Figure Drawing for All It's Worth (How to draw and paint)
by Andrew Loomis
•  Publisher:   Viking Adult
•  Number Of Pages:   204

Summary: Considered one of the best-ever on figure drawing
Rating: 5
...and it's an intermediate-level classic! As I understand it, this book went out of print sometime during the 1980's- which was before my time in art school and before the Internet came into popular use. A number of my art instructors had recommended this book, yet at that time I couldn't get my hands on a copy. Now that the Internet is up and running (thanks!), word has spread pretty quickly, and you'd think it wouldn't be hard to keep this thing in print. Many professionals *today* cite this book as being an inspiration in their work. It's 9" x 12" and 204 pages- which is very different looking than his slim & tall Walter Foster collections. Its content is similar to Willy Pogany's The Art of Drawing, and Jack Hamm's excellent Drawing the Head and Figure- very much a classic, mid-20th century style. In any case, this is an *intermediate-level effort* on drawing figures from memory & life, geared towards people aspiring to a career in professional illustration. Included within is his famous *ball/sphere-based* method of head construction, but it's in an abbreviated form here- His Heads collection for Walter Foster really does a *much* better, in-depth job of covering this particular area. Still, Loomis here shows how all figures can be constructed using simplified forms & shapes- He constantly emphasizes how these figures can be placed in perspective, and then rendered to a professional degree. He's very three dimensional in his approach, yet his drawings are mainly realistic looking. This is in great contrast to Burne Hogarth's excellent style, which is also very three dimensional- yet the drawings in Dynamic Figure Drawing are highly stylized in exaggerated 3-D, for exceedingly precise understanding of foreshortening. Loomis' work is *far* more natural & direct; it's especially great for life drawing and commercial illustration- definitely worth considering! P.S. In these pages (p.65)- Loomis himself recommends the excellent books by George Bridgman- certainly a great idea!

Summary: An unsung classic
Rating: 5
Everybody that does or aspires to draw the human figure from imagination, not particularly from live study, should run, not walk, to get this book. A long time secret classic for people working with cartoons, concept art, character design and so forth. If you think you are covered because you got Burne Hogarth's books on the human figure, think again. Not to dis Hogarth, but this one is the real thing.

Summary: All you need is Loomis!
Rating: 5
This book left me speechless. There's not enough stars in the ratings for me to express to you just how great this book is. And the strange thing is, no matter in which branch of art you work, you'll feel as though Andrew Loomis wrote this book just for you.
If you're serious about your art, be you illustrator, comic book artist, animator, fashion designer, or even a games designer, you need to have this book in your library. The text and illustration work together to take you on an odyssey of discovery, a thousand and one techniques that will make your life easier, and your art so much better.
The original was printed in 1943 and has come to be recognised as the bible of figure artists. Although it's out of print now, you can still find a number of great condition reprints. Get one! Keep it by the drawing board and you'll never again be stuck on how to draw a figure, work with horizon lines, and place figures in space so that they relate perfectly to each other and their surroundings.
Ignore the price and get one ASAP. Don't eat for a couple of weeks if needs be, but acquire a copy of this book as soon as you find one.
I'm off to read mine now. You guys don't know what you're missing!

Summary: Simply The Best
Rating: 5
I wish there were 10 stars.
Having stood the test of time, it was first published in the 30's, this book teaches you all that is there to figure drawing.
Andrew Loomis is one of those rare, gifted artists who can articulate as clearly and truthfully using words as he could with lines.
Using very simple tools to define the structure of the human body, essentially the skeleton as the foundation, he teaches how fantastically easy it is to draw the human body from any angle, in any action, and of any type.
This is not one of those 'feel good' books that teaches you to do 'yet another thing'. This is a grand text. absolutely dedicated work, you can see the earnestness in Loomis' anxious words about getting across the details to the reader.
Kimon's 'Natural Way to Draw' is a classic in a different way, where he asks us to discover almost everything. Loomis gives us the crutches. I think a combination of these two approaches can be terrific. thats what I am finding out.
It has been very fullfilling , since I can pick up the artifacts of drawing the figure, and infact drawing anything for that matter, Loomis will lead you to explore and expand, the techniques are amazingly simple, yet absolutely powerful.
He reiterates to see the structure beneath anything, the skeleton, and how it aids us in construction.
Note: the book is out of print, but several online versions are scattered across the Net.

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