Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy [Paperback]

Christopher Hart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | Series: Cutting Edge (Watson-Guptill Paperback)

From head to toe, the human form, in all its complexities, is visually simplified to such a degree in this remarkable workbook that even complete beginners will soon be able to draw accurate, well-proportioned faces and figures every time they try.

Avoiding complex charts of muscles and bones that are more helpful to doctors than to artists, this book’s refreshing approach teaches anatomy from a cartoonist/illustrator’s point of view. For example, there are many large and small muscles in the neck, all rendered in great detail in most anatomy books, but here, master teacher Christopher Hart shows only the four that are visible and need to be drawn. His clear instruction helps readers to visualize and portray shifting body weight in a pose without the need of a model, and instead of showing a mass of facial muscles and bones, he translates them into the simple planes an artist needs to draw a range of expressive faces.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Human anatomy is perhaps the most difficult of forms for the beginning artist to capture. Hart simplifies the process in an accessible manual that concentrates on line and forgoes the complexity of color. The book suffers, however, from the nature of Hart's past work. He is the author of seven books on cartoons and animation, and his subjects seem ready to don superhero costumes and save the universe. Sidaway's guide to the female nude is much more successful. He takes the reader from simple charcoal drawings to sophisticated watercolors in a dozen projects. Working from photos, the beginner can advance through the challenges of the three classic poses: seated, reclining, and standing. This is a fine addition to the genre, which already includes good sources like Giovanni Civardi's trilogy, Drawing Human Anatomy, Drawing the Female Nude, and Drawing the Male Nude (LJ 3/15/96).
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Christopher Hart is one of Watson-Guptill’s bestselling authors, with a proven track record of phenomenal sales totaling over a million copies. He lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill; 1 edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823024970
• ISBN-13: 978-0823024971
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Figure Drawing

More About the Author

Thanks for taking a look at my books, and this "Author Bio." I'm a competent tennis player, who also enjoys playing computer chess while I'm watching TV at night (Hey, it prevents me from channel-surfing). I'm keenly interested in M-theory, although i have become skeptical of it of late, despite Brian's Green's full-body gushing... I love being with my family, and even my extremely evil dog, a Welsh Springer Spaniel named "Rusty." Oh, yes, he truly is that evil.

As for my work, I'm the author of many How-To-Draw books, published by Watson-Guptill,the art imprint of Random House. Thanks to a lot of the wonderful readers (and you know who you are!), I have sold over 3 million copies domestically, which have been translated into 20 languages worldwide.

I'm fortunate to also have had 26 of the Best-Selling art books in the country, according to Bookscan.(Bookscan is the publishing industry's rating system for books, which is owned by same company that does the Neislen TV ratings.)

I also have my own drawing show on the Comcast Network, called, "How To Draw Action Heroes With Chris Hart." It's on Comcast's "Activity TV." I hope you like my books, and find them a valuable adjunct to your own imagination.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the only book you'll need, but one you should get., October 30, 2000

By 

Steven Savage "Steve Savage" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy (Paperback)

This book is an excellent compilation of advice, techniques, and tips combined in a useful format that, simply shows how to draw the human body.

Don't expect any repetitious "boxes and balls" lessons here. This is a book with detailed deconstructions of the nose, examples of eyebrows, advice on visualizing perspective, muscle groups, and more.

This isn't a complete book, in my mind - you'll need some artistic skill and experience to get use out of it. However if you have that, or if you're studying a beginning-drawing book, this is an invaluable purchase.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good basic reference and starting point, August 19, 2001

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy (Paperback)

This book is a very good exposition of human anatomy for the artist. It includes sections on skeletal structure, musculature, flexation, and how various poses are affect the illustrating of a human figure. This is not a book on how to draw a likeness of someone in particular but a good study on the human body and a foundation of it's structure and illustration. If you are looking to draw a likeness then it is still valuable as a basic understanding of anatomy but there are better choices.

The book is a good buy for those who are interested in learning underlying anatomy in order to create accurate and detailed illustrations. It is a good buy and I'm sure will be a regular reference for me.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I had had this book in childhood!, June 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy (Paperback)

Christopher Hart's book can be an incredibly good way to begin one's study of anatomy. He describes everything VERY simply...for example the difference in the curvature of the male & female forehead, and the relative thickness of the knuckle parts of the hand. I do not think that this book is meant to be used as the be-all, end-all of one's study of anatomy. But it is extremely readable and makes many significant points that stick in your mind very quickly.

I REALLY wish I had had it in childhood, when I drew & drew & was wishing for instruction. I think that once one has absorbed this book, one is better primed for taking on other, more extensive anatomy books without becoming overwhelmed.

But ultimately, it comes down to your own personal learning style. Some people would prefer to start right away with a very artful and extremely detailed approach. This book is more shorthand, but actually covers many essentials. And for me, this is the book that makes further study accessible. Remember that one could always go deeper & deeper into the study of anatomy, many artists spent their lives on it.