The must-have guide for all artists who draw the human figure!
In Morpho: Hands and Feet, artist and teacher Michel Lauricella presents a unique approach to learning to draw the human body. In this book, Lauricella focuses exclusively on the hands and feet—arguably the most popular and, for many, the most challenging parts of the body to draw successfully. Breaking the subject matter down into the underlying skeletal shapes, followed by the musculature, then the skin and fat, and finally, the veins, Lauricella offers multiple approaches—from simple forms to complex renderings—and a plethora of positions and gestures are included to help you improve your drawing skills.
Geared toward artists of all levels, from beginners through professionals, this handy, pocket-sized book will help spark your imagination and creativity. Whether your interest is in figure drawing, fine arts, fashion design, game design, or creating comic book or manga art, you will find this helpful book filled with actionable insights.
(Publisher's Note: This book features an “exposed” binding style. This is intentional as it is designed to help the book lay flat as you draw.)
TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Introduction Hands Feet Resources
This comprehensive handbook for drawing the human figure is by a veteran instructor of the Art Students League of New York. Both a guide and a reference, it is suitable for all: novices, students, and professionals. Numerous illustrations with commentary cover the basic structure of the head and body, light and shade, the proper use of line, conveying action, depicting drapery, and much more.
Life Drawing for Artists teaches a contemporary approach to figure drawing that includes both the familiar poses—standing, sitting, lying down—but also how to capture figures in movement and in more dynamic and engaging positions. Author Chris Legaspi is a dedicated, life-long artist and admired instructor who is known for his dynamic figurative drawings and paintings, and as a successful illustrator in the entertainment industry. Whether you are an aspiring illustrator, art student, or a professional artist looking to develop your abilities, Life Drawing for Artists shows how to build your skills by combining fundamental building blocks, such as gesture lines, shape and design, structure, value control, and edge or line control. You'll focus on different skills while working on both quick timed drawings and longer detailed drawings. The book covers important topics, such as drawing different views, understanding perspective, foreshortening strategies, and how to deal with various lighting conditions. The examples and tutorials explore virtually every pose scenario, as well as many active and dynamic movements. Breathe drama into your figures as you master the fundamentals with this fresh approach to life drawing. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.
Design creative characters inspired by real people. Let Mike Mattesi show you how to use life drawing to discover the poses, features and personalities which form the basis of character and then build, develop and 'PUSH' your drawings to new heights of dramatic and visual impact for believable characters audiences can relate to. Packed with color illustrations and photographs of the models who inspired them. With step-by-step explanation of how the characters were developed and exercises for you to sharpen your skills this is everything you need to bring your characters to life.
*** '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.
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.