Figure Drawing Step by Step (Dover Art Instruction)

Since ancient times the nude figure has been painted, sculpted, and drawn by countless artists. Today, art instructors still maintain that drawing the nude is the best way to perfect drawing skills, This abundantly illustrated guide provides students with all the information they need to portray the human figure skillfully.
Noted artist and art teacher Wendon Blake begins by showing students how to establish proportions; he then provides helpful suggestions for drawing torsos, heads, arms and hands, legs and feet. This is followed by detailed instructions for depicting ten complete figures. Step-by-step demonstrations show you how to draw simple subjects such as standing and seated figures, as well as figures in more complex poses (bending, kneeling, twisting, and crouching).
Students will also learn how to establish major forms, refine lines for increased accuracy, block in broad shadow areas, and finish the work by polishing contours, strengthening shadows, and adding details. Some 170 illustrations covering a variety of pencil, chalk, and charcoal techniques not only present every drawing operation in precise detail but also reveal how to develop form, light, and shade by combining lines, strokes, and blended tones.
Beginners will appreciate this volume's clear instructions, practical advice, and detailed illustrations, while more experienced artists will find it an excellent review of the basics and a source of valuable insights.
Unabridged Dover (1998) republication of the work published by Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1981, under the title Figure Drawing.