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| Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters (Practical Art Books) | 
 enlarge | Author: Robert Hale
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
Buy New: $15.61
You Save: $7.34 (32%)
Buy New/Used from $12.21
Avg. Customer Rating:  (24 reviews)
Sales Rank: 95437
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.8
ISBN: 0823014010
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.4
EAN: 9780823014019
ASIN: 0823014010
Publication Date: August 1, 1989
Release Date: May 5, 2009 (In 151 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Definative July 13, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Robert Beverly Hale was one of the masters in teaching figure drawing. A must for serious students of figure painting.
 Not written by an artist... May 8, 2007
17 out of 22 found this review helpful
Although this is one of the best compilation books of old master drawings
available on the common market, I would not put too much stock in what
the author says. The author is correct in saying that many of these
great artists had to learn and understand anatomy in order to "make it up"
(e.g., a figure of a rearing horse drawn by Titian, impossible to be
taken from life), but he goes overboard in trying to get the student to
learn about anatomy. For example, he says "Please buy some bones". That's right--the way to paint like Rubens is to...buy some bones. I don't think so. Even if you learned how to draw the figure well, after perhaps 10 years, you'd still have to tackle drapery and then learn how to compose your figures in a painting and, well, be an artist. I have learned after much figure drawing study that after a while, "studies are
useless" (Rubens said that also). It is better for the true artist to simply plan painting after painting, and ignore all this wasteful "study effort" as if art is a science. This is not to say any knowledge of anatomy is bad. But you need to know only as much as it takes to know that
a head looks too big, or a shoulder "doesn't look right", esp. if you are already working from life. I have studied anatomy and tried to draw from my memory, and although my drawings have all the attendant parts, you cannot "guess" at how the aspect of a vastus medialis changes when it is in 10 different positions. It's much easier and quicker simply to draw a model from life--it will look more correct, even WITHOUT a knowledge of anatomy. And if you are a figurative artist, you may even want to "clothe" your figures at some point (Watteau made a name for himself for knowing how to do just that) so knowledge of anatomy, although not to be entirely discounted, should run second to drawing from life, having artistic vision, and working on a plan to make a nice painting instead of engaging in hours of fruitless "studies." After you die, do you want to have a bunch of academic drawings with correct anatomy laying around?
Only the art matters. This book, although much better than those awful books which use hack artists as models of excellence, still falls short
of what you really need to do to become a strong figurative painter. And that is, "draw from life". Pose your friends and family and draw them.
That's what the masters did.
This is one of the best books ever! January 25, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a must have book. No matter what your subject matter you can benefit from reading and doing the exercises in this book. I read it with a highlighter and a pen. I don't usually write in my drawing books, but this one was too good to simply read I had to study it. I will be using this in my current class to help me draw people better. Lots of excellent examples. It doesn't matter what you are trying to learn to draw this book helps you think in terms of mass and shape, not legs, arms, faces, etc.
Must have book for all fine art students! January 5, 2007
Robert Beverly Hale is the undisputed master of not only artistic anatomy, methods of drawing and the masters' techniques; but he is also a master at conveying ideas in clear concise language. He was the best lecturer on artistic anatomy. I attended his 10 session lectures twice before he died. The book reflects much of what he taught in his lectures, so it's the next best thing to having him in the room.
Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters July 13, 2006
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is one of the finest books an art student could purchase. It is a treasure. The Great Master paintings are presented which alone is worth it. But Hale has analyzed them in an artistic, not overly anatomical way that makes his lessons sink beneath your skin and pencil. Hale's contribution is priceless.
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