Beginner’s Guide to Life Drawing

"Life drawing is not only about learning to draw the body accurately; it also teaches you to translate our complex three-dimensional world... to the confines of a sheet of paper." Eddie Armer

Improve your drawing skills and learn how to observe the human form with this simple practical course.

By applying a few basic rules, the shape of a body can be both accurately and artistically captured in as little as two minutes, using only a small selection of artist's materials.

Feel encouraged as you start your life-drawing journey by accomplishing an effective, straightforward pose, formed across a few straight lines and drawn with a standard pencil. Then, work with ease through each of Eddie's beautifully drawn projects to tackle fundamental methods for sketching, designed to steadily introduce you to invaluable techniques that will bring your work to the next level.

Every project includes fully-illustrated step by steps and helpful advice on the drawing method used. Pore over the accompanying gallery of stunning pieces by Eddie at the end of the chapter, showing examples of the demonstrated technique and providing inspiration for your own poses and style, once you've built your confidence.

From line, tone and shade through to positioning, drawing hands, feet and faces, this is the ultimate guide to learning to draw the body.

Book Contents

Introduction6

The history of life drawing8

Materials10

Starting to draw18

A Simple Pose19
- Step by step

Gesture drawings26

Line30

The rhythm of line36

Tone40

A Tonal Study46
- Step by step

Scribble drawing54

Using charcoal62

Figure in Charcoal Stick68
- Step by step

Foreshortening72

A Foreshortened Figure76
- Step by step

Faces82

Hands and feet88

Index96