Review: Classic Human Anatomy in Motion: The Artist’s Guide to the Dynamics of Figure Drawing by Valerie L. Winslow

Review: Classic Human Anatomy in Motion: The Artist’s Guide to the Dynamics of Figure Drawing

Valerie L. Winslow

2015

Watson-Guptill

I only wish I had this volume when I studied anatomy in college.  The basics are presented here so clearly they seem natural.  Knowledge of this sort helps to see what exists before you from the surface through to skeletal structure beneath.  

 

The author examines the human body form by region and structure in order to facilitate the discussion of motion later for her reader.  An arm can move in a particular fashion and all the surface contours develop from that.  Visualizing the hip structure helps place joints and proportions appropriately.  A facial expression requires particular muscle groups contracting and jaw movements that involve other associated structures.  Intuitively, all this is obvious, but making the transition to the art surface can lose much of the intent of the artist, and the information contained in this book can raise awareness of form and function.  Does the more abstract form need this?  I think so just to know how to bend the reality without losing the identifying marks of motion and form.  

This book contains numerous drawings and sketches with the mediums used for each within the narrative. I found them quite helpful.  The author suggests several different exercises in the last chapter for those that wish to work on action poses.  She also includes a list of suggested readings that cover a variety of specialized information.   

    

An accomplished artist may not need this book, but the rest of us that are either on the way to that status or just wanting to improve our hobby skill could definitely benefit from this book.

I received this book form the publisher in exchange for a review.