Dynamic Anatomy (Practical Art Books)

As well, by using a human head as a standard relative length, he provides accepted proportions for other parts of the body. For example, human body is 8 1/2 heads tall, 2 to 2 1/3 heads wide over the sholders etc. This approach suits me, but you'll find lots of teaching web sites reference this book.

This book is worth every penny.


Perhaps the best ever "how to" book on creating action poses   August 27, 1999
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

The inimitable Burne Hogarth breaks down, with startling simplicity, the secrets and tricks behind inventing YOUR OWN dynamic action poses! Once you've mastered his techniques, you REALLY WON'T ever need reference again!

As an artist (15 years illustrating), I can whole-heartedly reccomend this book to any other artists (especially aspiring comic and sequential artists), struggling with the difficulties of posing the human figure in deep perspective (and making it look right).

While I'm not a big fan of Hogarth's style (all the drawings... hundreds of them... are rendered in his style), I was nonetheless SO blown away by the techniques he revealed that I went and bought ALL the other Hogarth books.

For the experienced artist... the benefit is this: Burne Hogarth doesn't try and teach you how to draw like HIM. He shows you how to use what he knows, to better serve your OWN art. And his tricks are time tested! Well worth the investment.


Great book with lots of reference, but some views not shown   July 15, 1999
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I've referred to this book time and time again for details when drawing a figure to get correct muscle position. It comes in very handy. My only complaint is that some positions just aren't shown. Most drawings are drawn from an angled position so you still can't get a good idea of the depth of the muscle. Also at times, I'll refer to the book to see what a region looks like only to find that the piece I'm interested in is obscured in every rendering, the underside/back of the arm being one such place.


Pretty Good!   July 14, 1999
 0 out of 8 found this review helpful

This guy is a good artist! If you are a beginner at drawing don't bother with this book, even if you have experience you will learn something new!