Figure Drawing Workshop

Rating:
Summary: Very focused, clear, and honest--unique and helpful!
Review: After drawing the figure twice a week for 5 years and reading dozens of books in this area, I think Kraayvanger's book stands out as the most practical to benefit those who want to IMPROVE the drawing skills (not necessarily the best for those who mainly want to COLLECT books with the most showy drawings instead). The book focuses on the critical skills in the development path and analyzes the most damaging errors. The development is focused and phased. I feel that the book is like a rigorous instructor standing behind me and urging me to work in one essential aspect at a time, ignore all the distractions, and make a breakthrough before moving further.
For example, I have always felt my drawings detailed but generally weak; now following the book, I first see the lights and shadows flat and forget about those tempting tiny highlights, the result is much better overall relationships. Also I learned from the book that when modeling the forms I should first only concentrate on the areas between light and dark; with that I went to draw on the same day and left my lights almost untouched, and found the result much stronger and more realistic. Furthermore, I have been struggling with likeness; now the book gives me 2 key steps for this that people tend to miss, which I think are dead on target. The book helps me find over a dozen such key areas to fix, made into a prioritized list. Never has any other book given me such a big help. This book makes me realize that when building the basic skills, instructions AGAINST advanced aspects and skills are also very valuable, if not more so. (Many other books list all that their authors know about, show their most impressive drawings, without focuses and a development program; but from where to where should the students go developing? I was bewildered many times.) Instead, this book really makes a logical development path, crystal-clear.
The purpose of almost all illustrations in this book seems to be helping explain the fundamental skills and errors. I think they do get the messages across. The author seems to want to explain the ideas at any cost, even including in the section of "What's wrong with this picture?" using his own work to show mistakes (page 61; I agree on that the right leg is indeed too long, but nonetheless correct to appear--if you use the shoulders and feet to derive the viewing eye level). Most books don't spend much effort on errors, let alone to share authors' first-hand experience in finding errors. This author is honest. (And "drawing is honest", said Ingres). He also gives quite some brave (apolitical) critiques on arts, artists, art education, open studios, etc., which make this book even more lively and interesting.
The author's drawing style is consistent with his teaching style--less is more, or using his own words, simple is strong. I like it, although I'm not fully attracted by his heavy lines, perhaps because I'm at the stage of only trying to best mimic the nature. However, the author says lines are poetry if drawing is language, which may be true for some of "the freed".

Rating:
Summary: A drawing student's opinion.
Review: Allen Kraayvanger's book "Figure Drawing Workshop" contains a chapter on "Anatomy", and in those 18 or 19 pages there are a couple of pages listing and illustrating the muscles of the human body. Unfortunately, of the many figure drawings illustrating Kraayvanger's book, almost none of them show articulated musculature, because Kraayvanger, draws perfectly outlined figures only to fill in the space with monochrome shading, and inadquate use (or none at all) of good lines. Lines and shading together make for clarity in figure drawing. To just skip the lines and resort only to shading to define features is substandard. Kraayvanger skips on MECHANICS, and emphasizes the AESTHETICS, which is a refinement that a beginner shouldn't be troubled with.

The publisher is to be noted here. WATSON-GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS has sent to press several books on figure drawing that have come under my survey lately, and none of them seems to measure up. Either their editors do not know good drawing instruction, or they are simply holding themselves to a lower standard of quality.

This method of instruction entirely puzzled me. The same method, of using completed and perfectly finished drawings is used by some authors, whose books I rate consistently low. I owe a debt to a reviewer of another figure drawing book for supplying the concept for this manner of teaching. He called it, "INVISIBLE PROBLEM SOLVING":

"He does not solve problems 'visibly', he never lets you know how he got the results he did." -from an anonymous Amazon review



There is no use of SIMPLIFIED FIGURETTES of any consequence in this book, no HONEGUMI SKELETONS, BLOCK FIGURES, or HUMAN PUPPETS. (another indication that Kraayvanger skips on the MECHANICS); That's Invisible Problem Solving. Therefore, this INVISIBLE PROBLEM SOLVING style of teaching is more of a hindrance to learning than a helpful instruction. There are no shortcuts in learning to draw the figure. Kraayvanger may as well write, "Draw well, or just don't draw!" as to infer that a student should attempt to duplicate his finished drawings. Kraayvanger should master drawing prior to teaching it.

The cover price of $19.95 is grossly exorbitant, even when its already reduced by Amazon from a rip-off list price of $24.95. You can purchas Jack Hamm's "Drawing the Head & Figure" for only $9.56 and besides, there are 30 or 40 year old Dover editions of drawing books for under $7 or $8.

"Workshop" as a title term used by Kraayvanger is misleading, since he is skipping the MECHANICS. His illustrations are not "working drawings". A "workshop" is a bit of a casual endeavour. New and variant ideas can be tried and played with, erased and drawn over. . That isn't what Kraayvanger's book is all about. Kraayvanger employs a gimmick word that turns out to be empty of meaning.

Rating:
Summary: Book contradicts it's own premise
Review: Allen Kraayvanger's book "Figure Drawing Workshop" contains a chapter on "Anatomy", and in those 18 or 19 pages there are a couple of pages listing and illustrating the muscles of the human body. Unfortunately, of the many figure drawings illustrating Kraayvanger's book, almost none of them show articulated musculature, because Kraayvanger, draws beautiful figures, line drawings, outlining the shape of nudes in repose, only to fill in the space with monochrome smudges. Some musculature is articulated on the cover, and this will be misleading concerning the contents. The cover price of $19.95 is grossly exorbitant, when there are 30 or 40 year old Dover editions of drawing books for under $7 or $8. I'm telling you honestly, this text is a waste of good money.

Rating:
Summary: BEST DRAWING BOOK ON THE MARKET!!!!!!!!!!
Review: As a painter and sculpter I wanted to tighten up my drawing skills and began looking for a book that offered clear instruction by a teacher who could personally produce a quality drawing. After looking through 75-100 books at the local mega-bookstore, I found what I was looking for. The quality of Mr. Kraavanger's art is light years ahead of ANY of the other books I viewed and his approach to teaching is logical, comprehensive and entertaining. I can say with great conviction that this IS the best figure drawing book on the market today.

Rating:
Summary: Plenty of Value
Review: As a professional artist, teacher and writer, I've learned plenty from Mr Kraayvanger, and I think his book is a worthwhile purchase. I've got other expert, contemporary, lovely, glossy figure drawing books that taught me nothing, while 'Figure Drawing Workshop' has brought out some key points of great value. Certainly many of the drawings have an illustrative feel,but it also offers many useful approaches to the figure and tips to help a beginner get going with a daunting subject. The nature of drawing doesn't always suit the requirements of a structured book with the catchy headings that publishers like, and sure, the style is pretty illustrative. If you think that you and your drawings are perfect, you probably won't like this book. If you are open to ideas from every direction, and willing to read text in the spirit in which it is written - which in this case I think, is sharing one's experience in the hope of offering some assistance - then you will enjoy and learn from 'Figure Drawing Workshop'.
see my full review at http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/bg.htm

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre hackwork.
Review: I've been a working artist for 20 years and I love figure drawings. I also enjoy collecting books about figure drawing and whenever a new one is published I usually buy it. This is my most recent purchase and I'd like to share my opinion of it with you.This type of book succeeds or fails through the clarity and thoroughness of its text and the quality of its illustrations. The text of this book isn't too bad. While it covers the basics clearly, if not completely, it brings nothing new to the subject that can't be found, and presented better, in legions of other figure drawing books.This books fails utterly and embarrassingly because of its illustrations. All were drawn by the author's hand and seldom rise above the level of a second year drawing student. Uninspired, mechanical and, too often, poorly drawn, Mr. Kraayvanger drawings lack any artistic and little instructional merit. His line work is stiff and heavy handed, his modelling is lifeless and flat and his anatomy is laughable. The author even apologizes for SOME of his drawings. Example: page 61 displays a drawing of a kneeling female figure. In his text, Mr. Kraayvanger admits to drawing her back leg too long, but misses the obvious fact that this leg wouldn't even be visible from this view point. ...

Rating:
Summary: A drawing student's opinion.
Review: In his preface Mr. Kraayvanger writes about studying to draw: "Developing the discipline to draw exactly what you see before you attempt the difficult approaches is high on the list. This is the study that many art schools have mistakenly eliminated, or best minimized, in order to protect the "fragile" creative spirit of their students."~~ I agree with the author's sentiment because I've lived it. I wanted to learn to draw and paint well and enrolled in the art department of a university. After a year of being told that my dream of making drawings as beautiful as the old masters was "unimaginative", I left and after doing some research found an atelier with the aim of training artist in the classical method. I've just finished my first year there and I have never felt so challenged and happy.~~ It's unfortunate that I find nothing else in Mr. Kraayvanger's book to agree with because it doesn't follow through on his promise of a disciplined, exacting method. The text lacks focus, is poorly organized and, in the end, is devoid of detailed (i.e. step by step) instruction. ~~ Mr. Kraayvanger writes that his "own innate style of drawing leans toward solid realism", but his drawings are not very solid and only marginally realistic. Truth be told, they don't look like the work of a professional at all but resemble the product of an "Sunday artist". They're generalized, weak, stiff and manikin like, not to forget very poorly drawn. He attempts to excuse his drawing's weaknesses by writing that "These drawings were all done from the model under time constraints...I feel it is better to show the bad ones as well as the better ones so that you can see that we all have struggle with some problems." Instruction by negative example? Puh-leez! ~~ The author writes: "The most important thing I learned is that it is not necessarily true that if you draw a lot, you will automatically get better. The truth is, if you do it wrong, you'll get better at doing it wrong." A point that his drawings display over and over again in his book, because it's filled with nothing but figure drawings gone wrong. How did this book get published?

Rating:
Summary: refreshingly clear of ostentation and obfuscation
Review: Probably the best of the current crop of figure drawing books on the market. Why? It is accessible and clear. The written text gets to the basics in well written English. Most "how to" books of this kind contain dense pedantic texts. The drawings beautifully illustrate the author's points. Mr. Kraayvanger did not use the occasion of writing this "how to" book to create a vanity showcase for his own art work which seems to be the prevailing ethos in this business. Here's a novelty: a "how to" book that actually teaches and guides "how to." Mr. Kraayvanger is a genuine teacher. The book swiftly and concisely concentrates on the essentials in accessible language and a clear format. You can't ask for more. The author is too modest in his own defense.

Rating:
Summary: refreshingly clear of ostentation and obfuscation
Review: Probably the best of the current crop of figure drawing books on the market. Why? It is accessible and clear. The written text gets to the basics in well written English. Most "how to" books of this kind contain dense pedantic texts. The drawings beautifully illustrate the author's points. Mr. Kraayvanger did not use the occasion of writing this "how to" book to create a vanity showcase for his own art work which seems to be the prevailing ethos in this business. Here's a novelty: a "how to" book that actually teaches and guides "how to." Mr. Kraayvanger is a genuine teacher. The book swiftly and concisely concentrates on the essentials in accessible language and a clear format. You can't ask for more. The author is too modest in his own defense.

Rating:
Summary: refreshingly clear of ostentation and obfuscation
Review: Probably the best of the current crop of figure drawing books on the market. Why? It is accessible and clear. The written text gets to the basics in well written English. Most "how to" books of this kind contain dense pedantic texts. The drawings beautifully illustrate the author's points. Mr. Kraayvanger did not use the occasion of writing this "how to" book to create a vanity showcase for his own art work which seems to be the prevailing ethos in this business. Here's a novelty: a "how to" book that actually teaches and guides "how to." Mr. Kraayvanger is a genuine teacher. The book swiftly and concisely concentrates on the essentials in accessible language and a clear format. You can't ask for more. The author is too modest in his own defense.