The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study [B1369-PB]

1969 PB with nice clean text pages and minor cover wear. A classic guide to drawing people, offering instructions and tips for drawing different poses and body types. NOTE: Based on the reviews, this is not a beginner's art book. The exercises are demanding, intended for serious artists willing to invest time in improving their work.

The book is split into sixty-four exercises covering such subjects as: Contour and Gesture; The Study of Drapery; Light and Shade; Studies of Structure; Analysis through Design; Emphasis in Courtour - The Head; The Muscles; and much more. With simple, step-by-step instructions and many helpful diagrams, this is a book that will be of considerable utility to anyone wishing to learn how to draw.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "An absolute gem for anyone serious about improving their drawing skills. This book isn't about quick tricks or shortcuts-it's a deep, immersive journey into the process of truly seeing and feeling what you draw. The exercises, especially the contour and gesture drawing drills, force you to break out of rigid thinking and embrace a more intuitive, expressive approach. It's a challenging book, but if you stick with it, your ability to capture movement and form will transform. Highly recommended for dedicated students of art!"; "I've taught university life drawing for over 16 years. If you follow the exercises and do as many as required, your drawings WILL improve immensely. While I agree it is in complete opposition to hard edged, refined type drawings--it is so only as a means. When you skip Nicolaides' experiential cohesive gestures, mass drawings and cross contours and go straight through to exacting control, your drawings will remain stiff, disconnected and they won't sit naturally in space (a figure is in perspective--just like a house). It's easy to go from loose to tight drawing but very hard to go from tight to loose (yet accurate) because it requires more discipline, focus, quick, accurate observation and excellent hand eye control. These exercises hone those skills."; "I was skeptical at first but my art is improving. The exercises are very demanding.";