which books to buy (anatomy, perspective) ?

[NightVision]

Hey guys,

I'm looking into buying some more instructional books, but I'll have to buy them online (no looking inside) ... care to tell me which books you really like for studying anatomy & perspective (anything on wrinkles & drapery, composition, lighting, ... is welcome too) and why ?

Here's a list of authors (not sure if that place where I want to order has them all though) that I've seen mentionned on the site so far ... which books from them are good, which ones not so good (I know it's mentionned here before, but I can't find it anymore) ? Certain combinations I should not buy because of similar info ? Books not on the list are good too of course.

Rex Vicat Cole (perspective)
George Bridgman
Burne Hogarth
Robert Beverly Hale
Dr. Paul Richer
Steven Heller
Eliot Goldfinger
Stephen Rogers Peck
Jack Hamm
Muybridge
Rimmer
Marsh
Jeno Barcsay

Right now I have the Loomis books and a few others not on the list.

First 4 authors on the list seem cool to me (but which books ???).
As far as the anatomybooks (like Peck, Goldfinger, ...) go, I'm completely lost, damn expensive too.

If anyone would feel like compiling a list of what to buy first (100-200 dollar maybe), please feel free !

Thanks in advance !!!

[wcr]

If you only get one anatomy book it should be the Peck. It's available in paperback for not too much $. Goldfinger is excellent, but at the high end. Also the Bridgman Constructive Anatomy, pub. Dover (see below).

Drawing books - almost every one has something unique. Dover puts out a bunch of re-issues of older books that are quite reasonably priced. See the vanderPoel and Bridgman titles..SOmetimes you can find all the Bridgman stuff in a single paperback, not by Dover, I think, at places like Borders.

A good beginning book for drawing people is the one by Walt Reed. Can't remember the title exactly, but it's yellow, pub. North Light, I think.

Opinions vary on the Hogarth books, but if you're into hero-type figures there's a lot of such stuff there. Also "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way", or something like that.

The Chris Hart books are all good and cover a variety of styles.

The Hamm books also treat lots of different areas, and are oriented toward an older illustrational style, but still quite good, though not a lot of depth.

The Hale books are quite good, not much help to beginners, but fun to go through.

Since a lot of using a book is copying what's in them, it might make some sense to find one that has something you like and then see if the writing appeals to you.

Buena suerte.

[NightVision]

thanks for the lengthy reply !

Maybe I should have mentionned, the books may be pretty hardcore to me, not the beginner stuff, the more info (preferably clear though), the better.

Still helpful, so thanks again ! :)

[Revenants]

I'm against Jack hamm. I own the book in question and although its a decently done book, it's geared towards true beginners or children. Jack's drawing or teacher methods seriously is not on par with the rest of the books on the list.

As for a list on what to buy. Buy in this order:
The natural way to draw - nicolaides
Brigman's books
Robert Beverly hale's master class in figure drawing and drawing lessons from the great masters
Hogarth's books(really nice once you get past the drawing style)
glen vilppu's drawing manual http://www.vilppustudio.com/
vanderpole and others
and anatomy reference books(which I don't have any either).

I know I'm not exactly most qualified to suggust things, but to me, the above books helped me greatly. I would start with loomis first though, since out of all books, he is the easiest to understand. As for the bridgman complete book vs smaller books. I, after heeding mentler's advice, got the individual ones. The big book, I have read also. I can tell you that the big book is compiled by someone not skilled in this area. text is out of place many times. the order of the book is from head to toe, which is not bridgman's suggusted method. torso->pelvis->leg->head and arms.

in the end, when in doubt, buy it. you can absorb it all and choose which one you like. more options is better than little options. If worried about price, learning from books is the cheapest way. a $100 dollar book might sound expensive but a class or a work shop is many times that.

edit: I would consider my self a beginner/intermediate. I have no problem understand the above books. understanding is easy, but the hard part is the practice.

[Sakievich]

That's a pretty good list. There are two books on there that I have and I haven't really needed any new ones since I've gotten those two.

George Bridgeman's "complete guide to drawing from life"
Bridgeman's "complete" has all of his books combined into one. A great great resource.

Robert Beverly Hale's "Master Class in Figure Drawing"

I'm not a hogarth fan myself.

[NightVision]

Thanks a lot !

You've all been very helpful ...

[armando]

In case you don't have one already, you should get a model of the skeleton. They come in different sizes from a foot to life size.

[the_allejo05]

I got some of those books..im still a begineer /intermidiate ... get as many books as you can..they all have something to teach you..to take different info on them... im reading several at the same time..so i dont get bored..this is what i think of the ones i got:


Loomis collection..the best for clear understanding of principles..have all of them...except fun with a pencil..
Nicolaides ..is more about being sensitive with the subject than book on technicallities..is great to have it..requires lots of drawing time..
hogarth dynamic figure drawing..to expand your knowledge of the figure..twisting ,to be able to draw figures from the head..hard as hell hehe..
rex vicat cole..is the best on perspective knoweldge , i would say is hard core..i want to study it when my perspective knowledge is more advanced..
i recommend you.. perspective handbook by d'amelio very cheap, easy to understand and it explains the principles very very well.. creative perspective for illustrators by watson..for breaking the rules of perspective..www.draw123.com.. they have some awesome videos on perspective and animals..i have another book on perspective..which is geared towards architects..basic perspective drawing: a visual approach..it has more excersices than words..i did liked it..
brigman's books ..have the complete guide...his sketches are hard to read..and he has lots of information on anatomy ..mentler has read it several times..i have not even finished hehe..but i think is one of the best..
jeno barcsay..it was not expensive..and his drawings are very clear..and the text is nice..i do like it..
Hale's books..have one and just bought the other two..tons of info..also not for a beginner..is good to have as a guide for analysing master drawings..
Hamm books.. i got the animal drawing, landscape and figure drawing..they are cheap and he presents some interesting concepts..I mostly liked his landscape book though.
Paul Richer..I started on the first page..and have not touch it since..is hard core too..the plates are excellent..this is the book anatomy students had in the 19th century i think..Barcsay studied and reference from it..I wanna read but later on..
I have more books on painting and drawing..but i think the ones you mention are great ones..

[jetpack42]

I'm with Sakievich, Bridgmans complete is a good book. Along with Barcsay. I also don't like Hogarth.

[The Iconoclast]

If you want a preview of Villpu, here's (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=557862#post557862) a pretty recent thread with some of his stuff. I am going to purchase his books from his site in a week or two. :tihi:

Bridgeman is god...and Loomis too. I think those two put together are amazing. I like Hogarth's method of putting everything together. I like the way he suggests you begin a drawing (from the first line to the shading to the final touches...it's all there). That said, I prefer Bridgeman's anatomy. So Loomis for EVERYTHING, Bridgeman for the anatomy, and Hogarth for construction. That's my combination =D

Oh, and http://www.saveloomis.org/ and http://www.fineart.sk/ have some pages in JPEG format, but all the Loomis books can be downloaded here (http://acidkick.noobgrinder.com/Loomis%20Books.zip) (PDFs Zipped up)

[Yiako]

Louise Gordon's Anatomy And Figure Drawing.

[NightVision]

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions, please keep 'em coming, there's always more artbudgets to come, heh.

I already bought a nice batch thanks to CA member suggestions, and just placed a second order :D.

I'll try to give an impression so far, hopefully it'll help out other artbook shopping folks !

* Loomis is still my bible !
* Hale: Drawings classes: absolutely adore the book, the master class one is amongst the ordered ones !
* Watson: Creative perspective: also a favorite: very interesting about perspective, how to use it and how to break the rules, some nice tricks too.
* D'Amelio: perspective... : simple, but good at explaining it, so you really understand what perspective is and what it does.
* Bridgman: have started to draw from his books, the guy knows really a ton about anatomy ... his drawings may be sloppy, but the knowledge shines through ! Maybe not for total beginners, you need to know a bit about anatomy, proportions, ... Makes a great combination with Loomis imho.
* anatomy: I need to spend some more time with the books I got, but so far Goldfinger, Richer and Peck seem great, Goldfinger favorite ... Rubins maybe less (if you got the others). I'll give an update in a year or so :dead: .
* perspective: Rex Vivat Cole seems neat (& advanced), but I only have flipped it through so far.
* Hogarth: have looked at it, but I didn't like it that much ... I intend to study it later on though (once my anatomy is better, so his style won't stick (as much :S ) on me).
* The Animator's survival kit: great read !

Next on my wishlist are amongst others, the draw123 DVD's and Scott Robertson perspective DVD's, they seem pretty awesome ... and since I don't have instructors, it'll be nice to actually see & hear someone draw & explain, instead of reading it all.

A skeleton would be cool too, but I don't think those come cheap, so it's a bit further down my list (sigh !). Anyone knows where you can buy them (Europe preferably, or shipping to it), by the way ? Website ? Any quality they should or should not be ?

See you guys, and thanks again for the help !