Drawing Human Anatomy [Paperback]

Giovanni Civardi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1995

“At least since Michelangelo, serious artists of the genre have known the value of a clinical study of anatomy.... Begins with the structural characteristics of bones and muscle mass. Hundreds of drawings illustrate both the underlying structure and the exterior of the face, torso, arms, legs, hands, and feet in a wide range of poses, complete with proper scientific terminology.”—Library Journal.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

To paint, draw, or sculpt the human figure is one of the most demanding of artistic problems. At least since Michelangelo, serious artists of the genre have known the value of a clinical study of anatomy. Civardi combines study at the Faculty of Medicine, Milan, with the teaching of sculpture, drawing, and illustration to bring us an excellent trilogy of manuals. The first, on basic human anatomy, begins with the structural characteristics of bones and muscle mass. Hundreds of drawings illustrate both the underlying structure and the exterior of the face, torso, arms, legs, hands, and feet in a wide range of poses, complete with proper scientific terminology. The volumes on the male and female nude explore the artistic possibilities and particular problems of both sexes. The three books are limited in size and limited to the bodies of young, trim Caucasians. Nevertheless, they are a good start and will be useful in most public collections. Academic libraries may prefer Eliot Goldfinger's monumental (and more expensive) single volume, Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form (Oxford Univ., 1991).
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: Italian

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Cassell Illustrated; 1st edition (December 31, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0289800897
• ISBN-13: 978-0289800898
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #392,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely the finest book on human anatomy!!!, March 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Drawing Human Anatomy (Paperback)

Why is this book simply the finest reference book on human anatomy, you ask? Simple! Because it clearly and succinctly itemizes the various muscle and bones structures of the human body. It is detailed eoungh so that even the most experienced artist will find this reference material useful, yet it only emphasizes the details that are relevant to the artist so that even a novice can use this book. You simply cannot find another book on the market that itemizes the human anatomy in such a succinct and useful manner! Beware: this is a reference guide of the human anatomy - that is, it does not "teach" how to draw the human anatomy. For beginners, I strongly reccommend pairing this reference material with a book that teaches the basic techniques of drawing the human anatomy. Ciao

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the finest books on anatomy for the artist, January 7, 2001

By 

E. Rees (Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drawing Human Anatomy (Paperback)

For many years, browsing the shelves of bookstores looking for something fresh proved to be a fruitless exercise. Then one day I came across this book and it made the long search worthwhile!

The strength of this title is evident from just the cover and inside it proved to be equally impressive. My preference for anatomy drawings is pencil on white paper and this delivers in spades. The reproduction is flawless, with a rare crispness that adds greatly to my enjoyment of the drawings.

Although only 87 pages long the clear, precise plates are a superb reference and the technical mastery of Civardi's drawing is a joy to behold and very inspirational.

I rate this as one of the must-have books in any artist's collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for any skill level, October 1, 2003

By 

Sarah (Belmont, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing Human Anatomy (Paperback)

I was fifteen when I bought this book from a local art store. I have always been interested in drawing people and this book was so helpful I couldn't even believe it. I have had it for about 3 and a half months and I have drawn nearly every thing in it twice. It is the perfect book to learn from and definetely helps you draw things more realistically and proportionally. This has helped me tremendously and I can't imagine what my skills were like before I started using this wonderful book.