Complete Guide To Life Drawing

A complete course, packed with instruction and profusely illustrated. This fantastic book is all you need if you want to start drawing the figure, or if you want to develop your life drawing skills. It is the ultimate reference book, a most inspirational guide and above all it offers everything you ever needed to know, including tips on simple ways to get it right, essential advice on anatomy, help with easy drawing methods and many different examples of the drawn figure. It is important to understand how the body works and detailed sections show hands, feet, faces, limbs and much more.

Originally published: Sterling Pub., 1952.

Originally published in German in 1964, Professor Gottfried Bammes Die Gestalt des Menschen is still considered the definitive guide to drawing the human form. Having undergone numerous editions since it was first published and still much in demand today, this, the first ever English translation of the complete work, has been long awaited. Based on the most recent German edition and faithful to the original, it contains over 1200 photographs, diagrams and drawings, including work by the author himself, and spans over 500 pages. Now, both new and experienced English-speaking artists and illustrators can benefit from the vast body of knowledge accumulated and lovingly presented by Professor Bammes in his acclaimed work. This comprehensive guide begins with the history of human anatomy for artists, and its influence on the development of the artistic visualisation of the body. Bammes goes on to explore in depth the human skeleton and musculature; the proportions of the body; the static and dynamic laws of posture and movement; body language; and the interrelationships of the various elements of the body. Through his systematic and practical approach to teaching, the reader will acquire an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and the ways in which it can be used to express the human form in art.

Many of us want to learn “how to draw.” But as artist Anthony Ryder explains, it’s much more important to learn what to draw. In other words, to observe and draw what we actually see, rather than what we think we see. When it comes to drawing the human figure, this means letting go of learned ideas and expectation of what the figure should look like. It means carefully observing the interplay of form and light, shape and line, that combine to create the actual appearance of human form. In The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing, amateur and experienced artists alike are guided toward this new way of seeing and drawing the figure with a three-step drawing method. The book’s progressive course starts with the block-in, an exercise in seeing and establishing the figure’s shape. It then build to the contour, a refined line drawing that represents the figure’s silhouette. The last step is tonal work on the inside of the contour, when light and shadow are shaped to create the illusion of form. Separate chapters explore topics critical to the method: gesture, which expresses a sense of living energy to the figure; light, which largely determines how we see the model; and form, which conveys the figure’s volume and mass. Examples, step-by-steps, and special “tips” offer helpful hints and practical guidance throughout. Lavishly illustrated with the author’s stunning artwork, The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing combines solid instruction with thoughtful meditations on the art of drawing, to both instruct and inspire artists of all levels.

Describes the factors involved in sketching the human form in various positions

Improve your drawing skills and learn how to observe the human form with this simple practical course. By applying a few basic rules, the shape of a body can be both accurately and artistically captured in as little as two minutes, using only a small selection of artist's materials. Feel encouraged as you start your life-drawing journey by accomplishing an effective, straightforward pose, formed across a few straight lines and drawn with a standard pencil. Then, work with ease through each of Eddie's beautifully drawn projects to tackle fundamental methods for sketching, designed to steadily introduce you to invaluable techniques that will bring your work to the next level. Every project includes fully-illustrated step by steps and helpful advice on the drawing method used. Pore over the accompanying gallery of stunning pieces by Eddie at the end of the chapter, showing examples of the demonstrated technique and providing inspiration for your own poses and style, once you've built your confidence. From line, tone and shade through to positioning, drawing hands, feet and faces, this is the ultimate guide to learning to draw the body.

In this innovative guide, master art instructor William Maughan demonstrates how to create a realistic human likeness by using the classic and highly accurate modeling technique of chiaroscuro (Italian for “light and dark”) developed by Leonardo da Vinci during the High Renaissance. Maughan first introduces readers to the basics of this centuries-old technique, showing how to analyze form, light, and shadow; use dark pencil, white pencil, and toned paper to create a full range of values; use the elements of design to enhance a likeness; and capture a sitter’s gestures and proportions. He then demonstrates, step by step, how to draw each facial feature, develop visual awareness, and render the head in color with soft pastels.

*** 'Figure Drawing is structured like an art school course and is every bit as rewarding.' Artists and Illustrators Informative and instructive, this comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to draw the human figure, from life and from a screen. While many books focus on just one aspect of figure drawing, this manual unites the skills of observation, expression and understanding in one coherent approach. Beginning with the key principles of observation, Figure Drawing will help you to build a strong foundation of skills to make well-observed, proportionally accurate drawings. As the book progresses you will explore processes and exercises that move beyond the purely observed to express the gesture, form and substance of your model. Photographic and illustrative examples throughout the book support your learning at every step. Clear step-by-step tutorials provide a practical understanding of the key materials, skills and ideas in figure drawing. A comprehensive anatomical reference section, broken down into manageable zones, deepens your knowledge of the human form. The book is a Swiss-bound paperback, designed to lie flat when open and in use.