Chris Legaspi

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Draw Like an Artist: 100 Faces and Figures by Chris Legaspi.

The book begins with two pages on how to best use the book, detailing suggested materials, the basic drawing process, using gesture lines, constructing the image and how to add details and clean up your artwork. This is followed by another couple of pages of tips on how to improve line control.

The rest of the book is split into three main sections, faces, features and figures, respectively. Each page has the same drawing in various stages of detail, beginning with the simplest outline, and progressing through more detailed stages, until finally reaching the finished line-art image. The cover picture shows this progression well, and is indicative of the book’s content.

I’m currently learning to draw better and this is an extremely helpful book. It’s very clear and easy to follow. I enjoyed it so much I’ve purchased a paperback copy already! Definitely a book to buy for developing artists!… (altro)

Life Drawing for Artists by Chris Legaspi

Understanding Figure Drawing Through Poses, Postures, and Lighting

Interesting book that discusses why life drawing is important to artists and gives detailed information and instruction on how to go about such drawing. Shapes, lines and exercises are suggested with ideas on gestures, shading and tools to use are provided. My main takeaway was that this would be much easier to learn in a class with a teacher and a real model to learn from but that perhaps some of the exercises might be worth giving a try at home at some point in the future.

What I liked:
* The detailed look at timed drawing sketches with the model used
* The way to sharpen LONG pencil lead for better sketching
* The way to best capture the person being drawn depending on the amount of time one is allotted to draw
* The way to transfer these techniques when without a live model to use
* The “quick” sketch and how to go about it
* Feeling this would be a good reference to have in my library if I ever were to attempt life drawing or had taken a class and wanted a reference book to look back at after the class ended

What I didn’t like:
* The feeling that it would take a long time to become skilled at this type of drawing
* The knowledge that taking a class with a live model with a teacher would be required to truly know what this type of drawing would be like

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Rockport for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars… (altro)