Amazon.com
Anatomy for the Artist is like having your own life-drawing studio in the privacy of your home. Carefully constructed photographs of the human form allow you to see the structure and function of the skeleton and main muscle groups. Six imaginative drawing lessons, each supported with photography, show how to portray the bones, head, rib cage, pelvis, hands, and feet in perspective, from different angles, both in still poses and in movement.
Book Description
In Anatomy for the Artist, acclaimed artist and teacher Sarah Simblet unveils the extraordinary construction of the human body, and celebrates its continual prominence in Western Art.
The transparent body. Using superb, specially commissioned photographs of male and female models, together with historical and contemporary works of art, and her own illustrations, Sarah shows us how to see inside the human frame, to map its muscle groups, skeletal strength, balance, poise, and grace. Selected drawing superimposed over photographs reveal fascinating relationships between external appearance and internal structure.
Drawing from life. Six drawing classes guide the reader to see the human body afresh, offering techniques and attitudes that imaginatively show how to view and draw the skeleton, head, ribcage, pelvis, hands, and feet.
Dissecting the Masters. By investigating ten Masterworks, the author demonstrates different artist's ideas and knowledge across time, ranging from Holbein's Christ Entombed, to Edward Hopper's Hotel Room. Each Masterclass presents a photographed model set in the same pose, so that anatomical comparisons can be made. Understanding anatomy is often the key to an artist's understanding and interpretation of the body. This imaginative modern reference book will enhance the drawing and painting techniques of artists at every level.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Reference for the Novice or Intermediate Artist.......2007-09-30
"Anatomy for the Artist" is an impressive reference guide for those artists looking for a helpful leap into the world of anatomy. This book is full of high-quality, tasteful nude photographs (most in black and white, some in color) of a variety of models that will provide great insight into how best to acurately portray the human body as a whole, as well as parts of the body in particular.
"Anatomy for the Artist" is, helpfully, divided into segments - upper torseo, lower torso, upper arms, lower arms, thighs, legs, etc. - and focuses on each part in particular in an unhurried, elegant manner. Many sections of photographs are accompanied by translucent overlays that illustrate the muscular/skeletal structure beneath the skin of the models (there are pencil sketches, largely). Additionally, classic paintings of note are presented next to models taking the pose of the subjects in the painting and deconstructing how the artist extrapolated their models' positions into their finished pieces; this I found especially enlightening. It appears that no expense was spared in the production of this book. I found its section of the upper torso, the forearm, and the legs most helpful to me, and I don't doubt that many artists will find much of this book illuminating and revealing.
However, this book is certainly not perfect. There are some poses and angles that I would have liked to have seen (for instance, more examples of the back of the upper torso; more three-quarters views, as the book seems to focus on side and full views mostly). Also, while the compartmentaliztion of different body parts into different chapters is helpful in most ways, the segregation of the upper and lower portions of the arms and legs will force you to flip back and forth in the book whem trying to make an accurate rendering, which may get tiresome. Overall, however, this is a superb book to learn and sketch from. Recommended.
Amazing art book.......2007-09-14
Finally, an anatomy book for artists that's not too technical in nature. It's more about art, just with the basic structures you need to be aware of to create more lifelike work.
There are tons of photos to work from, since most of us don't have live models around.
The best feature of the book is the overlay pages. There are pages in the book of clear plastic with the underlying structures of the body printed on them. You turn these pages over photos of the body and see how the underlying structures affect the shading, lines, and movement of the figure. It's fantastic.
Good reference book.......2007-05-14
Great photographic reference for any artist, especially for those working in digital medium. It will not substitute for a traditional anatomy book with drawings, but great as a supplement for realistic depiction of human body.
Best book ever!.......2007-04-11
This book is amazing, I love it, so worth the money. if you are into art, then this is a book to have in your collection!
If you draw figures you must have this book!.......2007-03-26
This book is an absolute must for anyone who does figure drawing. The photographs are wonderful and offer a range of figures in various types of poses and lighting. I have a friend in drawing class who purchsed this book so I was able to look at it first hand before I bought it. I came home and ordered it that very day. It is that good.
Customer Reviews:
Analysis is great.......2007-10-03
I like that he has a full page to show the drawing and on the facing page he has a smaller version with commentary. He places capital letters on the drawing so you can see exactly which line or shape he is discussing.
Definative.......2007-07-13
Robert Beverly Hale was one of the masters in teaching figure drawing. A must for serious students of figure painting.
Not written by an artist..........2007-05-08
Although this is one of the best compilation books of old master drawings
available on the common market, I would not put too much stock in what
the author says. The author is correct in saying that many of these
great artists had to learn and understand anatomy in order to "make it up"
(e.g., a figure of a rearing horse drawn by Titian, impossible to be
taken from life), but he goes overboard in trying to get the student to
learn about anatomy. For example, he says "Please buy some bones". That's right--the way to paint like Rubens is to...buy some bones. I don't think so. Even if you learned how to draw the figure well, after perhaps 10 years, you'd still have to tackle drapery and then learn how to compose your figures in a painting and, well, be an artist. I have learned after much figure drawing study that after a while, "studies are
useless" (Rubens said that also). It is better for the true artist to simply plan painting after painting, and ignore all this wasteful "study effort" as if art is a science. This is not to say any knowledge of anatomy is bad. But you need to know only as much as it takes to know that
a head looks too big, or a shoulder "doesn't look right", esp. if you are already working from life. I have studied anatomy and tried to draw from my memory, and although my drawings have all the attendant parts, you cannot "guess" at how the aspect of a vastus medialis changes when it is in 10 different positions. It's much easier and quicker simply to draw a model from life--it will look more correct, even WITHOUT a knowledge of anatomy. And if you are a figurative artist, you may even want to "clothe" your figures at some point (Watteau made a name for himself for knowing how to do just that) so knowledge of anatomy, although not to be entirely discounted, should run second to drawing from life, having artistic vision, and working on a plan to make a nice painting instead of engaging in hours of fruitless "studies." After you die, do you want to have a bunch of academic drawings with correct anatomy laying around?
Only the art matters. This book, although much better than those awful books which use hack artists as models of excellence, still falls short
of what you really need to do to become a strong figurative painter. And that is, "draw from life". Pose your friends and family and draw them.
That's what the masters did.
This is one of the best books ever!.......2007-01-25
This is a must have book. No matter what your subject matter you can benefit from reading and doing the exercises in this book. I read it with a highlighter and a pen. I don't usually write in my drawing books, but this one was too good to simply read I had to study it. I will be using this in my current class to help me draw people better. Lots of excellent examples. It doesn't matter what you are trying to learn to draw this book helps you think in terms of mass and shape, not legs, arms, faces, etc.
Must have book for all fine art students!.......2007-01-05
Robert Beverly Hale is the undisputed master of not only artistic anatomy, methods of drawing and the masters' techniques; but he is also a master at conveying ideas in clear concise language. He was the best lecturer on artistic anatomy. I attended his 10 session lectures twice before he died. The book reflects much of what he taught in his lectures, so it's the next best thing to having him in the room.
Average customer rating:
- Great guide with one flaw
- A little heavy on the text, but a very thorough anatomy book.
- Last anatomy book you'll ever buy
- SUPERB ANATOMY BOOK
- talk talk
|
Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
Eliot Goldfinger
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Figure Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sculpture
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Anatomy
| Basic Science
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Anatomy
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Studio Art
| Art & Music
| Humanities
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
Anatomy & Physiology
| Biological Sciences
| Sciences
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
All Deals
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Medicine
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Animal Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
-
Artistic Anatomy (Practical Art Books)
-
Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist (Galaxy Books)
-
Anatomy for the Artist
-
Modelling and Sculpting the Human Figure
ASIN: 0195052064 |
Book Description
The power of the image of the nude--the expressivity of the flesh--has inspired artists from the beginning. An understanding of human form is essential for artists to be able to express themselves with the figure. Anatomy makes the figure. Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form is the definitive analytical work on the anatomy of the human figure. No longer will working artists have to search high and low to find the information they need. In this, the most up-to-date and fully illustrated guide available, Eliot Goldfinger--sculptor, illustrator, scientific model-maker, and lecturer on anatomy--presents a single, all-inclusive reference to human form, capturing everything artists need in one convenient volume. Five years in the making, and featuring hundreds of photos and illustrations, this guide offers more views of each bone and muscle than any other book ever published: every structure that creates or influences surface form is individually illustrated in clear, carefully lit photographs and meticulous drawings. Informed by the detailed study of both live models and cadavers, it includes numerous unique presentations of surface structures--such as fat pads, veins, and genitalia--and of some muscles never before photographed. In addition, numerous cross sections, made with reference to CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and cut cadavers, trace the forms of all body regions and individual muscles. Information on each structure is placed on facing pages for ease of reference, and the attractive two-color format uses red ink to direct readers rapidly to important points and areas. Finally, an invaluable chapter on the artistic development of basic forms shows in a series of sculptures the evolution of the figure, head, and hands from basic axes and volumes to more complex organic shapes. This feature helps place the details of anatomy within the overall context of the figure. Certain to become the standard reference in the field, Human Anatomy for Artists will be indispensable to artists and art students, as well as art historians. It will also be a useful aid for physical and dance therapists, athletes and their trainers, bodybuilders, and anyone concerned with the external form of the human body. With the renewed interest in figurative art today, this will be an especially welcome volume.
Customer Reviews:
Great guide with one flaw.......2007-07-11
I had this book recommended to me by a friend years ago when we were all trying to get into the comic book industry. I bought it and loved it. You can learn anything you want to know about how the musculature and skeleton are put together and how they work. Each different part of the anatomy is given almost too much attention. Each angle is given a photo of the body part, and drawings of the arm with muscles or just the skeleton.
The biggest problem is there isn't too much tying the parts together. You may get a very good idea how the arm works, where the muscles put to and from, how the skeleton moves when you move your arm, but you won't get much information on how the arm connects and moves with the rest of the body. Your aren't a collection of individual parts (2 arms, 2 legs, etc) but one unified body and all your parts move together. You need a good concept of that before this book will be used to its utmost.
A little heavy on the text, but a very thorough anatomy book........2007-07-03
This book covers from the skeletal system to muscles, from head to toe, very thoroughly. Pictures are nice and clear. All important muscles feature full explanation on its origin, insert, function etc in text, and frontal and side view as well as in context of the whole muscle group along with a photograph of the real body part flexing with the related muscles. I find this book a little heavy a the text part, but images and photographs make up for it and make this book the most complete, and thorough anatomy book.
Last anatomy book you'll ever buy.......2007-06-26
This book is the best anatomy book I have come upon. I purchased every book I could find on this subject until I found this one. I am a sculptor and painter so this book provides everything I need to understand all the surface structure of the human body. It explains origin and insertion of each muscle and their function. (important to know when deciding in a pose which muscles would be flexed and which would be relaxed) There are cross-section drawings of the muscles so that you can see the size comparison of muscles around them. There are photographs of the muscles flexed using a thin model, the surface can be distinguished. I have taught Artistic Anatomy and this is a the cherished book of many of my students.
SUPERB ANATOMY BOOK.......2007-05-20
This book is exactly what I was looking for in an anatomy reference book. The cross-sectional drawings are great to help visualize the muscle forms in different positions. Not only does it deliver on accuracy of the muscles but it also depicts how the muscles are placed on the human skeleton from different angles, this helps me to understand the "wedging" of the muscles. I've seen this same title in other book stores for the retail price and I must say AMAZON has a great price for this book.
talk talk .......2007-02-19
May as well buy a grays anatomy. Pictures minimal and loads and loads of words and more words.
Average customer rating:
- Review on "Drawing from Life"
- A book to Keep
- Figure drawing books don't get any better than this one.
|
Drawing from Life
Clint Brown , and
Cheryl McLean
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Figure Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Themes
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Aesthetics
| Analytic Philosophy
| Ancient
| Consciousness & Thought
| Criticism
| Eastern
| Epistemology
| Ethics & Morality
| Free Will & Determinism
| General
| Good & Evil
| Greek & Roman
| History & Surveys
| History, 17th & 18th Century
| Islamic
| Logic & Language
| Medieval Thought
| Metaphysics
| Methodology
| Modern
| Modern Renaissance
| Movements
| Ontology
| Philosophy of Religion
| Political
| Reference
| Religious
| Science
| Social Philosophy
| Theism
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Literature & Fiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Figure Drawing: The Structure, Anatomy and Expressive Design of the Human Form, 6th Edition
-
Art of Responsive Drawing, The (6th Edition)
-
Master Class in Figure Drawing
-
A Guide to Drawing
-
Drawing: A Contemporary Approach
ASIN: 0534613535 |
Book Description
The leading textbook for college figure-drawing classes, DRAWING FROM LIFE provides a clear, comprehensive, and thought-provoking guide to drawing the human form for anyone interested in exploring this time-honored artistic tradition. For centuries, drawing the human figure has given artists the tools and vocabulary for creating paintings, sculpture, drawings, or prints-from Renaissance classical to contemporary expression. In addition to working from the model, the figure-drawing student needs instruction in anatomy, history, and conceptual approaches to drawing the human form; such instruction is often missing from life drawing classes due to time constraints. DRAWING FROM LIFE offers these elements, along with a tremendous selection of drawings that represent the broad range of approaches, techniques, and media for drawing from life. The chapters follow the natural development of a student's growth, from fundamental sketching and gesture drawing to creative expression and exploration. An entire chapter on drawing the figure in perspective offers information that is not available in comparable textbooks. Students begin with quick sketches and gesture drawings, giving them a non-threatening introduction on a level they can readily understand and master. The cohesive presentation of anatomy, including a chapter on the human head, helps students understand the human structure and its impact on visible form. The final section brings the concepts, vocabulary, and history presented in the earlier chapters to bear on contemporary use of the figure in art.
Customer Reviews:
Review on "Drawing from Life".......2007-02-26
Excellent book for anyone interested in drawing the human figure. Deals well and extensively with proportion, anatomy and nuances of figure drawing. Required by my art teacher and worth the money as an on-going reference source.
A book to Keep.......2006-12-29
This book gives you the bones to enrich your experience with figure drawing. Professor Brown draws from varied sources and presents helpful images along with text that is intelligent and imformative. It is filled with sketches from masters such as Da Vinci as well as descriptive sketches from Clint addressing the figure as a subject filled with motion. I have continued to refer back to the book and appreciate its portable size. This is a book to take with you and keep even if you are moving around!
Figure drawing books don't get any better than this one........1997-02-03
"Drawing from Life" is a treasure an artist, teacher, and drawing lover finds once in awhile. It is very logically layed out. I enjoyed variety of illustrations, the learning exercises, and glossary. Alas... some negatives: the price, the quality and detail of the reproductions, especially the anatomy ones. The book needs to be bigger in size and make use of detail enlargements to show the beauty of the drawings
Book Description
The ultimate reference for comic artists, this unique book/CD set is packed with photos of men and women in basic and dramatic superhero poses uniquely tailored to the comic artist's needs. Comic Artist's Photo Reference:
-Delivers over 500 color images of beautiful women and muscled men in the poses comic artists need
-Features six step-by-step demonstrations by well-known artists, so readers can learn firsthand from the pros
-Comes with a CD-ROM of over 500 additional photos for added inspiration
With this reference, comic artists of all skill levels can draw from a diverse group of models in a hundreds of poses--any time they want!
Customer Reviews:
Very good for basic references.......2007-09-19
Really good if you are looking for fight scenes and positions to draw. Overall, its a good resource. The lighting is very good, and sometimes leans a little toward the dramatic side. If you use this along with, for example, a reference book on facial expressions, there are a lot of different images that you can create from these reference points. The disc is wonderful, especially since I do most of my work digitally and therefore like to work with my reference images in the computer.
Invaluable resource for any artist.......2007-09-16
The first time I saw this on the shelve in my local bookstore I just skimmed over the pages and thought nothing much of it. I recently decided to put together a game prototype that will feature many characters in dynamic poses in many situations. Problem was I had no real reference other than the internet, and after becoming increasingly frustrated with lack of good quality reference I remembered this book. Frantically trying to recall the name from months back, I was more than happy to purchase a copy, and I'm grateful I did. It's an immense resource that every artist should have as part as their library. Having models in many different situations and poses is a huge help when it comes to consistency amongst many other things.
I highly recommend this book.
Great for preteen and teens artists, not just professionals!.......2007-08-17
I teach junior high students. This book would be perfect for all the kids in my school who love to draw. The poses show models doing things you would see in comics (flying, running, fighting, swords, capes, etc.). The models wear formfitting clothes but they are all clothed enough to be "decent." There is a page of photos showing a woman smoking, but since this is something a comic artist might need to draw, I don't see it as a problem. (Hopefully someday all kids will NEED a photo to know what smoking looks like!) There are several excellent step-by-step art lessons that teach real art concepts and could be used in the classroom. There's also a CD packaged with the book that has many more pictures on it. Students would enjoy browsing the CD or using Photoshop to combine multiple photos into something new that they could then draw from. Five stars and a recommendation to my school's librarian!
Best photo reference for comic artists!.......2007-08-16
This is fantastic photo reference for the comic artist (me)! These are nice sharp color photos. I don't agree that the shorter female model isn't good (she's not 40, she's 34!). She's got great fighting poses and expressions. I can take the shadows and apply them to taller characters as needed.
The male models are clearly bodybuilders. Their fighting pics are great. The women aren't super-muscular, but they are attractive and they have great poses and expressions.
The CD is excellent too. More photos beyond what is in the book, and a lot of cool/funny extra pictures, movies, etc.
Poses include: facial expressions, standing, sitting, lifting, cape, street clothes, swords, guns, fighting, wounded, scared, flying. Also romance, fighting, smoking, drinking, loading gun.
If I had to name things I wish were different... The capes are good, and I really like the shots of the models in regular clothes, but there could be more costumes. Still, for the excellent Amazon price, and so many photos plus poses that are tailor made for comics--I am a very happy customer.
Great character expressions.......2007-08-03
This book has many over a thousand photo's with great comic book perspectives, male and female.
Some of the lighting could have been better and the female models should have been more athletic and shapley.
Customer Reviews:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Book Description
The follow-up title to the hit title Drawing Cutting Edge Comics, which has been translated into seven languages, this drawing tutorial shows artists how to draw the exaggerated musculature of super-sized figures in action poses. The guesswork is taken out of figuring out which muscles show through to the surface and how muscles appear through clothing. This instructional manual even gives both the Latin and the common terms for particular body parts such as scapula/shoulder blade. Hart covers all aspects of extreme anatomy. The book opens by providing detailed diagrams of all of the various muscle groups, including chest, back, shoulder, arm, and leg muscles. Then he covers many of the various extreme comic book types including good guy, bad guy, insane guy, punk, genius, and brute for men; and the heroine, bad gal, trashy gal, seductress, fighter babe, and cyber chick for women. As an added bonus, this book closes with two invaluable sections to all aspiring comic book artists. One provides a roadmap of all the steps an artist must take if he or she is going to get started in the comic book business, and advice on how the comic book business works. The second section features interviews with people from two of the most significant companies in the world of comics, Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing useful at all........2007-10-03
This is really a boring book. It does not tell you anything about how to draw the human body at all. No depth, no advice on how large a figure should be, or perception. There is nothing here at all.
Great Book.......2007-09-29
This is a great reference book. I really like it, BUT for any really REALLY serious people who wish to really improve their drawings, Riven Pheonix "Drawing the Human Figure From Your Mind" lessons are key (google it). It shows you how to draw the whole skeleton - from your mind. Then the muscles - from your mind. The fruits are astounding. I completed all 227 lessons and must admit that reference books are much more helpful when you actually LEARN how EXACTLY mucles and bones look the way they look on people.
Great buy, Well worth the Money.......2007-09-18
I'm a beginner to drawing in general but the descriptions and pictures presented make reproducing presented information/techniques easy
Amazing book - totally recommended for any and all artists.......2007-08-24
For starters, this is written by Christopher Hart, so it's probably one of your best options if you are interested in the subject of the book...
This is great for learning how muscle groups work, since it focuses on different parts of the body for both men and women, and how the skeleton structure is set up, not only in general, but in different positions, explaining how muscles move with the different poses, and which ones 'pop' depending on the pose. It's a great book for any beginning artist to start getting a sense of how the body is put together, and great for more advanced artists to make their pictures more and more realistic. Also gives great ideas for characters.
A great buy even if you are not overly enthusiastic about the graphic novel; if you love drawing, you'll love this book!
Drawing Cutting Edge Anatomy: The Ultimate Reference for Comic Book Artists.......2007-07-24
Great book for muscles... I had problem drawing muscles and this book helped great book
Customer Reviews:
Useful tool.......2007-07-27
Although the book is printed on a faily couarse grained paper and the photographs could have had better contrast, I have found the book useful. The poses are sufficiently varied to provide a good cross-section of body movement.
Good Ordinary.......2007-04-02
I bought this book when I saw it in the art store. I like it. The poses are natural and the models, while all WASPs, are of different shapes. I liked that the women were differently shaped-- some more curvacious like J-Lo, others like a Flapper with few curves. Their breasts are differently shaped which definitely helps in learning the figure. There are only a few male models and they could have been better had there been more-- I hate to judge a body as unattractive based on the amount of hair or what-have-they, and as an artist I appreciate the differences and these could be better appreciated had there been more. There was only one pregnant woman in the pregnant section and she is perhaps seven months pregnant-- she is not at the point where she is uncomfortable-pregnant or in the earlier stages-- this book could be greatly improved if Mr. Smith had done more women in different stages of pregnancy and a greater variation of models in general. I do know that when it comes to creating a book that publishers are at the mercy of meeting certain costs with a number of pages, so they try to be useful but original and try to meet several goals. This is all right-- it won't be my favourite book on the nude body, but it's not one that I will give away, either.
Will use this often.......2007-01-13
I found many usable poses in this book. Some diversity in body types, which is nice. I could do without the hairy armpits, but thankfully we all have the creative liscense to erase that.
I left out one star because the male nudes are terrible. I think there are only 3 different male models, and I don't even want to look at them, not to mention draw them. No muscle definition, one is pot bellied, and another with a bald head and flabby body completely covered with hair...easy to render as that is (a contour, then tons of hair)I'll pass. Two thumbs down on the choice of male models.
Designed to develop familiarity with the figure .......2006-08-08
First off, let me start off by saying that this is not a how-to guide for drawing the figure. It does not attempt to teach you, and it's not designed to do so. Also, don't expect this book to have great photos that will translate into beautiful, finished pieces of art--I don't think one should expect it to be. Instead, it is choke full of full figure poses with which a student can learn the human anatomy by repeated practice of drawing different poses.
The book is what it says it is--it is merely a visual reference. This book is designed to help those who are already familiar with drawing the figure, but needs to practice the full figure at home without the help of live models at their disposal. It is not a replacement for live models, so some may deem this inadequate--but note that this is probably the best book out there of this kind. Some of the reviewers complained about the homogeneity of the models and their poses--well, not everyone is looking to expand their figure drawing prowess by drawing ethnic, overweight, or innovative poses.
Speaking from personal experience, I feel that this book is helping me to develop familiarity with the figure, ultimately resulting in speed and better gestural expression. If this isn't what you're looking for, I don't recommend this book for you. As for Sarah Simblet's book, which this book is sometimes compared to, get it if you need to be taught how to draw the figure. Otherwise, I feel that book is useless, as most of the photos are of individual body parts, rather than the full human figure. It may be used to try to gain familiarity with individual body parts, but there aren't enough photos of each part to help become familiar with any of them. It does look pretty fancy though. Very glossy. Unlike this simple and functional book for those who believe in the value of repetition.
Love it.......2005-02-23
I browsed through this book at a Barnes & Nobles a few weeks ago, and almost immediately fell in love with it. But I did have to wait to go online as it was nearly 30.00 at B&N and I knew I could get it cheaper at amazon.com, which I did for a mere 22.00 with shipping.
Before "The Nude Figure" my best reference book was "Drawing the Female Nude" by Giovanni Civardi, which featured his drawings of two models in various poses. It is a great book for the beginner, but after five years of using it I needed something new - and Playboy just wasn't working.
The Nude Figure by Mark Smith featured only photographs of various models and all kinds of different poses. All of the photographs are in black and white which is a definite plus in my mind, helping you to see the defining lines and edges. The poses are divided into chapters as follows:
Standing Poses - This chapter is full of your basic standing poses. Arms up, arms down, from the side, from the back.
Seated Poses - Seated on the ground in different positions including Indian style, which I find very hard to draw.
Reclining Poses - All kinds of laying down positions, all from different perspectives. Some look quite easy to draw and others are quite hard.
The Figure on a stool - These I find quite difficult simply because of the stools - I am not good at any kind of still life, even if it has a woman sitting on it.
Kneeling Poses - The Kneeling poses are quite useful, but some of them just look awkward and I don't see how you could use them in a work of art - but I guess there is always a way.
Bending Poses - Most of these look like stretching before a workout poses. I don't se how they could be useful in a work, but for practice everything is good.
Crouching Poses - A lot of these poses make the model look like she is ready for a race.
The Figure in motion - I am very happy with this section as I do a lot of fairies and it is full of people jumping up in the air - something you could never get a live model to hold.
The Pregnant Figure - There are only a few pages of this, and I'm glad they put in here. It's not too often that you get to see a nude pregnant woman to draw from. I think this will come in handy someday.
Unusual Poses - Just like it sounds, many of these aren't very practical, but very useful in learning how different muscles shift in different positions.
The bulk of the photo's are in Standing, Seated, and reclining poses. Those fill up most of this book.
If you are wanting to learn how to draw men, this book is not for you. In all of the chapters (excluding the pregnant figure), men are only featured on about two pages. But this is a very good thing for me, as I only draw women.
Also the people in this book are all pretty fit. There aren't any fat people in here, not a big scope of different shapes. Again, I am happy with this as I don't want to draw fat people, but other artist might be disappointed by this lack of diversity. Some of the women have hairy armpits though, and some don't - that's diverse enough for me. Plus the women may all be over-all fit, but they are all built differently.
The photo quality is OK, but not fantastic, no glossy pictures in here, in fact some are grainy. But they are all adequate, and I think they did this to keep the cost of the book down, which makes me happy, as I would not have paid 40.00 just to have more glossy pictures. They use a lot of different lighting techniques in this book, but some of them I hate only showing the outlines of the figures when I want to see muscle.
Overall I am quite happy with this book. I know it will give me plenty of ideas for years to come, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting lots of good poses to use in their art. It is the best book of poses I have found thus far. 90% of the poses are very usable, my only problem is trying to choose which one I want to try out next.
Book Description
Now you can draw from your own life model anytime you want without paying expensive models' fees! This handy volume contains over 600 detailed anatomical photographs for artists to study and draw from. Subjects included are male and female, and the models range in age from two years old to ninety years old. All together, seventeen different models were photographed, in the most useful and instructive poses for the artist. They are shown clothed and unclothed, full-figure and in closeup, in classical poses and in action, and in a wide variety of views—the standing male and female models, for instance, were photographed from eight different angles in a 360-degree circle. Sections one and two, covering the male and female nude figure, include photographic representation of running, walking, standing, sitting, and reclining, as well as detail studies of head, hands, and feet. Section three shows close-ups of facial expressions: joy, pain, surprise, etc., as well as sequences of expressions such as the transition from slight annoyance to great anger. In this section too are found details of a variety of heads, hands, eyes and noses, mouths, and ears. Section four is composed of photographs of a two-year-old child.
Customer Reviews:
A Total Waste of Paper.......2006-07-08
From the back cover: "Subjects included are male and female, and the models range in age from two years old to ninety years old. All together seventeen different models were photographed, in the most useful and instructive poses for the artist." This is a grossly misleading statement! What it should have said is: "We photographed one young male and one young female in some very uninspired, amateurish, and rather stiff poses. Because we have a ridiculous, prudish, and skewed Victorian attitude, we clothed the male in a distracting jock strap, making all of his photos somewhat useless as an honest reference for drawing and painting complete figures. We then filled up the rest of the book with a handful of equally uninspired shots of children, and a bunch of closeup photos of things like ears, but we made them such extreme closeups they contain no proportional reference and so are rather out of context with the rest of the figure. It did however, allow us to state, categorically, that we portray 17 different models!" I'm not sure who this book was meant for; prudish, Victorian, amateurs and shy, easily offended, weekend sketchers maybe? For a serious artist involved in the serious study of the human figure this book has nothing to offer. Don't waste your time or money. The only reason I gave this book one star is because I couldn't give it 0 stars... I sent it back the very next day after recieving it.
Great Reference Book.......2006-02-16
This book is a rare find for easy reference for an artist. Has a great collection of various poses for both male and female models, including holding objects. The only problem I found with the book is the layout...every page has you turning around the book.
(Happily) Amazed to see it's still in print..........2005-08-31
Because of comments like the reviewer who assumes that because it includes a few shots of a nude child it must be harmful trash and banned. This book was on the library shelf at my community college, and I never expected to find it still in print now because of its age.
I would not be interested in owning this book if it weren't for the various shots of different faces at different angles, hands, older and younger models, etc. Drawing children is incredibly difficult, the proportions of their bodies and faces are different from adults. It's very frustrating if you are working on a piece that requires children, especially if you have no children of your own to model for you, and going to public places to sketch or take reference photos of children will get you suspicious looks from parents. A nude child is NOT sexually provocative, and none of the other poses by the adults in this book are provocative either. I do wish there were more full-body poses of models besides the young adult male and female model, but you can't have everything in a single volume. The male model's jock strap is silly, especially considering there is no such censoring garment for the female model - underlining the silly belief in western society that female nudity is acceptable, but male nudity is taboo. It doesn't get too much in the way if you just need a generic pose reference. There are also some shots of the male posed with a stick, holding it similar to a shovel or other such prop (Can't recall if there are similar poses with the female), which is also helpful if you need to draw a character in action. Certainly no equal to having a real live model, but a good alternative in a pinch.
Best Pose Book on the market.......2005-06-09
For anyone that appreciates the beauty of the human form, and enjoys drawing it...this is the best pose book on the market. This is not saying a lot, since there are not that many pose books out there. At least not many with lots of pictures, and at a size that is usable. This should be in any serious artist library for reference. The head shots and hand shots alone are worth the price. I agree with one reviewer that the jock strap is unnecessary and only distracts from the male form. Fortunately they did not do this with the woman. Considering how high modeling fees are, this book is a bargain.
DESERVES "O" STAR.......2005-02-12
I can NOT belive this book. Who in their RIGHT mind would let a child be photographed NUDE? It is the most distastefull thing i have EVER seen. From the man in his jock strap and the nude woman showing it ALL. Can not belive this book is Not banned from the world and that the author is not charged with Child pornography.Nasty,Nasty book this is.
Amazon.com
Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters provides an anatomical counterpart to Robert Beverly Hale's classic reference book, Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters. Terence Coyle, who for several years assisted Hale at the Art Students League of New York, kept detailed notes of Hale's lectures and teaching methods. He combined these notes with 100 drawings to illustrate how the great masters portrayed specific parts of the human physique. As Hale points out, master artists such as Rembrandt, Leonardo, and Raphael "absorbed the technical details of anatomy so well that these details could be set down instinctively.... If an artist has to occupy his mind with the task of clumsily grouping the elemental facts of anatomy as he draws, there can be little room left for really important matters--such as the spirit of the drawing and the artist's expressive intent." Coyle provides several examples within the study of each anatomical area to illustrate the variety of styles and methods employed by the masters. The book treats, in order, the rib cage, the pelvis and thigh, the knee and lower leg, the foot, the shoulder girdle, the arm, the hand, and the neck and head. A complete series of anatomical reference plates by Dr. Paul Richer is included. By applying the timeless anatomical principles the great masters have handed down to us, any artist can begin to acquire the means by which to express the "really important matters." --Mary Ribesky
Book Description
This classic book, whose foremost author was one of the great artistic anatomy teachers of the twentieth century, is an invaluable instructor and reference guide for any professional, amateur, or student artist who depicts the human form. Revealing the drawing principles behind one hundred inspiring masterpieces, the book presents work by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rubens, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, and other greats. These superb portrayers of figures knew that the secret of drawing them was seeing how underlying bone and muscle structures mold the body's surface forms. Readers are shown how to learn from these great examples as the authors guide them through all the steps they would take in a life class or studio working with live models.
Customer Reviews:
Good for Antamoy References.......2007-05-13
I will just say that this is very helpful for reference to specific part of the human anatomy. Especially the skeletal and muscular diagrams at the back of the book.
Good book.......2006-11-23
for us amateaur artists who want inspiration to create great works of art. This book shows the details of the human body and how great artists drew from live and dead bodies as they create the greatest masterpieces in art history.
Practice practice practice.......2006-01-20
I took an art class at the junior college and the instructor suggested copying the masters to improve drawing skills. I bought this book and copied every picture. Not only did it familiarize me with many artists I had not heard of but, over time my drawing skills improved dramatically. I am now buying collections of drawings of other artists and copying. I highly recommend the book not only as a reference but also to be used to improve skills. I have an engineering background, not art and this helped immensely.
Good book, but lacks in the following........2004-01-07
Pick up this book if you are looking for a great artistic anatomy reference book. If you are looking for more than reference, however, you might want to look elsewhere. While this book is definitely good, it doesn't give the artist direction in how to draw or depict the illustrations. The text is pretty much straight-forward, usually only noting the parts of the bodies in the images. Second, this book lacks the poetic and great writing of Robert Beverly Hale.
Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters is more of an extra reference book or a supplement to Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters. In that book, Hale really teaches to the reader whats needed to depict anatomy, what steps the artist must take, gives tips on how to become a great or accomplished artist, why the artists of the past were so good, what mistakes beginners of figure drawing usually make, and sooooo much more. It's pretty much an incredible book to have even if you're not into figure drawing.
I think Anatomy Lessons would probably be more highly regarded in my eyes had Drawing Lessons been nonexistent. Anatomy Lessons is great for further reference, if thats what you're looking for though. I probably wouldn't recommend anyone to buy this book unless you already own or have thoroughly read and studied Drawing Lessons by the Great Masters.
Excellent content.......2002-09-29
An excellent book on artistic anatomy. Reading this one book has taught me more than some figure drawing classes. A systematic deconstruction of how the masters of artistic anatomy have integrated their knowledge into some of the greatest drawings of all time. The book goes through the drawings of famous artists, categorized by the region of the body on which the drawings are focused, and attempts to explain how extensive knowledge of anatomy has been effectively applied. It touches on how these artists could create drawings which are more powerful than merely a photographic rendering of the model through their use of anatomy.
Unfortunately, the book is very cheaply bound. Entire leaves have detached themselves from the spine, though I have treated the book very well. My copy has turned into a stack of paper and scotch tape, wrapped loosely in its former cover. Despite that fact, I still consider it worth the purchase.
I have both this book and "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters." Both are excellent books, but if you must only buy one, get this one. It is the better of the two.
Books:
- Anatomy for the Artist
- Apologia pro Vita Sua (Penguin Classics)
- Basic Elements of Landscape Architectural Design
- Beads of the World: A Collector's Guide With Price Reference
- Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project
- Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project
- Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project
- Business Process Improvement: The Breakthrough Strategy for Total Quality, Productivity, and Competitiveness
- Cartier Collection: Collective Work (Collection)
- Charles Bargue Et Jean-Leon Gerome: Drawing Course
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book
- The 101 Best Graphic Novels
- Intelligent Cities: Innovation, Knowledge Systems and Digital Spaces
- Philip Roth: Novels 1967-1972: When She Was Good / Portnoy's Complaint / Our Gang / The Breast
- Madeleine Vionnet
- Safe Liposuction and Fat Transfer
- Summer Doorways: A Memoir
- Theology and the Arts: Encountering God Through Music, Art, and Rhetoric
- Multiple Sclerosis Fact Book
- 9 PBs by Don Coldsmith, Spanish Bit Saga: World of Silence, Flower in the Mountains, Trail From Taos
Atlas of Foreshortening: The Human Figure in Deep Perspective (Second Edition)
The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition
Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
The Figure in Motion
