Customer Reviews

High-focus Drawing: A Revolutionary Approach to Drawing the Figure

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Funny, I believe the reviewer below has not read the book. Yes, "Revolutionary Approach" is marketing-speak, but the book itself is rooted in the very principles of the masters he mentions. Michelangelo & Degas are used as great examples.

It's not an easy book to digest, but neither are the principles he espouses. Nevertheless, my drawing has become much better because of it, and for the first time I'm actually learning to THINK about drawings & the body.

Highly recommended.

Well, I turn to this book for inspiration to remember what life drawing's all about! It touches on a very important essence about life drawing most other books don't: the natural rhythm of the human form and the ability to "catch" it, and translate it on to the page. The ability to successfuly make true LIFE drawings: making the images come to life. It is the difference between being just a very good draftsman (being able to render forms faithfully with no emotion/life essence) to being an artist. I wouldn't get this book if I only had to get a single ONE on figure drawing, but its something to supplement other (figure) drawing books.

as a companion to McMullans class at SVA, which I have done. It is also a great tool on the proper way to draw figure. The book instructs the reader how to see the life flowing through the pose...as much as yoda as that sounds. Starting with a shoe and then a plant. It also instructs how the artist should sit and view the model. Rember there is no real subsitute for the actual class and no book is going to make you great.

Personally I have had my differences with Mr McMullan and could go as far as sayign no I don't like him BUT the book is a great tool, as "a reader" stated. One last thing if Mr. Gargan feels that "I doubt if any artist would find this of much value" then please explain why the classes at The School Of Visual Arts in NYC are always packed and turn out people who en up working for disney?

I have the unique position of taking the High Focus drawing class for 6 years graduate and undergraduate. At one time I was asked if I'd be open to teaching the class in the MFA masters program at SVA.

Part of the problem with art instruction is that folks become so entrenched and close minded in regards to drawing and the methodologies behind various classes and teaching approaches.

I say as an artist you owe it to yourself to explore various methods. The bottom line for me was to capture the essence or character of the subject and think about that the hell it is you're drawing. Most importantly when you're drawing think about making a great drawing, not a bad one. If every decision you make comes from this simple mindset then you can't fail. You drawings will consistently improve, incrementally at first then in big breaktrhoughs.

I stated out God awful to leave with instructor comments like "That's a drawing with B*lls" I'll take that as a compliment.

MacMullan's text is based upon the inferrence that some "revolution" or other is needed in FIGURE DRAWING. Actually, it's one more sad example of an author relying upon some gimmick wording to push sales. Pushing Sales is one thing, and teaching drawing is another.

This gimmick is just one more promising to RE-INVENT-THE-WHEEL, as though drawing like Raphael, or Leonardo da Vinci, or Rembrandt were not good enough; or more to the point, LEARNING-TO-DRAW like a master were suddenly in need of revolutionary....WHITER-&-BRIGHTER wonder chemical "X37" or some such silliness.

The Book costs...THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS? May I suggest "RIP-OFF" here?