An Atlas of Animal Anatomy for Artists (Dover Anatomy for Artists) [Paperback]

W. Ellenberger (Author), H. BAUM (Author), H. DITTRICH (Author), LEWIS S. BROWN (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Dover Anatomy for Artists | Publication Date: June 1, 1956

Easy-to-follow instructions accompany 288 detailed, accurate illustrations of horses, dogs, cats, lions, cattle, deer, and other creatures. Each animal is depicted in a full external view as well as in beneath-the-skin drawings of musculature and skeletal structure. This classic reference has been enlarged with plates from the works of Stubbs, Straus-Durckheim, and Cuvier and Laurrillard. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 151 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; 2 Revised edition (June 1, 1956)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486200825
• ISBN-13: 978-0486200828
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Arts & Photography > Study & Teaching
  • #26 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Figure Drawing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible, invaluable!, September 8, 2002

By 

palcat (Silicon Valley CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Atlas of Animal Anatomy for Artists (Dover Anatomy for Artists) (Paperback)

I wanted a book that specifically focused on horses. Anyone
whose drawn horses, even for years, knows that getting this
animal down pat is no easy feat. Studying anatomy is a must.
This is THE book.

I have so much respect for the person who drew these plates.
It's astounding work. The anatomy is shown from every angle;
starting with skeletal plates, adding muscles and so forth,
these plates "build" the horse from the inside out. After
studying the legs I cut myself some slack! This is a very
beautiful, complex animal. No wonder this is such a challenging
subject!

There are smaller additional sections on a few animals as a
bonus. I found the cat skull study to be immensely helpful.

I don't recommend this book for anyone who wants a how-to
on every animal in the world, this isn't for you. Nor is it for
beginning artists. It is for serious artists who want to do
in depth study of horses because we can't all just walk outside
and see horses everywhere. There's nothing like the real thing,
but this is a good second choice when the real thing isn't
available for study.

This is one of those books that I actually revere and am very
proud to have in my reference library. A serious resource for
serious art study.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and accurate, November 18, 1999

By 

Michelle Staples - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Atlas of Animal Anatomy for Artists (Dover Anatomy for Artists) (Paperback)

This book has been an enormous help with both drawing and sculpting. My only complaint is the narrow range of species. The book is heavy on horses, dogs, lions and cows. I'd like to see more variety - giraffes, perhaps?

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars thumbs down, March 3, 2004

By 

dylan miller "Huh?" (What?) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Atlas of Animal Anatomy for Artists (Dover Anatomy for Artists) (Paperback)

Only five animals spotlighted. No explanation of orientation i.e. dorsal. No explanation of what is depicted, especially maddening with certain cross sections. The art is uniform, clean, and attractive. The attention to each animal is not identical, i.e. ones mouth is highlighted in depth while others are not.