Review: The Art of Drawing Poses for Beginners by Ken Goldman, Stephanie Goldman

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

With a wealth of illustrated graphite portrait references and step-by-step pencil lessons, The Art of Drawing Poses for Beginners will help you master drawing realistic human figures in a range of different positions.

This helpful 128-page guide reveals the process of drawing the human figure as it pertains to anatomy, proportions, volume, mass, gesture, movement, and expression. From there, discover how these characteristics come together using light, shape, line, and form to accurately depict the human figure in a variety of everyday poses. Step-by-step drawing instructions and techniques demonstrate how to capture realistic poses as they differ from one person to the next across a range of human characteristics.

In section 1 of this book, learn the tools, materials, and techniques used in drawing before diving into the basics of portraiture and human anatomy. In section 2, practice a variety of basic stationary poses before moving on to the dynamic poses in section 3. Section 4 covers expressive portraits and conveying mood and facial expressions. Finally, with lots of examples, section 5 covers many of the artistic compositions you can use when drawing people.

Packed with helpful illustrated references, hundreds of tips, and loads of expert instruction, The Art of Drawing Poses for Beginners is the perfect resource for artists of all skill levels—and one that will be referred to over and over again.

My Review

It's been a long time since I've drawn people, but it was my favorite subject when I was in my college art classes. This book was a wonderful review and would be perfect for beginners as well. The information is presented well, with plenty of visual examples. There is such a wide variety of poses- both stationary and dynamic, with a range of age, gender, and ethnicity. The focus is on technical methods and techniques used, and unlike other art books I've recently read, it does not address the why, or the purpose, of this type of art-making. I did appreciate the advice on the last page about creativity- to sketch everyday, to practice sketching from the work of Old Masters and other artists, and speed sketching from life. This book has made me excited to start drawing again, and provided ideas, exercises, and tools that I can use as I begin to practice.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.