The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective On the Classical Tradition

I strongly recommend this book to all who want to improve their figure drawing. Not really for beginners unless you are very motivated.Emphasis on modern way of dealing with drawing. Ryder is concerned with the whole drawing and teaches the "envelope" as a way of blocking the whole drawing on the page before dealing with the details. He won't talk extensively about anatomy although it is understood to be important for repair points. He is more concerned with relationships of points to each other in the body. The scale will be right if the relationship of 2 points is right. Lots of information about shading and form and beautiful drawings. And a lots more about gesture. Sorry, no shortcut, no gimmick. I love it and look at it often.....I should say that I draw from the model twice a week and this book comes in handy. I use it along with Bridgman books for anatomy and massing.He describes his method as1. the block in2. The contour3. Drawing on the inside (that includes shading)

I'm beyond the halfway point with this book and very pleased with the lessons. It has taught me a fundamental lesson on observational drawing. My drawing ability has skyrocketed due to concepts like the block-in. Anthony Ryder has amazing drawings in the book. These are essential to copy. understand the concepts, but copy, copy, copy. The lessons are useless unless applied.

As beginner this book,s slow and step by step yet THOROUGHLY detailed approach to figure drawing makes developing this skill quite possible and within reach. I liked the way in which it elevated the drawing technique to represent more than just a reflection of a body. It stresses all the subtle tees one can miss if you do not know what to look for. It is encouraging to see it is a patient process that needs time and a lot of focus and careful observation. This book illustrates how to make what is seemingly impossible possible. I suggest the reader work through it slowly and make notes. Lots of handy tips.

I found that Anthony Ryder's approach suited me almost perfectly. His instruction is unashamedly detailed and exacting yet I always felt that I was following the approach of someone who understands people, how to draw them and how to relate to them. Particularly, how to relate to someone seeking to improve their drawing skills. The discussions about the elements that make up the Ryder approach are interesting and proceed at a leisurely pace. For me, it was like being in the studio, discussing, drawing, discussing, drawing and reflecting. Needless to say, I loved this book. The drawings are stunning and worth the price of the book alone and the instruction has benefited not just my drawing but my painting as well. I have been painting a commissioned portrait while reading this book and have applied Ryder's approach to the painting as I went along with really pleasing results regarding likeness, form and interpreation.

The incredible Tony Ryder offers us a glimpse into his holistic and comprehensive system of drawing that disciples of the realist drawing movement will recognize as underlying some of the very best of today's Atelier schools. From envelopes to inner movement curves, this system, applied with persistence and dedication, will inevitably make your drawings better.More importantly, the book is a fabulous work of art. Each sketch reveals Ryders' truly shocking ability. Here is a master of the craft sharing his lifetime of knowledge with us mere mortals. With this book, Ryder doesn't simply give us a recipe for exceptional realism, but rather an ideal to perpetually strive for.

The author teaches how to use gesture, light and contour to create art that's not only lifelike, but also full of life and character.

I am a published illustrator and have been drawing since the age of about 2. But after several years away from my love of drawing I have come back to retrain myself... I hope from the beginning, because I have learned so many self-taught screwy and cramping habits that I need to try and start from the beginning, as much as possible.This book is truly a wonderful work of art in and of itself, solely focused on the craft and study of figure drawing. It is very well written, concise and excellent for either a complete beginner or the advanced artist.

I have found this book to be extremely helpful as I try to improve at figure drawing. It gives detailed instructions and good photos of the step by step process. It is a very time consuming process, but one that brings in very good results. I find his quick sketches (ones done in 20 minutes or less) to be even more beautiful than the highly polished, finished pieces that take 30 hours or more to do. Highly recommend!

come nuovo, soddisfatta dell'acquisto.

Muy practico y con obras de calidad. Imagenes de alta resolución

Fue un regalo para mi papá que dibuja y le fascinó.

As a teacher at The Art Students’ League, like most of their teachers, you are in good hands.Ryder goes through in very helpful detail the key processes of drawing, a real sense of sculpting the figure. His tips and detail advice allow you understand why and how to engage in the build up of the drawing, especially the human figure no doubt, but the overall process can be applied to all subjects.All of his figure drawings in the book and worked examples, are drawn from life and are outstanding- some of the best I’ve ever seen in figure drawing books.As the author states very helpfully, and what another reviewer pointed out, these drawings are not of 30, 60 or 120 minute poses; but total in the region of ‘12 three hour sessions’. I am aware in other notable institutions, they also have very long poses too. This clearly shows that drawing to such masterful levels, despite having wonderful ability, still takes a lot of time to do.Obviously, one will not be able to draw such realistic figures in a 30 minute pose, but one will walk away with a dam good foundation of a figure drawing.As many say, there are no short cuts in drawing, practice is the key and also the time spent will determine to what level one wants to take a particular drawing to.Ryder’s processes are the same processes I have used myself unknowingly, the book cements and expands in greater detail how one can improve ones block-in process, capture gesture, describe contour more ornately and for me, particularly helpful, the play of light, reflected light and tonal progression across the figure and within individual forms.Ryder does convey very clearly in an understandable way some of these more abstract ideas, which are key to realistic drawings.I am very glad I bought this book and will return to it again and again, as there are so many snippets of wisdom, that one cannot simply remember all after one reading.This is certainly one of the best figure drawing books I own. Ryder once taught Juliette Aristides, who in turn wrote “Lessons in classical drawing’. She often quotes from Ryder’s above book in her own classic book. Having read Ryder’s book, I do feel I have greater understanding of the real foundations of good figure drawing and that practice will finally show the benefits of this understanding.Ryder’s book is relatively cheap and a must buy. Like most of Watson-Guptill Published books, many become classics and extremely expensive to buy used.So do invest now, the rewards are priceless.

Excelente livro para quem busca se aperfeiçoar na arte do desenho, escultura, anatomia, luz, sombra, contraste e muito mais, vale a pena.