Figure Drawing: Design and Invention is an instructional figure drawing book geared towards the novice and experienced artist alike. This book emphasizes a simplified understanding of surface anatomy, in order to clarify the mechanics of the figure, facilitate invention, and ultimately create a skill-set that can be successfully applied to other media. In addition, this book focuses very strongly on practical usage, making sure the artist is able to assimilate the steps presented here into a cohesive working process. (Fourth printing, September 2011)
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132 of 134 people found the following review helpful
Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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The approach covered is primarily concerned with the use of line, development of form, and the simplified design of anatomy. It doesn't go into contour drawing, shading and expression.
The many illustrated examples are aimed at helping students develop a feel for the form and volume of figures they draw. To that aspect, I think it does a very good job.
The use of simple geometric shapes as drawing guides are simple to understand. Not only that, Michael Hampton also builds onto to those simplified mannequins with lots of clearly illustrated muscles. The muscle groups are visualised very distinctly in the examples. They are colour-coded to bring attention those that affect form when the body is in different positions.
I like the part on finding landmarks -- bones that are near the skin. Colour-coded and shown very clearly, with rotating views from front to back.
The book does have head drawing but the focus is on the form rather than the details of the features, although the examples do show the details. It still covers enough for for anyone to draw a decent head.
One thing that's missing is the mention of figure proportions, like how many heads tall a body, length of an arm, etc. That I think will complete the book. There's nothing on bones and you won't learn how muscle works, but this isn't an anatomy reference book. That said, having an anatomy reference book to go along will be extremely helpful.
This is a useful book for artists learning to create and pose their own figures. Highly recommend for beginner and intermediate artists.
(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
The many illustrated examples are aimed at helping students develop a feel for the form and volume of figures they draw. To that aspect, I think it does a very good job.
The use of simple geometric shapes as drawing guides are simple to understand. Not only that, Michael Hampton also builds onto to those simplified mannequins with lots of clearly illustrated muscles. The muscle groups are visualised very distinctly in the examples. They are colour-coded to bring attention those that affect form when the body is in different positions.
I like the part on finding landmarks -- bones that are near the skin. Colour-coded and shown very clearly, with rotating views from front to back.
The book does have head drawing but the focus is on the form rather than the details of the features, although the examples do show the details. It still covers enough for for anyone to draw a decent head.
One thing that's missing is the mention of figure proportions, like how many heads tall a body, length of an arm, etc. That I think will complete the book. There's nothing on bones and you won't learn how muscle works, but this isn't an anatomy reference book. That said, having an anatomy reference book to go along will be extremely helpful.
This is a useful book for artists learning to create and pose their own figures. Highly recommend for beginner and intermediate artists.
(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By R. Newnham
Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Drawing has been a lifelong interest of mine, but until recently, I was barely able to draw much more than a stick figure. Around a year ago, I decided to seriously devote efort to learning to draw. It's a great skill to have, requires little in the way of materials and can be fun. SInce that decision, I've purchased and used about 10 books to drawing, mostly figure drawing. this was the last book on the subject I purchased, and, I am convinced, the last one I need. Hampton lays out what you need to become a better artist. I believe that anyone who is interested in the subject could pick up this book, and within a few hours see a marked difference in their skill at drawing. What I found the most helpful is that on sections where he is going over muscles and shapes, he uses color to call out what he is talking about. If you are interested in any type of drawing that involves the human figure, definitely take a look at this book.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Perfect Paperback
Figure Drawing: Design and Invention is a must have for any artist trying to learn or refine the art of figure drawing. If drawing solid figures with life and conviction is your goal, this is your book. The overall message is drawing from the inside out (as opposed to flat contour line drawing) by combining strong gesture lines with solid three -dimensional forms to achieve a sculptured and lively figure drawing. This book also teaches the lost art of analyzing form and constructive anatomy. Michael Hampton gives a simple procedure on how to approach the drawings from the ground up using ideas such as line of action, rhythm, and tilt to act as an anchor for adding basic forms and shapes on, and finally anatomy. Muscles are more easily learned when they are reduced to basic shapes that are easy to memorize and locate on the figure. This book reveals shapes for all the major muscles and bones of the human form. Artists interested in any discipline that involves the figure will greatly benefit from the lessons and ideas brought forth in this book.
40 of 48 people found the following review helpful
By Kevin
Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
You flip through this book and you think, "This is great!". Great detail on how to draw the general masses, do gestures, great anatomy on the trunk, wonderful figure and anatomical drawings. "This I've got to have!" you think.
And then you start working through the book. This book starts off very promisingly. Excellent explanations on how to sketch the gesture and how to render the masses. Great anatomy of the trunk and of the shoulder girdle.
But then you reach the sections on the limbs, hands and feet. And the book mysteriously collapses. Yes, there's much detail but not nearly enough to work through the sections and become able to draw the arms, legs, hands and feet. Muscles are named but not labelled on diagrams. The arm muscle diagram on page 137 is a travesty. Labels separated from the diagram. Muscles are diagrammed without being labelled.
The author says on page 86, "This chapter is not meant to act as a reference manual for anatomy..." But sadly no references to other anatomy books are forthcoming.
The section on the foot appears to be an (uncredited) derivative of Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
It's as if the author ran out of time midway through the book and hurriedly finished it with whatever materials were at hand.
The first part of the book is _great_, though, highly recommended. I hope the second edition will include a rewrite and expansion of the second half so that it will actually be useful. In the meantime, you could use Burne Hogarth's to work on the limbs and extremities.
Another book that's great for learning simplified anatomy is Doug Jamieson's Draw from Your Head: A Step-by-Step System for Drawing the Human Figure Without a Model but it lacks the process and depiction of volumes that you find in this book. Read more ›
And then you start working through the book. This book starts off very promisingly. Excellent explanations on how to sketch the gesture and how to render the masses. Great anatomy of the trunk and of the shoulder girdle.
But then you reach the sections on the limbs, hands and feet. And the book mysteriously collapses. Yes, there's much detail but not nearly enough to work through the sections and become able to draw the arms, legs, hands and feet. Muscles are named but not labelled on diagrams. The arm muscle diagram on page 137 is a travesty. Labels separated from the diagram. Muscles are diagrammed without being labelled.
The author says on page 86, "This chapter is not meant to act as a reference manual for anatomy..." But sadly no references to other anatomy books are forthcoming.
The section on the foot appears to be an (uncredited) derivative of Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition
It's as if the author ran out of time midway through the book and hurriedly finished it with whatever materials were at hand.
The first part of the book is _great_, though, highly recommended. I hope the second edition will include a rewrite and expansion of the second half so that it will actually be useful. In the meantime, you could use Burne Hogarth's to work on the limbs and extremities.
Another book that's great for learning simplified anatomy is Doug Jamieson's Draw from Your Head: A Step-by-Step System for Drawing the Human Figure Without a Model but it lacks the process and depiction of volumes that you find in this book. Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, the best book on DRAWING anatomy.
The method that this book uses to draw the figure is simple and clearly stated. there are tons of examples and lots of reference. Read more
Published 25 days ago by David
5.0 out of 5 stars
Learning from the Master
This is the best book out there for figure drawing and anatomy. It breaks down everything step by step. With visual aids and color contrast. Read more
Published 1 month ago by djmaximus
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
Perfect style/book to emulate and learn from.....high quality pictures and diagrams, and goes great with the online class he teaches at CGMA. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Allen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Figure Drawing by Michael Hampton
I haven't had this book for long but so far its very informative and is teaching me a lot about anatomy and figure drawing already. Read more
Published 3 months ago by lschneider
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very useful
I had to get three figure drawing books for a class I took called Figure Drawing I. One I barely even opened, one I used on rare occasions, and then there was this one, which I... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Alyssa J. Downs
5.0 out of 5 stars
Figure Drawing: Design and Invention
amazing tutorials a must have for artist of any king including animators and as a student i have come to learn from this book
Published 4 months ago by Makhosethu
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great figure drawing book!
Very informative and incredibly detailed. I bought this book to learn figure drawing, so I can apply the skills to my other area of study (animation). I'm really loving it. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kodan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book, Poor Packaging
This book is one of my favorite figure drawing books. In fact, it's in my top ten list of figure drawing books to have. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Noj
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW! What a teacher...
I quote only the opening..."But keep in mind that it isn't a belief system, or claim to any absolutes -- it is meant to help someone get started". Read more
Published 5 months ago by Hasan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best figure drawing book out there
This book might be slightly more challenging to someone who is inexperienced with figure drawing, but it still relatively well describes everything step by step and really focuses... Read more
Published 5 months ago by PeterLee
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