“This book is for all of those who love to draw the human form. It is for those who have never drawn a line, for those who are students who can draw to a certain degree, and for those professional artists who are proficient in drawing. It is also, of course, for those who teach drawing.” Thus begins the Introduction to this comprehensive handbook for drawing the human figure. Author Jack Faragasso — an internationally renowned art instructor, fine artist, and illustrator — taught at the Art Students League of New York for five decades. He is also the foremost instructor in the highly regarded Reilly system of drawing and painting, developed by Frank J. Reilly. Both a guide and a reference, Mastering Drawing the Human Figure features hundreds of illustrations with commentary that cover the basic structure of the head and body, light and shade, the proper use of line, conveying action, depicting drapery, and much more.
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166 reviews for Mastering Drawing the Human Figure: From Life, Memory and Imagination (Dover Art Instruction)
4.4out of 5
★★★★★
★★★★★
9
★★★★★
2
★★★★★
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★★★★★
Nemesis –
I have read many books on drawing the figure. This is the first book I have come across that contains the precise knowledge required to draw the human figure. The chapters on the head and drapery alone are worth the price of the book. In order to understand the book one has to read the introduction where the author recommends the course of study. It takes a while to grasp certain concepts but the information is all there for the taking if one has the patience to persevere.
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★★★★★
Amazon Customer –
This book goes into great detail in dealing with mastering the subject of drawing the human figure. I also found the section on how to draw drapery very useful.
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★★★★★
AliBaba –
It helps me learn how to draw better!
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★★★★★
Bernardo L. –
Muito bom!
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★★★★★
-Deborah W –
Most detailed information to develop and enhance drawing skills. Useful for drawing human figure but also applicable to drawing, in general. I have purchased multiple books on the subject and this is best by far.
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★★★★★
Chris Seddon –
It’s good to get a collection of Reilly’s methods and ideas here but there is maybe a bit too much complexity in some sections. Still very useful if you are looking to learn about figure drawing with rhythm, structure and anatomy
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★★★★★
extreme_dig_cm –
The title here is interesting: great choice(!). The actual contents, however, are unique yet unrefined. I bought this based on the interesting cover & title; I hadn’t actually seen its contents. When I received this in the mail, my immediate 1st impression was that this looks like someone’s loose & rough notes for an *eventually* finished product. This seems like the idea for a *possible* book, not the actual book itself. Many of these drawings are exceedingly sketchy, and many are highly stylized.
Is this helpful though? That’s the bottom-line, for me at least. The many pages on the planes of the figure are so incredibly complicated, it’s kind of impressive & frustrating at the same time. I give the author a lot of credit in the sense that this is one of the most unique-looking drawing books I’ve ever seen. 5 Stars for originality! But what good is that if the actual information here isn’t as good as in other currently available books? It’s just too needlessly complicated & expensive for me to honestly recommend.
Maybe it’s great classroom teaching, but as an individual work- it just seems like a nice try at best. If anyone’s interested in drawing from memory, I highly recommend Bridgman’s books. My other favorites are by Burne Hogarth, as well as The Figure: The Classic Approach to Drawing and Construction by Walt Reed.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
R. Browning –
Let me say first that I am highly predjudiced in favor of this book.Also, learning to draw is DIFFICULT for most of us!!
I had the good fortune to study with Mr. Faragasso about 20 years ago at the Art Students League. My father studied with Frank Reilly and Mr. Faragasso was one of his classmates. After so many years as a professional painter I can say that the knowledge that he gave to me has served me well. I am so grateful that all of this information has been assemled in one book for all to benefit from.It is also woderful that the information has been preserved (none of us are getting any younger!).
The planes are clearly explained. They relate to the structures which underlie them, therefore they can be a bit challenging. However, that IS our anatomy and it is what we have to learn in order to move forward and learn to really SEE and UNDERSTAND what we are seeing. This book will be a classic.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Mo Jones –
Jack Faragasso’s “Mastering Drawing the Human Figure” is a treasure trove of knowledge for artists aiming to improve their figure drawing skills. Faragasso’s clear, methodical approach to teaching human anatomy and figure drawing is both insightful and practical, making complex concepts accessible and manageable.
However, the book’s greatest flaw is the poor quality of its images. Grainy and dark reproductions detract from the clarity needed to fully appreciate Faragasso’s techniques. Despite this shortcoming, the book’s rich content and expert guidance make it a valuable resource for dedicated artists willing to look past the image quality issues.
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★★★★★
Amazon Customer –
Very basic book. Simple and uncomplete instructions which cannot be used in practice.
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★★★★★
A. Maes –
This is a very good book with a different approach than one would find in more traditional drawing books. His method is very schematic and very structured, yet compelling once one starts to understand his reasoning. There is nothing lose and conceptual about his method, everything is done according to predefined rules, planes and relationships, which is what makes it a very powerful way to present the human figure, but only once one is willing to undertake this method and make it their own.
This is not a book for beginners, this is not a book for anyone starting out without a great deal of surface and bone anatomy knowledge, this is not a book for anyone starting out in drawing.
There are minor flaws in the book, some figures have very protruding hips and not much time is spent on dynamic poses, but that wasn’t his intention.
If one merely copied the figures in this book, or simply copied his method, one wouldn’t get far, it’s meant as a guideline.
It’s one of my favorite drawing books.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Objective Reader of Descriptions –
This is an excellent book but be ready for really comprehensive ideas. It is packed with information & very dense.
Nemesis –
I have read many books on drawing the figure. This is the first book I have come across that contains the precise knowledge required to draw the human figure. The chapters on the head and drapery alone are worth the price of the book. In order to understand the book one has to read the introduction where the author recommends the course of study. It takes a while to grasp certain concepts but the information is all there for the taking if one has the patience to persevere.
Amazon Customer –
This book goes into great detail in dealing with mastering the subject of drawing the human figure. I also found the section on how to draw drapery very useful.
AliBaba –
It helps me learn how to draw better!
Bernardo L. –
Muito bom!
-Deborah W –
Most detailed information to develop and enhance drawing skills. Useful for drawing human figure but also applicable to drawing, in general. I have purchased multiple books on the subject and this is best by far.
Chris Seddon –
It’s good to get a collection of Reilly’s methods and ideas here but there is maybe a bit too much complexity in some sections. Still very useful if you are looking to learn about figure drawing with rhythm, structure and anatomy
extreme_dig_cm –
The title here is interesting: great choice(!). The actual contents, however, are unique yet unrefined.
I bought this based on the interesting cover & title; I hadn’t actually seen its contents. When I received this in the mail, my immediate 1st impression was that this looks like someone’s loose & rough notes for an *eventually* finished product. This seems like the idea for a *possible* book, not the actual book itself. Many of these drawings are exceedingly sketchy, and many are highly stylized.
Is this helpful though? That’s the bottom-line, for me at least. The many pages on the planes of the figure are so incredibly complicated, it’s kind of impressive & frustrating at the same time. I give the author a lot of credit in the sense that this is one of the most unique-looking drawing books I’ve ever seen. 5 Stars for originality! But what good is that if the actual information here isn’t as good as in other currently available books? It’s just too needlessly complicated & expensive for me to honestly recommend.
Maybe it’s great classroom teaching, but as an individual work- it just seems like a nice try at best. If anyone’s interested in drawing from memory, I highly recommend Bridgman’s books. My other favorites are by Burne Hogarth, as well as The Figure: The Classic Approach to Drawing and Construction by Walt Reed.
R. Browning –
Let me say first that I am highly predjudiced in favor of this book.Also, learning to draw is DIFFICULT for most of us!!
I had the good fortune to study with Mr. Faragasso about 20 years ago at the Art Students League. My father studied with Frank Reilly and Mr. Faragasso was one of his classmates. After so many years as a professional painter I can say that the knowledge that he gave to me has served me well. I am so grateful that all of this information has been assemled in one book for all to benefit from.It is also woderful that the information has been preserved (none of us are getting any younger!).
The planes are clearly explained. They relate to the structures which underlie them, therefore they can be a bit challenging. However, that IS our anatomy and it is what we have to learn in order to move forward and learn to really SEE and UNDERSTAND what we are seeing. This book will be a classic.
Mo Jones –
Jack Faragasso’s “Mastering Drawing the Human Figure” is a treasure trove of knowledge for artists aiming to improve their figure drawing skills. Faragasso’s clear, methodical approach to teaching human anatomy and figure drawing is both insightful and practical, making complex concepts accessible and manageable.
However, the book’s greatest flaw is the poor quality of its images. Grainy and dark reproductions detract from the clarity needed to fully appreciate Faragasso’s techniques. Despite this shortcoming, the book’s rich content and expert guidance make it a valuable resource for dedicated artists willing to look past the image quality issues.
Amazon Customer –
Very basic book. Simple and uncomplete instructions which cannot be used in practice.
A. Maes –
This is a very good book with a different approach than one would find in more traditional drawing books. His method is very schematic and very structured, yet compelling once one starts to understand his reasoning. There is nothing lose and conceptual about his method, everything is done according to predefined rules, planes and relationships, which is what makes it a very powerful way to present the human figure, but only once one is willing to undertake this method and make it their own.
This is not a book for beginners, this is not a book for anyone starting out without a great deal of surface and bone anatomy knowledge, this is not a book for anyone starting out in drawing.
There are minor flaws in the book, some figures have very protruding hips and not much time is spent on dynamic poses, but that wasn’t his intention.
If one merely copied the figures in this book, or simply copied his method, one wouldn’t get far, it’s meant as a guideline.
It’s one of my favorite drawing books.
Objective Reader of Descriptions –
This is an excellent book but be ready for really comprehensive ideas. It is packed with information & very dense.
leticia –
Muy útil. Llegó en buen estado y a tiempo.