Editorial Reviews:
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 #1: Figure drawing books don't get any better than this one.
1997-02-02 
"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 |
