Figure Drawing: Design and Invention

I'm... an arts student. I actually downloaded the illegal version of this book online some months ago. And I instantly fall in love with it. I just found this book AMAZING. I've been through a lot of figure drawing books, this is the first time I love it so much I go crazy trying to get it. The anatomy here is simple, clear, easier to understand(note I didn't say it's easy), straight forward, and WITH COLOUR. How awesome is that? I just HAVE to get the book itself. I don't care if it is the most expensive art book I ever bought, this is worth EVERY CENT INVESTED.

Right now, I've got the 3rd edition, which totally owns the ebook. There were some major changes. I noticed the changes for the anatomy for the arm, it's like so much clearer. I was almost almost totally lost in the previous edition.

So, amen to the other reviews, this is figure drawing DONE RIGHT. Super worth it, super valuable book on figures. It's actually the only figure drawing book I have, cause normally download them and I won't buy books like these(they are freaking expensive) but I loved it so much I couldn't care for the price tag. I speak for my friends at the academy who thinks art books are too expensive: If there is only one book you're going to get on figure drawing, this would be it.

I just felt like the happiest person alive just seeing it in my shelf :D A must have for any aspiring animator or illustrator.

This book might be slightly more challenging to someone who is inexperienced with figure drawing, but it still relatively well describes everything step by step and really focuses on proportions and shapes of the human body.

I quote only the opening..."But keep in mind that it isn't a belief system, or claim to any absolutes -- it is meant to help someone get started". This is how all teachers should be like. There is no such thing as a final word on any area of knowledge (my belief). A teacher who is aware of this, also works like a student. Brilliant author and brilliant method.

The greatest anatomy book I have ever read. Next to Bridgman - Michael Hampton has changed my understanding of form and anatomy with is analytical drawing technique. Best purchase I've ever made. Give this man some type of award!

After having practiced with The Structure of Man course from Riven Pheonix, I was ready to take it to the next level, this book took me to that level with gesture, movement, anatomy and the mechanics of drawing the human figure, highly recommended!

Book came on time and in great condition. It does a great job at simplifying the human anatomy. Its a great way to study gesture. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to learn the human figure.

WOW! This book is dynamite. Forget all of those other books that claim to teach you how to draw the human figure. I've spent a fortune on them with out learning what I learned in just the first few pages of this book. This isn't a book that shows a lot of poses claiming that you can learn how to draw anatomy from them. This one teaches methods. If you want to learn how to draw the human figure, buy this book.

WOW! This book is dynamite. Forget all of those other books that claim to teach you how to draw the human figure. I've spent a fortune on them with out learning what I learned in just the first few pages of this book. This isn't a book that shows a lot of poses claiming that you can learn how to draw anatomy from them. This one teaches methods. If you want to learn how to draw the human figure, buy this book.

This is a fantastic book, if a bit overwhelming. If you sit down and patiently work with it, it's like having an in-house instructor. Very different from most books of its kind, both in approach and intent to teach. If you're inconsistent about studying art, this may not be for you.

After the inane amount of books that lack substance and are pretty much an artist's diary of all their personal studies that they try and make an instruction out of, Michael Hampton went beyond and actually teaches us the way to draw the human figure. He's basically given us a map, and the gold that is found at the end is rewarding because even in the first chapter alone, you'll feel that you can draw better. But WAIT! That's just the first chapter...

Throughout the book, he tells you how to perform gesture drawing and design a pose, but then adding on it by showing/drawing each major body part from each angle, how it looks when stretched/compressed, etc - essentially teaching you how that particular body part looks on your pose(s). He also color codes each body part, which makes it easy to remember, with that coding staying consistent throughout the whole book. When it all comes down to it, he shows you how to do what I personally deem the term "lego-ing", building and stacking the body parts on the gesture frame.

It is so easy to understand and comprehend, that even after a month of practicing the tips and guidelines he specified throughout this book, it is a guarantee that you will be more confident with your anatomy, and that it'll look better too.

But that's not all -- the book is designed to also adapt these principles into whatever medium is your aspiration: 3D modeling, sculpting, comics, animation, etc., all while STAYING WITHIN YOUR STYLE. You will still have your very own style after studying this book, as there is no direct "this is how it is always done", "monkey-see, monkey-do" type of method.

I HIGHLY recommend this book. Really worth the money.