundreds of Real-life Photographs Depicting Extreme Anatomy and Dynamic Action Poses
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great for figure reference
  • my review
  • Cliche Central
  • Great for beginner fantasy artists!!
  • Not extreme or dynamic, but still has some good parts
The Fantasy Figure Artist's Reference File with CD-ROM: Hundreds of Real-life Photographs Depicting Extreme Anatomy and Dynamic Action Poses
Peter Evans
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0764179616

Book Description

Both professional and student illustrators of action and fantasy art can take the guesswork out of rendering extreme anatomy and dynamic action poses with help from this valuable reference source. It presents more than 600 detailed color photos of live models, and represents a wide range of physiques, postures, and poses that can be incorporated in fantasy scenarios. The book's accompanying CD-ROM contains all of the book's posed images, allowing illustrators to swipe them directly and paste them into their own computer art projects. The book also instructs on rendering realistic effects to the illustrated textures of flesh, hair, clothing, and metal objects, as well as advice on adding highlights, backlights, and shadows. Here is a valuable reference source that belongs in every illustrator's personal library. All images are copyright free.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great for figure reference .......2007-09-11

I really enjoyed this book. I actually downloaded the images onto my computer and use them as poses to draw from in the slide show format. Coupled with "The Natural Way to draw" this book really helps me out and gives me a "safe" place to learn away from the limelight, which is important to me.

This images are good and very well done and give you some really good costume studies (as well as drapery studies) on top of basic anatomy and muscle drawing.

Overall, a very good piece of work.

3 out of 5 stars my review.......2007-07-04

This book is a welcome addition to any cartoonist or illustrator's photo reference file as it includes physical and ethnical types different from the usual stereotypical idealized caucasians. On the other hand, it isn't as systematic, varied or consistent in its poses and points-of-view as the Illustrator's Reference Manuals or the Posefile series of books.

2 out of 5 stars Cliche Central.......2007-01-23

The 'Fantasy' of the title is, unfortunately, the heavily-stereotyped 'thud and blunder' style fantasy of Conan the Barbarian, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and other such hackneyed, outdated types.

The figures shown are Barbarian warrior, Warrior woman, Evil Sorceress, Fairy, etc. And they are all quite absurd.

The book also includes little tidbits of information about costume and weapons, like this pearl of wisdom: "The nock is the part of the bow that the arrow rests on." Uh, yeah?

Combine this with poses titled "Bring forth tidings", "Arise, my liege" and the like, you soon realise this isn't a particularly well-done piece of work.

As for the CD, the images are huge - making them very difficult to work with.

This book isn't completely useless, but there are surely better things to spend your money on.

4 out of 5 stars Great for beginner fantasy artists!!.......2007-01-09

If you are new to the fantasy art genre or are looking for a great quick reference for figure drawing, this is the book. It gives a diverse selection of different body types, sizes and looks, as well as a good smattering of accesories, close-ups and clothing...

3 out of 5 stars Not extreme or dynamic, but still has some good parts.......2007-01-03

Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. Overall, it was uninspiring to me, especially in creating my own characters. As a reference photo book, it fails because the poses are not extreme and dynamic as promised. It also seems to try to reach beyond its scope with a section on painting and many comments on characters beyond anatomy and costume.

Pros:
- "Anatomical studies" show each character type in only shorts (or shorts and sports bra for women) so you know what the body looks like in some poses.
- Summary of character wardrobe
- Poses of characters in wardrobe may help in drawing clothing -- depicting folds, how certain material hangs, etc.
- As another review mentioned, an overweight man ("cleric" and "norseman" types) and a small person ("warrior dwarf" type) are shown here, and both are helpful.
- Captions in the book often direct you to details (how material is bunching up a certain way, how a shoulder strap hangs off the body in a certain pose) or notes about anatomy ("legs need to be placed apart because they will have to bend to compensate for the weight of the ax")
- Section of close-up facial expressions (male and female)
- Although brief, there are also some photos of hand detail, including props like rings & bracelets, and accessory details -- boots, belts, jewelry
- Spiral binding allows the book to lay flat (although when you're drawing, you'll probably print images from the CD instead)

Cons:
- Uninteresting poses. This is the sale-killer for me. Although the book says the photos depict "extreme anatomy and dynamic action poses" I found the poses to be too plain. There was no "extreme" posing where the body is in extreme angles -- lunging, jumping, twisting. Instead, someone is standing still with their arms raised and feet spread, but there is no action happening. You can tell because there is a lack of tense muscles.

- The back of the book has a section on painting characters that seems out of place. This is a photo reference book, not a painting book. Unless you already know about painting with acrylics, this section is useless.

- Some captions have irrelevant comments. In a caption of a photo showing a happy "warrior prince" face, it notes, "All characters should be able to feel elation and happiness."

Summary: although a few poses are good, don't expect most of them to be "extreme" or "dynamic." Note that this is not an instruction book on learning anatomy, and you should have at least a basic understanding of human anatomy to use this book well.

Books that I would recommend for beginning artists:
- Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy by Christopher Hart
- Drawing the Living Figure by Joseph Sheppard
- Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth (great for flow of action)
- Perspective! For Comic Book Artists by David Chelsea
- Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure by Burne Hogarth
- Action Anatomy: For Gamers, Animators, and Digital Artists by Takashi Iijima
DYNAMIC FIGURE DRAWING
Average customer rating: Not rated
    DYNAMIC FIGURE DRAWING
    BURNE HogaRTH
    Manufacturer: WATSON-GUPTILL PUB.
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000NPY2AG
    Dynamic Figure Drawing
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Dynamic Figure Drawing
      Burne Hogarth
      Manufacturer: Watson Guptill Publications
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: 0273004921
      Dynamic Figure Drawing
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Dynamic Figure Drawing

        Manufacturer: Watson Guptill Publisher
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        ASIN: B000ES7UFQ
        Dynamic Figure Drawing
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Dynamic Figure Drawing

          Manufacturer: Watson-Guptil
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: B000GWZYJ4
          Dynamic Figure Drawing
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Dynamic Figure Drawing
            Burne Hogarth
            Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000V1R7WW

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            1. Dynamic Light and Shade (Practical Art Books)
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            10. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

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