17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
refreshingly clear of ostentation and obfuscation, January 13, 2004
This review is from: Figure Drawing Workshop (Paperback)
Probably the best of the current crop of figure drawing books on the market. Why? It is accessible and clear. The written text gets to the basics in well written English. Most "how to" books of this kind contain dense pedantic texts. The drawings beautifully illustrate the author's points. Mr. Kraayvanger did not use the occasion of writing this "how to" book to create a vanity showcase for his own art work which seems to be the prevailing ethos in this business. Here's a novelty: a "how to" book that actually teaches and guides "how to." Mr. Kraayvanger is a genuine teacher. The book swiftly and concisely concentrates on the essentials in accessible language and a clear format. You can't ask for more. The author is too modest in his own defense.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very focused, clear, and honest--unique and helpful!, December 24, 2003
This review is from: Figure Drawing Workshop (Paperback)
After drawing the figure twice a week for 5 years and reading dozens of books in this area, I think Kraayvanger's book stands out as the most practical to benefit those who want to IMPROVE the drawing skills (not necessarily the best for those who mainly want to COLLECT books with the most showy drawings instead). The book focuses on the critical skills in the development path and analyzes the most damaging errors. The development is focused and phased. I feel that the book is like a rigorous instructor standing behind me and urging me to work in one essential aspect at a time, ignore all the distractions, and make a breakthrough before moving further.
For example, I have always felt my drawings detailed but generally weak; now following the book, I first see the lights and shadows flat and forget about those tempting tiny highlights, the result is much better overall relationships. Also I learned from the book that when modeling the forms I should first only concentrate on the areas between light and dark; with that I went to draw on the same day and left my lights almost untouched, and found the result much stronger and more realistic. Furthermore, I have been struggling with likeness; now the book gives me 2 key steps for this that people tend to miss, which I think are dead on target. The book helps me find over a dozen such key areas to fix, made into a prioritized list. Never has any other book given me such a big help. This book makes me realize that when building the basic skills, instructions AGAINST advanced aspects and skills are also very valuable, if not more so. (Many other books list all that their authors know about, show their most impressive drawings, without focuses and a development program; but from where to where should the students go developing? I was bewildered many times.) Instead, this book really makes a logical development path, crystal-clear.
The purpose of almost all illustrations in this book seems to be helping explain the fundamental skills and errors. I think they do get the messages across. The author seems to want to explain the ideas at any cost, even including in the section of "What's wrong with this picture?" using his own work to show mistakes (page 61; I agree on that the right leg is indeed too long, but nonetheless correct to appear--if you use the shoulders and feet to derive the viewing eye level). Most books don't spend much effort on errors, let alone to share authors' first-hand experience in finding errors. This author is honest. (And "drawing is honest", said Ingres). He also gives quite some brave (apolitical) critiques on arts, artists, art education, open studios, etc., which make this book even more lively and interesting.
The author's drawing style is consistent with his teaching style--less is more, or using his own words, simple is strong. I like it, although I'm not fully attracted by his heavy lines, perhaps because I'm at the stage of only trying to best mimic the nature. However, the author says lines are poetry if drawing is language, which may be true for some of "the freed".
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Plenty of Value, January 8, 2004
This review is from: Figure Drawing Workshop (Paperback)
As a professional artist, teacher and writer, I've learned plenty from Mr Kraayvanger, and I think his book is a worthwhile purchase. I've got other expert, contemporary, lovely, glossy figure drawing books that taught me nothing, while 'Figure Drawing Workshop' has brought out some key points of great value. Certainly many of the drawings have an illustrative feel,but it also offers many useful approaches to the figure and tips to help a beginner get going with a daunting subject. The nature of drawing doesn't always suit the requirements of a structured book with the catchy headings that publishers like, and sure, the style is pretty illustrative. If you think that you and your drawings are perfect, you probably won't like this book. If you are open to ideas from every direction, and willing to read text in the spirit in which it is written - which in this case I think, is sharing one's experience in the hope of offering some assistance - then you will enjoy and learn from 'Figure Drawing Workshop'.
see my full review at http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/bg.htm
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