Overview
The ability to draw the human figure is an essential skill for the trained artist. And for the independent amateur, painter John Raynes’s new book is the equivalent of an art school course. With meticulous renderings of the skeleton and the muscles, he explores how the underlying structures support and give shape to the body. Many of the drawings are shown step-by-step, starting with a photograph of the model and accompanied by a discussion of such issues as balance and motion, light and shadow, composition and volume. Through drawings of different body shapes, from underweight to overweight, both nude and clothed, the student learns how to capture the character as well as the appearance of the subject.
Synopsis
The ability to draw the human figure is an essential skill for the trained artist. And for the independent amateur, painter John Raynes’s new book is the equivalent of an art school course. With meticulous renderings of the skeleton and the muscles, he explores how the underlying structures support and give shape to the body. Many of the drawings are shown step-by-step, starting with a photograph of the model and accompanied by a discussion of such issues as balance and motion, light and shadow, composition and volume. Through drawings of different body shapes, from underweight to overweight, both nude and clothed, the student learns how to capture the character as well as the appearance of the subject.
Daniel Lombardo - Library Journal
These two volumes attempt to cover much of the same material: the principles of proportion, structure, posture, rhythm, and volume of the body. Both authors are accomplished artists, teachers, and writers. But while Civardi gives us a basic manual on drawing nudes in black and white, Raynes uses color and offers an in-depth analysis of skeletal and muscle structure, meticulous examples of light and shadow, and extensive photographs of both nude and clothed models. Raynes is a three-time winner of the Artist's Choice Practical Art Instruction Book of the Year Award (UK); his work is highly recommended for all collections.
Editorials
Library Journal
These two volumes attempt to cover much of the same material: the principles of proportion, structure, posture, rhythm, and volume of the body. Both authors are accomplished artists, teachers, and writers. But while Civardi gives us a basic manual on drawing nudes in black and white, Raynes uses color and offers an in-depth analysis of skeletal and muscle structure, meticulous examples of light and shadow, and extensive photographs of both nude and clothed models. Raynes is a three-time winner of the Artist's Choice Practical Art Instruction Book of the Year Award (UK); his work is highly recommended for all collections.
—Daniel Lombardo