Figure Drawing Without a Model

Drawing the human figure is possibly the most enticing, yet challenging, discipline for an artist. With the aid of drawings and illustrations in a wide range of styles and techniques, this book represents a course of instruction in drawing the human figure from memory. Stressing the need to return frequently to the discipline of the life class, the author discusses how skill and creativity may also be developed when the artist is freed from the limitations imposed by the live model. He begins with informal sketchbook studies and a brief resume of anatomical structure before going on to explain figure movement and how the body shows its age, expresses emotion and exudes character. There are detailed chapters on character and expression, figure composition for book illustration and advertising, and the special demands of picture narrative. There is also a wry sideways glance at the history of anatomy, drawing upon the teaching of past masters whilst incorporating more recent teaching practices.