This is a great visual source book and is an essential reference for anyone who is thinking about starting a Life drawing class or just wants to practice. It allows you to study light and shade which will give you the confidence and inspiration you will need to draw from life or from statues in a museum
* Dawn Spink *
Well, this is nothing if not niche! However, as Giovanni points out in his introduction, drawing statues has been part of art teaching since the sixteenth century. Originally, classical pieces were selected as examples of the highest standard of beauty, style, harmony and composition. On a practical level, they can be more accessible than a life model and have the advantage, as well as being static, of already being an interpretation that provides a clearly delineated form. Structure, anatomy and musculature have already been dealt with and it's almost like having an outline prepared ready for you. As a first lesson in figure drawing, it's a hard starting point to beat.
There is more of the worked demonstration here that is usual with Giovanni's books, and it suits the subject matter well. Most of the statues include are indeed classical, but you'll also find Degas' Little Dancer and Rodin's The Kiss. As ever, Giovanni's sensitive pencil work is a joy to behold.
* www.artbookreview.net *
As a lover of Italian art and having recently visited Florence and Venice I was keen to get my hands on this book. Initially I thought it would be a bit too 'wordy' with quite a dense introduction to each statue however it was interesting to read the history of each statue. It is most
probably a little too advanced for me with regard to drawing techniques - a failure on my part rather than Giovanni Civardi! Understanding Human Form and Structure also by the same author may be beneficial to those wanting to advance their skills. Having said that it's a book I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and worth buying
* Lesley Caltieri *
