The Human Figure: An Anatomy for Artists [Paperback]

David K. Rubins (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (September 15, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140042431
• ISBN-13: 978-0140042436
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Figure Drawing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful reference for artists, January 7, 2001

By 

E. Rees (Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Human Figure: An Anatomy for Artists (Paperback)

I have had this book almost since its first publication, and even today I find myself returning to it on occasion.

Broken down into seven chapters, it begins with "The Human Body", a three+ page written introduction to anatomy and movement. The next chapters are "The Head And Neck", "The Trunk", "The Arm", "The Hand", "The Hip And Leg" and finally "The Foot". Beginning with a few pages of text describing the form and function of the part in question, each chapter then follows the by-now-familiar route of showing the skeletal substructure, fleshed out with the muscles in plan and side views. Each chapter is rounded out with a number of small drawings showing movement and its effect on surface form and the consistency with which the male figure is depicted throughout is quite extraordinary, if a little idealised.

I would recommend "Drawing Human Anatomy" by Giovanni Civardi as the best stand-alone anatomy book for artists, however this is a solid reference and the beautiful style in which Rubins draws I still find inspirational after more than twenty years.

While aesthetically I find this title much more pleasing, Joseph Sheppard's "Anatomy: A Complete Guide for Artists" together with his other books "Drawing The Male Figure" and "Drawing The Female Figure" have proved more versatile on a problem-solving basis.

I am very pleased to see this back in print again and am sure it will find a new generation of fans.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars personally, my book of choice when it comes to anatomy., July 24, 1999

By 

sam liu - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Human Figure: An Anatomy for Artists (Paperback)

this is a great book. i was first introduced to this book when i took a sculpting class in college and throughout art school, this is still my favorite anatomy book. Rubins spells out the muscule mass' in direct almost simplified ways that makes it very understandable and easy to grasp. each area is broken down into front side and back views and even includes a page at the end of each chapter that shows the bodypart of discussion in various poses. fundamentally this is the best book i've run into. i recommend it highly if you want an easy guide to the understanding of human anatomy.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average anatomy book, May 25, 2002

By 

J. Bruner (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Human Figure: An Anatomy for Artists (Paperback)

If you want a male anatomy reference book this one is for you. If you need female anatomical references, it's not very helpful. There are no comparative views of male and female forms. This is a major drawback, considering that men and women have different exterior shapes despite the similarities of their skeletal structures. All of the anatomical illustrations are of male standing poses and each section of the book has a small thumbnail illustrations to illustrate what effects movement have on the underlying musculature.