Figure Drawing for All it's Worth

This book has been the most sought-after work on figure drawing for decades. Since it has been out of print, old copies have been changing hands for high prices. This new edition has been a long time coming, but what a joy to see it at last! This is a facsimile copy, which means that it has been created from an original print of the book, rather than from the original artwork and page layouts. Even so, the results are excellent, and the illustrations are crisp and clear. Loomis was an illustrator, author and art instructor at the American Academy of Art. This book was published in 1943 and, ever since, has been the standard work on the subject. It covers all aspects of figure drawing, explaining detail and with unequalled clarity, how to draw the figure. As you might expect from the cover artwork, he focuses almost entirely on the nude male and female figure, but also spends some time looking at how the techniques may be applied to drawing children. The final ten pages look at how to draw the clothed figure. Obviously, it looks at how to draw the head and the hands, but for this I would get a copy of Loomis' separate book on the subject, "Drawing the Head and Hands", which is also being reprinted (around October 2011). Loomis' style of drawing has a distinct 1940s look about it. Some of the hairstyles, complexions and poses are redolent of the times, but this does not age the work at all. It merely reflects our changing ideas about supposedly typical male and female figures. The content remains fascinating, insightful, compelling and inspiring. His drawings are lovely things, always delicate and lively. The final few pages, about working as an artist, are amusing rather than useful to today's artists, but it's all part of the original 1943 publication. I have a large collection of books on figure and portrait drawing, and I have been after a copy of this book for decades. It has been well worth the wait. It is a must-have. And now that I have a copy, I will be throwing out a few books that this one happily replaces!

Despite being a reconstructed edition of a long out-of-print classic, Figure Drawing for All It's Worth arrived in pristine hardcover form, with no hint of its archival origins. The print quality is superb, and the care taken in its restoration is evident; it feels like a premium release, not a facsimile. Loomis’ teaching style blends technical mastery with personal insight, offering a wealth of examples that showcase his skill and clarity as an instructor. His methods remain foundational in modern figure drawing, making this book a must-have for artists at any level. That said, it’s especially valuable for beginners and intermediate students looking to build strong fundamentals. Whether you're studying anatomy, gesture, or proportion, this book delivers both inspiration and instruction in equal measure. A true gem for anyone serious about improving their figure drawing.

An absolute must for the character artist and fine artists. It's an absolutely incredible book that covers so much in so much detail.

I pressed the order button and ...Wham! (Apologies to Roy Lichtenstein) No sooner had I confirmed my order than the books appeared at my door. Well okay! Not quite, but substantially less than twenty four hours for delivery is in my book a pretty spectacular performance, and that's free delivery, wow! Well done Yodel. Now to the true subject matter, the original of this volume is older than me and from the illustrations and the slightly stilted prose it is quite evident. That does not matter one iota, not a jot, this is the quintessential drawing handbook and that it was unavailable for so many years a tragedy. This book will not turn me into a great artist, not even a competent one, only by really applying myself to mastery of the subject can I achieve that, but this book, and its companions will show me how to apply myself and to achieve the desired results. Even if I merely wanted this as an artistic artefact to further swell my burgeoning art history section it would be worth the price, it is wonderful and inspirational and a fitting tribute to an excellent illustrator. Enough of the fulsome praise, I am now to put its contents to the test, but it is a lovely thing to behold. Drawing the Head and Hands A. Loomis ***** Successful Drawing A. Loomis ***** The Fundamentals of Drawing: A Complete Professional Course for Artists Barrington Barber ***** Drawing and Sketching in Pencil A. L. Guptill ***** The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing Anthony Ryder *****

A technical book created essentially for professionals but very informative for anyl artists who wish to devellope their ability to draw people in proportion, in any position, in perspective, with volume etc. Full of interesting détails; I can clearly say I have learnt something new from this book. I recommend it

It's so much bigger than I expected!! All the info is incredibly valuable and super well shown. Also, the drawings are absolutely gorgeous!!

Wonderful book, exactly what I was needing. Nothing can compare to having the book in front of you to work from. The book is structured well and I've already improved greatly, just from chapter one! Loomis can be a bit word heavy in sections but leaves the exercises without clear direction, however the book is entertaining to read and the techniques easy to pick up and figure out yourself. There was an interesting point in a review that I had read, which noted that since the book is outdated and old fashioned in style, the proportions of the figures are idealised and unrealistic. As an example, he teaches that a womans waist is around the same width of a head. However, as he states in the book, the exercises aren't to copy him line by line, but how to do it yourself. He teaches you the technique, from there your own intelligence should get you to drawing your own preferred proportions. Brilliant book for anyone wanting to get a handle on figure drawing from the ground up!

This gets 5 stars for being the best figure drawing book I've see. Beautiful illustrations and gives real insight into the drawing process. Very helpful in developing a real understanding of how to draw people. The book is detailed and requires commitment if you are going to do it all properly. As a reprint from the 1940s the writing is old fashioned, and could be off putting and a bit deep for, say, a kid who just wants to be able to draw superman flying or whatever. But for students or professionals in illustration, buy it now!

Allgemein: Dieses Buch von Andrew Loomis ist ein Goldstück! Der Preis ist völlig gerechtfertigt, wie ich finde, denn die Erklärungen und Tipps sind wirklich gut und hilfreich. Vor allem sind es die kleinen Details, die mir geholfen haben. Um dieses Buch wirklich nutzen zu können, bedarf es guter Englischkenntnisse, da andernfalls der Lesefluss und das Verständnis durchaus schwer fällt. Loomis beschreibt nicht nur bekannte Techniken, sondern gibt Tipps, die mir persönlich viel gebracht haben. Er beschreibt ja selbst, dass er viele Dinge in seinem Buch festhält, die so nicht festgehalten wurden und ihm in seiner Karriere geholfen haben. Ich finde auch noch einmal klasse, wie sehr er betont, dass Zeichner keine Geheimnisse voreinander haben (brauchen) und es wichtige Dinge gibt, die beim Zeichnen zu beachten sind (und gar nicht mal so einfach zu befolgen sein können). Das Buch & dessen Qualität: Das Buch ist etwas größer als A4 und das ist auch gut so. Dadurch erkennt jeder die Zeichnungen sehr gut, es ist Platz für Notizen (ja, durchaus sinnvoll) und lässt viele Details erkennen. Gerade bei solchen Büchern finde ich das unglaublich wichtig, dass der Leser viel erkennen kann, ohne sich anstrengen zu müssen. Das Buch ist gut durch strukturiert und ein roter Faden ist erkennbar. Arbeitet der Leser jedes Kapitel durch und übt, wie er es empfiehlt, wird dieses Buch jeden Zeichner weiterbringen können. Inhalt: Es gibt darum, Figuren zu zeichnen. Das beschreibt Loomis wunderbar (ihr könnt heraus lesen, dass ich begeistert bin ;) ) und mir persönlich hilft das Buch sehr. Ich selbst bin noch nicht weit, habe das Buch aber so ziemlich vorher durchgelesen (und selbst das hat mir einiges gebracht). Ich finde es sehr toll, welche Haltung er zu Künstlern und Zeichnern hat und was er zur dieser "Szene" zu sagen hat. Loomis beschreibt alles sehr ausführlich und einfach erklärt, ist aber auch sehr ehrlich und direkt, wenn der Leser etwas lieber sein lassen sollte. Fazit: Der Preis ist völlig gerechtfertigt. Das Papier ist fest, die Schrift gut lesbar und die Zeichnungen gut erkennbar. Die Erklärungen sind gut und einfach, sofern man Englisch gut beherrscht. Ich finde es super und kann es jedem empfehlen, der sich verbessern möchte, was das Figuren Zeichnen angeht.

Ottima edizione. Da studiare. Illustrazioni molto chiare. I modelli sono quelli degli anni quaranta ma ciò che conta è la tecnica illustrata, non il soggetto

Got as gift, recipient was very happy with it, exactly what he wanted and high praise for the author as an artist and quality of book.

This is an essential book if you want to learn figure drawing. The author’s style is EASY to read and FUN keeps you engaging. Drawings are easy to understand and to draw along. Understanding of basic proportions hight and width of male and female figure. Bones, muscles and shading the form. Simple Excise on every chapter.

本書は魅力的なルーミス氏のイラストをまじえて人物描写のプロセスをわかりやすく説明しています。 はじめは基礎的な遠近法をつかった人物描写、それから一般的な人物のプロポーションの説明（老若男女の違いなど）、骨格、筋肉構造の説明、人体のムーブメントなどが記載されています。そして見るだけでも楽しいルーミス氏のイラストがたっぷりです。