Anatomy In Action

An illustrated guide to the core design principles of the body’s musculoskeletal system—for kinesiologists, movement therapists, yoga teachers, dancers, and bodyworkers of all kinds What does knowledge of anatomical structure have to do with preventing everyday muscular aches, pains, and injuries? According to Dr. Theodore Dimon, everything! Our bodies are designed to work holistically, supported by an intelligently organized system of muscles, bones, and connective tissue. So when we target problem spots by stretching, relaxing, or strengthening individual muscles, we bypass the dynamic, interconnected network that enables healthy functioning and injury prevention. Understanding how this system works in action is the key. In this groundbreaking guide, Dr. Dimon describes the basic principles that govern our bodies’ musculoskeletal architecture and provides practical exercises to activate specific muscle groups and demonstrate our bodies’ efficient holistic function. Readers will learn about dynamic design and the body in action, including: How the musculoskeletal system works as a whole The relationship between proprioception and muscle length About maximizing spinal, shoulder, hip, arm, and leg stability and health The important role of breath and breathing About posture and musculoskeletal support With more than 300 illustrations, this is an ideal resource for students and practitioners of kinesiology, bodywork, movement, sport kinesiology, dance, and all readers searching for a dynamic guide to the human body.

This essential companion book to the bestselling Classic Human Anatomy provides artists and art students with a deeper understanding of human anatomy and different types of motion, inspiring more realistic and energetic figurative art. Fine-art instruction books do not usually focus on anatomy as it relates to movement, despite its great artistic significance. Written by a long-time expert on drawing and painting human anatomy, Classic Human Anatomy in Motion offers artists everything they need to realistically draw the human figure as it is affected by movement. Written in a friendly style, the book is illustrated with hundreds of life drawing studies (both quick poses and long studies), along with charts and diagrams showing the various anatomical and structural components. This comprehensive manual features 5 distinct sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the human figure: bones and joint movement, muscle groups, surface form and soft tissue characteristics, structure, and movement. Each chapter builds an artistic understanding of how motion transforms the human figure and can create a sense of expressive vibrancy in one's art.

Presents a guide to stylized figure anatomy for artists wishing to emulate one of today's popular streamlined comic book styles, with step-by-step demonstrations and studies of major muscle groups, heads, hands, and feet.

A master of animal portraiture presents an extensive course in creating lifelike drawings of wild and domestic creatures. Subjects include animal musculature, bone structure, psychology, movements, habits, and habitats. 123 illustrations.

After more than thirty years of research and teaching, artist Valerie Winslow has compiled her unique methods of drawing human anatomy into one groundbreaking volume: Classic Human Anatomy. This long-awaited book provides simple, insightful approaches to the complex subject of human anatomy, using drawings, diagrams, and reader-friendly text. Three major sections–the skeletal form, the muscular form and action of the muscles, and movement–break the material down into easy-to-understand pieces. More than 800 distinctive illustrations detail the movement and actions of the bones and muscles, and unique charts reveal the origins and insertions of the muscles. Packed with an extraordinary wealth of information, Classic Human Anatomy is sure to become a new classic of art instruction.

From an Eisner award winning artist, a guide to creating fantasy figures for comics, graphic novels, sci-fi book covers and illustrations, and computer games. Fantasy artists are unlikely to use models to draw from life but, to be successful, their creations must have a grounding in reality. This book teaches the artist the principles of anatomy, from musculature and skeletal structure through to movement. You can then develop your artistic style by breaking and bending the rules of anatomy through practical exercises and demonstrations, accompanied by incredible finished artworks. The step-by-step exercises help the artist to fully understand the subtle movements that combine to create expressions, and the flowing movements that constitute actions. This is an indispensable guide for anyone interested in improving and developing their fantasy art figures.

Experience real human body structures and movements with this indispensable guide to the the digital expression of anatomical mechanisms. Impressive graphic details, along with clear explanations, explore the character animation of each body part and movement as illustrated for art directors, designers, and animators. Packed with 650 full-color computer-graphic visuals, and covering more than 280 useful topics, with commentaries on every body part, bone, and muscular movement, this comprehensive body-animation graphic manual is a must have for every digital artist and designer!