Editorial Reviews
Product Description:Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators
Capture the force in your life drawing subjects with this practical guide to dynamic drawing techniques - packed with superb, powerfully drawn examples that show you how to:
* Bring your work to life with rhythmic drawing techniques
* Create appealing and dynamic poses in your drawings
* Experience the figure's energy in three dimensional space
* Use the asymmetry of straight and curved lines to clarify the direction of force in the body
* Build on your foundational anatomy and figure drawing skills to animate your drawings
*Apply the theory of force to your on-location and animal drawing observations
Whether you are an animator, comic book artist, illustrator or fine arts' student you'll learn to use rhythm, shape, and line to bring out the life in any subject while Mike Mattesi's infectious enthusiasm will have you reaching for your pencils!
Mike Mattesi is the owner and founder of Entertainment Art Academy (www.enterartacad.com) based in Southern California. He has been a professional production artist and instructor for the last fifteen years with clients including Disney, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, DreamWorks and Nickelodeon.
Audience level: Intermediate to advanced
* Discover and master the techniques of rhythmic drawing and bring your work to life
* Learn from a professional production artist who has successfully taught his unique techniques for the last fifteen years
* Written in an accessible, enthusiastic style which will have you reaching for your pencils!
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
Forceful Life Drawing for Animators, October 31, 2008
By
David J. Soto (Portland, OR USA)
Force: Character Design from Life Drawing
I immediately applied some of the major principles highlighted in this superb book on approaching the task of life drawing in a different way. As a cartoonist, I have often struggled with trying to get a grip on drawing a human quickly and effortlessly. Sure, I have all the other books, but I came across this one accidently while browsing at my local bookstore. On a whim and to see if I had grasped the major concepts correctly, I used a book on dinosaurs and an advert I received in the mail as a starting point. I drew my rectangles and used a pyramid as the main body and I instantly saw an improvement in my drawing quailty and characterization with a more forceful feeling.
[...]
Please note, the cartoon characters at bottom of page where done before I read and studied this book. I also ended up buying the other book by Mike Mattesi, "Force: Character Design from Life Drawing".
Huge Improvement, October 22, 2008
By
Nena C. Yumol (Los Angeles, CA)
This book is a must have if you would like to improve your drawings (especially gestures). The book is well written and soooo easy to understand the meaning behind Mattesi's lessons. I knew this book would be a great way to study and learn to draw better, but I can't believe how fast my drawings have improved, in only a few weeks out of a semester of figure drawing. I compared my drawings (about 8 class sessions), and anybody can totally see the huge improvements. It was so wierd that it looked as if 2 different people drew them! I've read several books on anatomy and figure drawing, including ones by the great Andrew Loomis, but nothing compares with this book in finding RYTHM and "force". After goin through this book you may feel more free and expressive, especially in gesture drawings. It will also help your figures look more lively. I have also recommended this book to my art teachers and they LOVE IT!
SO GET THIS BOOK!
btw: the examples in this book are very expressive and a bit abstract. If you prefer "realistic" drawings like me, it will not affect your "taste" or technique, but it will certainly make you a better, looser, free-er? artist. if you need help on structure and anatomy, i recommend some bridgeman books. And if you can get a hold of any...check out some by Andrew Loomis.
after all the GREAT reviews I am surprised BUT I did NOT like it, August 8, 2008
By
truestar (iraq)
MANY great reviews had me taking a chance and ordering this book. If you are at a beginner level with line drawing and the quality of line--then it is a good buy.Many teachers do not stress these force lines. I guess I was lucky as mine did (years ago in the 70's)In this book, he stresses force lines of figure drawing and the quality of the line (light touch, dark, heavy) as a way to show the force in a figure--therefore, adding a new dimension to your flat looking drawings IF you always use the same pressure on the pencil as your method. Or IF you draw tight and are afraid to loosen up and let the pencil flow on the paper along force lines until you have the figure. It really didn't help me at ALL, as I learned figure drawing this way. There are many of his and student drawings, and that's fine, but in all fairness and honesty--it didn't help me. I was disappointed in all the glowing reviews?!
Inspiring Read, May 27, 2008
By
J. Galluccio (Hartford, CT United States)
Although I have not read through the whole book, it has some great info and has renewed my interest in drawing the human form.
The best I have found, March 22, 2008
By
Paul HolmesI just finished reading this book the first time through, and it's great. All of the other reviews are spot on. It does help to have some knowledge of anatomy, but if you don't, you can still learn from this book, and it will make learning anatomy more fun. It has lots of great full page drawings too. I've noticed improvements in my skills, and look forward to going through it again in the future.
