“To paint, draw, or sculpt the human figure is one of the most demanding of artistic problems.... Explores the artistic possibilities and particular problems of female bodies.”—Library Journal.

Giovanni Civardi breaks down the complex process of drawing the male nude, from making rudimentary choices about framing, lighting and the most appropriate drawing tools, to rendering detailed and anatomically accurate artworks. Civardis own masterful drawings provide an excellent touchstone for the artist wanting to explore the depiction of the male body, and his studies of numerous poses cover all aspects of life drawing. Civardi takes a pragmatic, almost scientific, approach to teaching the subject, combining basic physics with artistic interpretation. Drawing the Male Nude also touches upon the significant anatomical differences between the male and the female form, but these are also covered in some detail in the companion to this title, Drawing the Female Nude.

An impressive sampling of life drawings by 45 of the art world's greatest masters displays the styles of figure drawing across five centuries, from Dürer and Michelangelo to Modigliani and Derain. Featured artists include Raphael, Rubens, van Dyck, Hogarth, Constable, Ingres, Gauguin, Matisse, Rodin, and others. 45 black-and-white illustrations. Captions.

With over 270 unique examples, renowned artist Joseph Sheppard demonstrates how to draw the nude female realistically and with authority, to make each image come alive! In addition to basic drawing techniques, Sheppard provides insight into the procedure of drawing from life, from how to look at a model, to composition and emphasis necessary to create a compelling drawing. Drawing the Female Figure covers the most important aspects of the female figure in a variety of poses: anatomical points, proportion, attitudes and weight distribution, rendering, variations and types, foreshortening, and the figure in motion. With the keenest attention to detail, Sheppard demonstrates how to draw each facet of the female anatomy in standing, seated, kneeling, crouching, and reclining positions. With instruction and tips for every level of artist working with any medium, Drawing the Female Figure is the perfect addition to every creative person's library. Joseph Sheppard attended the Maryland Institute of Art and was awarded a Guggenheim Traveling Fellowship to Florence, Italy in 1957. His work has won numerous prestigious awards and is featured in nearly two dozen museums and collections worldwide, including the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, and the Carnegie Institute Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit the author's website www.josephsheppard.com.

Drawing is the starting point for all forms of art as well as being an important skill in itself. This comprehensive step-by-step guide covers all the major subject areas from landscapes to life drawing and provides instruction in a wide range of media including charcoals, chalks, pastels, coloured pencils, inks and graphite. The unique approach of this book is so simple that the reader can start immediately on original and exciting projects. Each section has practical information on materials and equipment and includes a gallery of work by other artists to inspire the beginner. The different approaches to figure drawing are looked at, as is the history of the study of anatomy for art and the emergence of the female nude as a painting subject. Still life, animal and landscape studies are explored through different media. The techniques and projects cover all aspects of drawing, from line and wash to using water-soluble pencils and sgraffito. Packed full of practical advice, techniques and projects, How to Draw provides a sound basis for expanding skills and teaches absolute beginners how to produce accurate and accomplished pieces.

In the world of contemporary pin-up art, few artists can capture the sexy essence of a gorgeous woman as well and as wonderfully as Jim Silke. For years Silke's signature luscious paintings and sensuous drawings have delighted the hearts and eyes of everyone who appreciates the beauty and grace of the female form, as portrayed in his other bestselling art books, including Bettie Page, Queen of Hearts and Pin-Up: The Illegitimate Art. This time, the pin-up master strips his subjects of dress and other distractions to better reveal the delicious details that are usually hidden from admiring eyes. And, as fans have come to expect from the gentleman genius behind the brush, Silke adorns his intoxicating imagery with sage insight and cunning wit, as he recounts his long and exceedingly happy career flirting with fine art and foxy women.