- Hardcover: 152 pages
- Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications Inc.,U.S. (5 Jun 1986)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0823014649
- ISBN-13: 978-0823014644
- Product Dimensions: 27.9 x 20.6 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,912,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was recommended this book by a student of the author and have found it to be the most inspirational work I've so far encountered as regards drawing procedures and techniques, but also in the wider philosophical sense. By his precision of language used to describe the processes of seeing and of drawing, the author conveys the immense subtlety and refinement available to the artist, which are certainly reflected in the beautiful and extremely helpful illustrations. Artists of any stage of development will find this book invaluable and it could have special resonance for anyone on a spiritual path, as it stresses letting go of habitual thinking.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
You need this book
15 Jun 2003
Format:Paperback
If you were stripped of every luxury of life, and had to exile yourself to an abandoned island with only the essentials for human existence, you'd think of things like food, water, and shelter. Likewise, if I ever had to get rid of every book in my how-to art library except for the ones that I would absolutely shrivel up and blow away without, this book would remain on my shelf along with Richard Schmid's "Alla Prima" and "Life Drawing in Charcoal" by Douglas Graves. These three are my food, water and shelter for surviving as a serious art student.
This book puts a greater emphasis on the artist's focus and state of mind than it does on technique.. Sound a little "Zen-like?" It is, in a lot of ways, but "you will draw what the mind sees" until you learn to draw what the eye sees. "The problem," Jacobs writes, "is not that we don't see well enough but that we do not draw what we see. We draw what we think." This is coming from a man whose drawings look like the masterpieces of da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Better listen to him.
While developing your mental-visual muscles, Jacobs goes into symmetry, balance, and light. But only after opening your eyes to what you see before you so your art won't be contaminated from an image file in your brain.
Each topic is broken down into bite-sized segments--you can literally read a topic and digest it in 5 minutes or less. Or, if you want to sit down for the full meal, read and absorb several topics, review some you've read before, and skip ahead to some other stuff you found in the index. Then go draw. You'll be flexing art muscles you never knew you had. And you will be very pleased with your results.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Great drawings, but text could be better
28 Jun 2002
Format:Paperback
Jacobs' book focuses mostly on figure drawing, and not drawing in general. He makes a number of points that are highly useful for someone who wants to draw well, such as empasizing the need to avoid imposing symbolic forms (circles, tubes, etc.) on figure drawings. As part of that emphasis he stresses some practical points, including the need for the artist to notice that there are no true parallel lines or concave forms in the human body. Unfortunatley he is a bit too long-winded and mystical-sounding when he makes these points, and I found myself having to re-read many of his passages to figure out what he meant, or else simply saying, "Huh?" This book would probably be better to use after you've read one by Jacobs' former student, Anthony Ryder, called "The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing," which is one of my favorite how-to art books. Ryder covers much of the same ground as Jacobs, but is much clearer and has more practical detail. However, as a previous reviewer noted, Jacobs' drawings included in the book are quite impressive and inspiring by themselves. (Many of Ryder's drawings in his book are remarkably similar in style to those done by Jacobs- you can definitely tell where he learned to draw.)
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Great inspiration for aspring artists...
8 May 2000
Format:Paperback
This book has several simply marvelous sketches by the artist, many of which you'll wish were available as prints. While perhaps not as instuctive in teaching you how to draw as it might be (the author focuses more on mind-set then techniques), the drawings will inspire you to improve.
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