Figures and Faces: A Sketcher's Handbook (Dover Art Instruction) [Paperback]

Hugh Laidman (Author), Art Instruction (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dover Art Instruction | Publication Date: February 4, 2005

Veteran artist, illustrator, and teacher shows how simple and rewarding it can be to draw two of the most challenging of artistic subjects. A brief review of anatomical structure is followed by detailed illustrations and clear instructions for drawing people of different ages and ethnic groups. 160 pages of figures; 25 halftones; 4 charts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; Dover Ed edition (February 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486437612
• ISBN-13: 978-0486437613
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,514,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A book fuzzy about who the target audience is., May 9, 2006

By 

Bruce Bain "Romans 9:33/Remember Jackie Robinson" (Englewood, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Figures and Faces: A Sketcher's Handbook (Dover Art Instruction) (Paperback)

"FIGURES & FACES": "A Sketcher's Handbook --by Hugh Laidman
(a DOVER book)

The book buyer needs to be aware of something called "PUBLISHER's MIND". Publishers, thus afflicted will send a book to press, even if there are already, 10, or 20, or 30...or MORE books just like it already in print, or even books "somewhat" like the new book.

What I do, is look out for the interest of the book buyer in these situations. If the new book is obviously, not better than the top several books in that field already on the market, I feel fair in suggesting the buyer look elsewere. Such is the case with this book.

The problem is that the most common book buyer will be the beginner wanting some help in learning to draw. These books are not always the same. Some will keep a clear focus on BEGINNING BEGINNER lessons. Books like this one, "Figures and Faces" start cutting back on basics at the BEGINNER level, and start offering INTERMEDIATE or even higher level lessons for "PROFESSIONALS". That is what this book tells you on the back cover. It is offering material for "art students" and "professionals". How could a beginner get a fair shake?

So beginners often find themselves overwhelmed when they find the lessons in their new book very difficult to copy. For another thing, this book is about FIGURE DRAWING, as it states in the first line of the back cover: (and read carefully!)

"Artist, illustrator, and teacher Hugh Laidman shows how simple and rewarding it can be to it can be to draw two of the most challenging of artistic subjects--the male and female figures."

Well, well! Then why is it that author Hugh Laidman waits until page 47 FORTY-SEVEN, nearly 50 pages into his book, to even show the human body PROPORTION equal to 8 heads? I assure you, the reason is that author Laidman is showing 47 pages of stuff a beginner does not even need to be reading about. That lack of clear focus in a target audience, is why I object so strongly to new books like these. It's for fear that some beginner will be tricked into buying one.

What is missing in this book is a clear concept in the author's mind, which clarifies for the teacher what the beginning student needs to know.
The problem is that not all who can draw will make a good teacher. Many who can already draw, cannot teach it. Such is the case with "Figures and Faces".

Another reason this book displeases me is that it contains some detailed anatomy, and beginners, in my opinion, have almost no need for "detailed" anatomy. I do not like the authors use of CONTOUR, or GESTURE drawings in the early pages of the book. For that matter, I am vague about what the author means when he titles his book "A SKETCHER's Handbook". Is the author distinguishing lessons for SKETCHERS as differnt in some way from books for those just BEGINNING to draw? Who the heck knows? Laidman does not say.

Some of the illustrations are good. There are some of what Jack Hamm calls "SIMPLIFIED FIGURETTES". But this book tells you outright that it is for everyone, including PROFESSIONALS. Therefore, in a 159 page book, how many of these pages are actually for BEGINNERS, how many for INTERMEDIATE ARTISTS, and
how many for PROFESSIONALS? Once you consider the DETAILED ANATOMY, you might realize that the 159 pages are divided Four ways. That's hardly a bargain for a beginner, and probably not for anyone else, either.

I do not question Laidman's ability to draw, illustrate, and sketch. I do critique the author for a confused focus in lesson plan arrangement. I see many better books on the market.