3 books, which to get?

[Sanby]

Ok, I accidently borrowed Anatomy for the artist from by Barron's, or it's in the Barron's series or something. Anyway, I reserved it and then when i got their I realized it wasn't the book I thought it was but I got it anyway because I reserved it so I figured I might as well. Anyway, their is another book that someone was talking about, called anatomy for the artist by Jeno Barcsay. That was the one I was trying to reserve, but it wasn't the one I was picturing in my head which was, get this, called Anatomy for the artist by Sarah Simblet and John Davis :nohope:

So now, I guess my question does anyone recommend any of these books?

Anatomy for the Artist (Barron's)
Anatomy for the artist (Jeno Barcsay)
Anatomy for the artist (Sarah Simblet and John Davis)

The one that I kinda had my eye on was the Simblet and Davis one, because I looked theough ti once and it had incredible full colour page pictures. Is it worth the money, and does it acctually have stuff on anatomy or is it more of just a refernece book?

Sanby

[samtee]

Rule of the thumb, drawing books do not hold value very long. There are some that are propped up as required art school lists, etc. [Friends promote friends books] Others have a strong following like the Loomis books But there are many, many very good artist anatomy books and most of them say the same thing. Knee bone connected to an so on and the prices are very reasonable if you keep looking.
The Barcsay book is great for pressing large items. It is too unwieldy to be of much good as a reference. The printing [artwork] is spaced out more like a coffee table book than instruction. It is however cheap enough to cut the pages out and then they can be handled. There is a reason it is cheap. The market for gloumpous sized books is limited just like furniture.
If you search the net, you can find a good price, including the big auction site. Do heed feedback and shipping charges. Dealing in used art books pays for my collecting drawing books. To answer your question, skip Barcsay, get either of the other two when you get a bargain. All things come to him who waits.

[vfxart]

'...don't hold value...'? If you buy the wrong books.

Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist by Stepehen Rogers Peck.
WHY: Breaking down muscle groups into simple shapes.
Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form by Eliot Goldfinger.
WHY: Best information on origins and insertions.

Toss-up:
Drawing/Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters (if you have a decent handle on basic drawing concepts, each of these titles has something to offer)

Andrew Loomis' Figure Drawing for all it's Worth, if not.

I have the Simblet book and like it well enough, but it's overall usefulness falls below these others, especially for a beginner.

[wcr]

If you only get one anatomy text, I'd recommend the Peck, mentioned by vfxart, above. You can usually find it new in paperback for about $15. Worth having, and not too big to tote around. Besides the traditional illustrations, Peck inserts some pencil drawings that serve as visual analogies and help to see the bone or muscle in a larger context.

Also good and cheap is Bridgman's Constructive Anatomy, pub. Dover. Bridgman's drawing style belongs to an older era, but there's god stuff there.

Joseph Sheppard's Drawing The Living Figure takes an interesting approach. A variety of life-drawing poses, accompanied by companion sketches of the underlying muscles and/or bones. Also from Dover.

Goldfinger's book is beautiful, but not cheap. About $60, last I looked.

[samtee]

I repeat from experience and inventory on hand. Anatomy drawing books do not as a rule hold their value.I have at one time or another had about all of them. Of the above mentioned books, the only one that has appreciated in value is the Loomis books. The Peck book can be bought tonight paperback used starting at $9 and hardback new for $12. Goldfinger book new for $40. Add $3.25 shipping. This has nothing to do with their content value, it is just a glutted market. Perhaps I was misunderstood. With the exception of the Loomis books and a few collector items, almost any contempory drawing book can be found at a price anyone can afford.For the artist that is great. It just takes some patience and searching. Most of my drawing is figure drawing, but my favorite drawing book is Tony Godfrey's "Drawing Today".