Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form

Book Description

The power of the image of the nude--the expressivity of the flesh--has inspired artists from the beginning. An understanding of human form is essential for artists to be able to express themselves with the figure. Anatomy makes the figure. Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form is the definitive analytical work on the anatomy of the human figure. No longer will working artists have to search high and low to find the information they need. In this, the most up-to-date and fully illustrated guide available, Eliot Goldfinger--sculptor, illustrator, scientific model-maker, and lecturer on anatomy--presents a single, all-inclusive reference to human form, capturing everything artists need in one convenient volume. Five years in the making, and featuring hundreds of photos and illustrations, this guide offers more views of each bone and muscle than any other book ever published: every structure that creates or influences surface form is individually illustrated in clear, carefully lit photographs and meticulous drawings. Informed by the detailed study of both live models and cadavers, it includes numerous unique presentations of surface structures--such as fat pads, veins, and genitalia--and of some muscles never before photographed. In addition, numerous cross sections, made with reference to CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and cut cadavers, trace the forms of all body regions and individual muscles. Information on each structure is placed on facing pages for ease of reference, and the attractive two-color format uses red ink to direct readers rapidly to important points and areas. Finally, an invaluable chapter on the artistic development of basic forms shows in a series of sculptures the evolution of the figure, head, and hands from basic axes and volumes to more complex organic shapes. This feature helps place the details of anatomy within the overall context of the figure. Certain to become the standard reference in the field, Human Anatomy for Artists will be indispensable to artists and art students, as well as art historians. It will also be a useful aid for physical and dance therapists, athletes and their trainers, bodybuilders, and anyone concerned with the external form of the human body. With the renewed interest in figurative art today, this will be an especially welcome volume.

Customer Reviews:

Great guide with one flaw.......2007-07-11

I had this book recommended to me by a friend years ago when we were all trying to get into the comic book industry. I bought it and loved it. You can learn anything you want to know about how the musculature and skeleton are put together and how they work. Each different part of the anatomy is given almost too much attention. Each angle is given a photo of the body part, and drawings of the arm with muscles or just the skeleton.

The biggest problem is there isn't too much tying the parts together. You may get a very good idea how the arm works, where the muscles put to and from, how the skeleton moves when you move your arm, but you won't get much information on how the arm connects and moves with the rest of the body. Your aren't a collection of individual parts (2 arms, 2 legs, etc) but one unified body and all your parts move together. You need a good concept of that before this book will be used to its utmost.

A little heavy on the text, but a very thorough anatomy book........2007-07-03

This book covers from the skeletal system to muscles, from head to toe, very thoroughly. Pictures are nice and clear. All important muscles feature full explanation on its origin, insert, function etc in text, and frontal and side view as well as in context of the whole muscle group along with a photograph of the real body part flexing with the related muscles. I find this book a little heavy a the text part, but images and photographs make up for it and make this book the most complete, and thorough anatomy book.

Last anatomy book you'll ever buy.......2007-06-26

This book is the best anatomy book I have come upon. I purchased every book I could find on this subject until I found this one. I am a sculptor and painter so this book provides everything I need to understand all the surface structure of the human body. It explains origin and insertion of each muscle and their function. (important to know when deciding in a pose which muscles would be flexed and which would be relaxed) There are cross-section drawings of the muscles so that you can see the size comparison of muscles around them. There are photographs of the muscles flexed using a thin model, the surface can be distinguished. I have taught Artistic Anatomy and this is a the cherished book of many of my students.

SUPERB ANATOMY BOOK.......2007-05-20

This book is exactly what I was looking for in an anatomy reference book. The cross-sectional drawings are great to help visualize the muscle forms in different positions. Not only does it deliver on accuracy of the muscles but it also depicts how the muscles are placed on the human skeleton from different angles, this helps me to understand the "wedging" of the muscles. I've seen this same title in other book stores for the retail price and I must say AMAZON has a great price for this book.

talk talk .......2007-02-19

May as well buy a grays anatomy. Pictures minimal and loads and loads of words and more words.

Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form

Average customer rating:

Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
Eliot Goldfinger
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK8PZS

Average customer rating:

Pretty cool for kids and adults

a preatty good book for beginers

a reader from Brazil, september 25, 1999

How to Draw DC Comics Super Heroes

Manufacturer: Walter Foster Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560103299

Book Description

Join professional comic book artists Ty Templeton, John Delaney, and Ron Boyd as they reveal the secrets of how to draw Superman like a pro!

Inside you'll find in-depth guides that take you through the process of comic book figure drawing, from rough sketch to finished illustration, as well as basic drawing technique such as foreshortening, perspective, drawing through, and more!

In addition to Superman, you'll also learn how to draw Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, the Parasite, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and many other friends and foes of the Man of Steel. And, with helpful tips for rendering the Daily Planet building and other Metropolis locations, you'll be creating impressive Superman action scenes in no time!

So grab your art supplies and get drawing!

Customer Reviews:

Pretty cool for kids and adults.......2002-03-11

This is a very cute book. It appears to be for kids but can be enjoyed by adults as well. It is a guide to drawing the animated style heroes. It goes over the basics of how to do proportions, as well as how to view body parts as everyday shapes (explains it better than some of the other books I've seen). It uses the heroes to tell you how to do things, which is a cute device. It even explains how to draw the center of balance, action, perspective, foreshortening, and the like. I really enjoyed this book. Very easy to understand. The only thing it lacked was that while it went over how to draw the male form in detail, it did not take the same care in the female form. Some of the differences were covered, but not all. Other than that it's great! Highly recommended.

a preatty good book for beginers.......2000-01-07

well the truth about this book is that it ain't all that useful if you already know how to draw. Yet if you have no idea how to pick up a pencil this is the book for you

a reader from Brazil, september 25, 1999.......1999-09-28

this Book is MARVELous, if somebody love to draw this book is perfect!

Draw the Marvel Comics Super Heroes (Drawing Tools)

Average customer rating:

Great instruction
Great for kids!
Good for young artists only. More serious artists left wanting more.
One of the Best Drawing Books Ever Written
Great art book for art class.

Draw the Marvel Comics Super Heroes (Drawing Tools)
Inc. Klutz
Manufacturer: Klutz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Product Features:

Blank pages and tracing paper
Four colored markers
Drawing pencil
Tons of tips and techniques from Marvel pros
94-page, spiral-bound instruction booklet

ASIN: 1570540004

Product Description

Ka-Pow! Learn to draw your favorite super heroes - Spiderman, Wolverine, Venom and more - the way the experts do! Step-by-step drawing instructions and time-tested artistic techniques show you how to create your own action heroes, while the included tracing paper lets you practice right on the page!

Includes:

Blank pages and tracing paper
Four colored markers
Drawing pencil
Tons of tips and techniques from Marvel pros
94-page, spiral-bound instruction booklet

This comprehensive guide covers all the essentials - from drawing muscles and hands to conveying action in your artwork. Transform your doodles into action-packed comics.

Customer Reviews:

Great instruction.......2007-06-12

This book is really great. My son picked it out as something he wanted because Spiderman was on the cover. I would never have thought to buy it. The content is great. It takes you step by step in drawing. It all starts with the stick figure with ball joints. This may seem dumb, but it is essential. I have been poor at drawing a body or figure, but after using the starting point of the stick figure and then adding more to it, I could not believe how well it turned out. I still only at the beginning too. Lots more to learn from it! This is a great way to teach my son how to draw at an early age. The superhero tie in is perfect, but the content is top notch.

Great for kids!.......2007-02-06

I make my living as an artist and am a lover of comic book and cartoon art. This book is a great introduction for children of any age who want to learn to draw superheroes and comics. It keeps the concepts fairly simple. My kids love it. I believe they have done all the exercises in the book and are ready for something a little more in depth...like maybe "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way."

Good for young artists only. More serious artists left wanting more........2005-10-08

This book is good for young artists and young artists only. If you're a kid who just wants to enhance your doodling skills then buy this book! The markers it comes with are water based, cheap, and nothing like what the pros use. If you are over 13 or you are young but want to become a very serious artist do not buy this book! you should buy: How To Draw the Marvel Way by Stan Lee. That book is quite a bit more advanced and involved for drawing your favorite Marvel characters and for creating your own characters.

One of the Best Drawing Books Ever Written.......2003-06-22

When I started out with this book, I was a clumsy, struggling artist, who knew nothing of muscle layout, stick figures, how to draw hands: mostly nothing. I had been illustrating my comic books with simple cartoon figures for some years.
After purchasing this book, in literally two weeks after I started reading, it my drawing skill increased three-fold! My simple cartoon characters found life in incredibly illustrated figures and costumes, bringing to life new characters in my excitement to draw new things.

This book is not just another drawing book; in fact, I have never seen anything like it. It doesn't just teach you to draw in the Marvel style, it kick-starts your unique artstyle. So in just a couple years, one will have almost indefinitely recognized their own way of drawing detailed figures.

Not just an average drawing book, this is a drawing book that shouldn't be passed up. This is the epitome of a wonderful drawing book for beginners. An enthusiastic 5/5!

Great art book for art class........2003-01-05

I brought this book to help me with an art project. With the book's help I got a 98 on the project. It gives steps on how to draw many marvel characters like from, Spider-man, Rogue, Storm, and many more. A great book for beginners of all ages.

How to Draw Batman and the DC Comics Super Heroes

Average customer rating:

The definitive book on drawing DC super heroes.
Great Book!

How to Draw Batman and the DC Comics Super Heroes
Ty Templeton , John Delaney , and Ron Boyd
Manufacturer: Walter Foster Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Batman | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How to Draw Batman (DC Comics How to Draw Books)

ASIN: 1560104791

Book Description

Join professional comic book artists Ty Templeton, John Delaney, and Ron Boyd as they reveals the secrets of how to draw Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the DC Comics Super Heroes like a pro!

Inside you'll find in-depth guides that take you through the process of comic book figure drawing, from rough sketch to finished illustration, as well as basic drawing techniques such as foreshortening, perspective, drawing through, and more!

In addition to Batman, you'll also learn how to draw Robin, Batgirl, the Joker, Catwoman, and many other friends and foes of the Dark Knight. In addition, there are helpful tips for rendering the Batmobile, Batcave, and other Gotham City locations for Batman action scenes.

In addition to Wonder Woman, you'll also learn how to draw Artemis, Jason Blood and the Demon, Circe, Cheetah, and many other friends and foes of the Amazing Amazon. In addition, there are helpful tips for rendering the Gateway city museum and the temples of Paradise Island for Wonder Woman action scenes.

In addition to Superman, you'll also learn how to draw Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, the Parasite, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and many other friends and foes of the Man of Steel. In addition, there are helpful tips for rendering the Daily Planet building and other Metropolis locations for Superman action scenes in no time!

You'll learn how to draw Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, the Atom, and many other heroes and villains in the DC Universe. In addition, there are helpful tips for rendering the Watchtower and the headquarters of the Justice League for impressive Super Hero action scenes.

So grab your art supplies and get drawing!

Customer Reviews:

The definitive book on drawing DC super heroes........2004-08-30

This beautifully illustrated, easy to follow, step-by-step, how-to guide is the most useful and complete book on the basic drawing techniques you need to accurately depict the cartoon characters of the DC universe (in the Bruce Timm/Animated Series style) available on the market today.
The information and instructions contained in this book are wonderfully organized and presented in step-by-step format (from rough sketch to finished drawing), include a list of tools and materials you need to get started and cover topics that include: guidelines on basic figure drawing, head and figure proportions, movements and expressions, comparisons of male and female figure features, and perspective and foreshortening for backgrounds and figures. The book also contains a detailed treatment on how to draw DC heroes and villains, from the well-known (Batman, Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, the Joker, Poison Ivy, Lex Luthor, etc.) to the less-known (Starman, Huntress, Black Canary, the Gentleman Ghost, etc.) As a bonus, the book teaches us how to draw places like Gotham City, Metropolis and Themystira.
This book is a simple, excellent and thorough resource for creating your own DC Comics super hero adventures, at the same time that you begin to understand the basic principles of cartooning and animation. This is a mandatory book for the shelf of kids and adults who want to draw the world of DC Comics like professional artists in a relatively short time.
A note of caution: this book not only includes everything contained in two previous Ty Templeton books: How to Draw Batman and How to Draw Superman, but also a lot more.
--Reviewed by Maritza Volmar

Great Book!.......2001-07-09

Great for learning how do draw the DC characters with detailed steps and tips on how to draw them you can't go wrong if you buy this book.

Average customer rating:

How to Draw 101 Super Heroes

Manufacturer: Top That! Kids
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1845107381

How to Draw Iron Man (Marvel Super Heroes)

Average customer rating:

How to Draw Iron Man (Marvel Super Heroes)

Manufacturer: Walter Foster Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1560102055

How to Draw Ghost Rider (Marvel Super Heroes Series)

Average customer rating:

How to Draw Ghost Rider (Marvel Super Heroes Series)

Manufacturer: Walter Foster Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560102047

Average customer rating:

Super Heroes (How to Draw Series)

Manufacturer: Western Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0307201546

Average customer rating:

Draw Super Heroes! (Draw Super!)
David Okum
Manufacturer: Impact Books (OH)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1581807317

Book Description

The Draw Super! series offers everything comic book fans need to start drawing their very own adventures. With lessons geared towards beginning artists ages 11 and under, each book teaches readers a specific genre or style and features:

-More than 30 easy-to-follow demonstrations, each done entirely through the use of illustrations -- the language the audience speaks

-Simple drawing techniques using simple lines and basic shapes such as circles, triangles and squares

-Some of the most popular subjects, including superheroes, villains and monsters

Average customer rating:
How to Draw Super Heroes

Manufacturer: Kidsbooks, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1561562084

Average customer rating:
How to Draw Super-Heroes
Rich Buckler
Manufacturer: Solson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0961567155

Average customer rating:
Monsters of the Gilded Age: Photographs by Charles Eisenmann
Mike Mitchell
Manufacturer: Gage Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0771595212

Customer Reviews:

great!.......2006-02-21

i love this cartoonist and this compendium is really great. highly recommended.

i am not much of a reviewer, but the cartoons are endearing and lovely, with all sorts of little details to make you laugh again upon rereading. quirky things about growing up in MN in the 70's/ 80's or whenever. i love it.

Average customer rating:

Can't quite make up his mind

Dan Quayle: Airhead Apparent : A Fair, Unbiased Look at Our Nation's Most Dangerous Dimwit
Paul Slansky , and Steve Radlauer
Manufacturer: Bathroom Readers Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1879682303

Customer Reviews:

Can't quite make up his mind.......2002-07-10

The better part of this book is a series of dated quotations from the former VP. This would be the "Fair, Unbiased" part. A great deal more of the book is acerbic commentary, and quotes from Quayle's enemies. While the commentary is rooted in fact, the obvious loathing of the book's central topic takes away from the rest of the book, which is valuable reference in answering anyone who asserts that Dan Quayle was leadership material. The book is appreicably brief, and there is gobs on information here nonetheless.

Customer Reviews:

A great guide to old-fashion swing music!.......2001-08-10

The low-key, down home alternative to George Simon's often-lauded "Big Bands," this has a charming, almost DIY, quality to it. The graphic layout is pretty funky, but there are more and better photographs than in Simon's book. Also the writing is less jaded and more breathless, conveying the author's continued enthusiasm for his favorite artists of year gone by. Most significantly, Walker puts all the artists on an equal footing, listing them from A to Z, whereas Simon makes a big distinction between "major" artists, and lesser or non-swing musicians, shunting them to separate sections in the back of the book. Both books are informative, but I have more of a soft spot in my heart for this one -- I'd recommend it first!

Average customer rating:

The Big Band Almanac
Leo Walker
Manufacturer: Hollywood: Vinewood Enterprises Inc, 1982
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OMH764

Average customer rating:

The Big Band Almanac
Leo Walker
Manufacturer: Ward Ritchie
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JVYMF4

Average customer rating:

The Big Band Almanac
Leo Walker
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLRSMS

Average customer rating:

The Big Band Almanac
Leo Walker
Manufacturer: 1979 Vinewood Enterprises, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V5WI90

Average customer rating:

THE BIG BAND ALMANAC DELUXE EDITION
Leo with introduction by Harry James and Les Brown Walker
Manufacturer: Vinewood
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JJHZBO

Average customer rating:

Film and Television Music Yearbook
John Williams
Manufacturer: Variations Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The Rig Veda, the earliest sacred text of the ancient Indo-Europeans, includes dozens of hymns in praise of this psychedelic plant which, when drunk, takes its subjects to the realm of the gods. But, in the later Hindu tradition, soma is declared to have been lost, and its use abandoned. The botanical identity of soma remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the ancient world. Blue Tide tells the story of the search for soma, and uses a diverse range of approaches—travel and ethnography, science and narrative history, detective story and first-person drug experiences—to examine the question of its nature and identity. The search takes the author from drug rituals in Brazilian churches to the high Indus Valley in the Himalayas. In doing so, it sheds light not just on the identity of soma but on the broader mystery of the original relationship between psychedelic drugs and religion. Both claim to offer the key to experiencing the divine, and their histories are characterized by struggle and conflict.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Gonzo search for the original mind-blowing drug........1999-09-30

This unorthodox book combines anthropological detective story, cultural history, pharmaceutical research as the author recounts his quest to find Soma, the original drug used in ancient religious rituals for attaining altered states of ecstasy... a drug that may be extinct. We are taken on a wild and enlightening journey through the annals of myth, religion and altered states of reality. This was not about just searching for the ultimate high, but a genuine philosophical quest to understand the ineffable, and the means ancient peoples used to attain it. Highly recommended.

Book Description

In the Sudan, native Sudanese slaves served Sudanese masters until the region was conquered by the Turks, who practiced slavery on an institutional scale. When the British took over the Sudan in 1898, they officially emancipated the slaves, yet found it impossible to replace their labor in the country's economy. This pathfinding study explores the process of emancipation and the development of wage labor in the Sudan under British colonial rule. Ahmad Sikainga focuses on the fate of ex-slaves in Khartoum and on the efforts of the colonial government to transform them into wage laborers. He probes into what colonial rule and city life meant for slaves and ex-slaves and what the city and its people meant for colonial officials. This investigation sheds new light on the legacy of slavery and the status of former slaves and their descendants. It also reveals how the legacy of slavery underlies the current ethnic and regional conflicts in the Sudan. It will be vital reading for students of race relations and slavery, colonialism and postcolonialism, urbanization, and labor history in Africa and the Middle East.

Customer Reviews:

"Free" Labor Isn't So Free After All.......2002-11-16

This is an insightful book by perhaps the leading Sudanese historian of the Sudan. Though the subject matter will limit some readers' interest, it is a lucid and well-researched study. Through judicious use of both oral and archival sources, Sikainga demonstrates that whenever slavery is abolished, the freedmen and women have to end up somewhere. That somewhere is usually the working class, whether as tenant farmers, a rural proletariat or part of the urban labor force. Some return home, others stay near their place of enslavement, while still others go to new destinations. This work focuses on the latter group, namely those who migrated to the Sudan's expanding cities and provided the muscle spurring economic growth.

Despite the abolitionist rhetoric of imperialism, most European powers valued socioeconomic stability over prompt emanicipation, which meant that in Africa they seldom abolished the "peculiar institution." Rather, they allowed it to die out along with the slaves themselves, thus depriving many courageous and resourceful people of rights and economic opportunities. Sikainga's study is especially valuable in showing how Sudanese freedpeople struggled, with some success, to make new lives for themselves under rapidly changing circumstances. In all societies, the main force in destroying slavery was the slaves' own resistance to their condition.

A paperback edition would be quite useful in teaching courses on slavery, emancipation and labor history. It is a solid work on African transitions from slavery to wage labor. S. Miers and R. Roberts eds, "The End of Slavery in Africa" gave strong impetus to this subfield 15 years ago; P. Lovejoy and J. Hogendorn, "Slow Death for Slavery" (on Northern Nigeria) probably sets the current standard. F. Cooper, "From Slaves to Squatters" (Kenya & Zanzibar) and M. Klein, "Slavery and Colonial Rule in French West Africa," are just as good. Many fruitful parallels also can be drawn from Latin American and Asian history; see e.g. M. Klein ed, "Breaking the Chains."

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books