# Drawing Reference Books/Sites



## Rmania (Jul 3, 2016)

Hi! I'm currently reading a movement and form drawing syllabus book that i got earlier this year and I wondered if anyone had any good musculature/anatomy reference books or sites that they can recommend? 

I found a really good pose website that gives you 360 perspective view of someone in a pose which is great because you can also focus in close on the image as well (it's called Posespace if anyone is interested in that) 

If anyone can recommend some books/sites it would be greatly appreciated


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## coldbrew (Jul 3, 2016)

"Force: The Key to Capturing Life Through Drawing" by Michael D. Mattesi

Not your basic anatomy book, but I love it to bits because it focuses on motion and lines and how to convey life and movement in figure art. Really recommend it; teaches you how to look at figures in big strokes instead of finely rendered details and such.

Marshall Vandruff has an amazing animal anatomy workshop. I dunno if it's online (I got it from iFX magazine). Could send you the scans if you want 

As for references...I haven't used sites as much as random images...I'm basically an image hoarder and will save whatever movie screenshot, real life images, art and anything that looks like it could be useful  Found that learning from comics really, really helped in breaking down basic anatomy shapes and learning to loosen up my lines so they don't look stiff.

Also when you're watching TV you can take out scrap paper and start drawing the characters quickly to get the basic poses, forms and idea. Found it quite fun and useful for shows that I tend to doze off on (crime dramas are perfect).

And can't forget video games!!! Ever since the PS4 made screenshots easy as hell, I've been spending hours just taking pictures, especially in games that have photo mode. 360 figures galore! 

....and I figure I'm talking too much by now XD Thanks for the posespace site btw, that's really neat! If you wanna chat about anatomy practice or such I'll be glad -- personally still figuring my way around with it as well.


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## darien (Jul 3, 2016)

There's quite a bit of useful stuff in this pinned thread over on the tutorials and critiques sub-section which also has a number of useful threads (and replies!) about specific topics such as hands and feet, heads, skulls, legs, animals, furry, and human anatomy included.


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## Rmania (Jul 4, 2016)

coldbrew said:


> "Force: The Key to Capturing Life Through Drawing" by Michael D. Mattesi
> 
> Not your basic anatomy book, but I love it to bits because it focuses on motion and lines and how to convey life and movement in figure art. Really recommend it; teaches you how to look at figures in big strokes instead of finely rendered details and such.
> 
> ...



Awesome i'll check that book out! From the looks of the cover you may like the book i have just been reading called "The Youssef Drawing Syllabus - Movement & Form". It essentially teaches you skills to capture the energy and gesture of a pose from a model by covering directional forces, weight in an image, centre of gravity, blocking etc (there's quite a few toppings). I've attached a picture of the summary page to show the drawings progression. 

If you got the scans that would be awesome, we can do an art exchange  I was also recommended a booked called "die gestalt des menschen" by Gottfried Bammes for anatomy and he also has a book on animal anatomy but i will definitely check out Marshall Vandruff!

I used to have quite a few reference images then my laptop died... since then I've been hesitant to reclaim them all again. I've got a wall of comics for reference though and of course games lol. I'm trying to get myself back in the habit of quick drawing again as i haven't drawn in a while an my lines are stiff.

You weren't talking too much lol, you provided some good books & artists and you're welcome for the posespace site! it was noted in the book i mentioned so i checked it out. That sounds fun  i'll drop you a note if i have a question about it


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## Rmania (Jul 4, 2016)

darien said:


> There's quite a bit of useful stuff in this pinned thread over on the tutorials and critiques sub-section which also has a number of useful threads (and replies!) about specific topics such as hands and feet, heads, skulls, legs, animals, furry, and human anatomy included.


Thanks for the forum link i will check it out


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## SevenArms (Jul 5, 2016)

You can check out Posemaniacs.com or the stock references from deviantart, http://senshistock.deviantart.com/ and http://mostlyguystock.deviantart.com/ have great reference photos, just read first the rules to know how to use them


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## Rmania (Jul 5, 2016)

SevenArms said:


> You can check out Posemaniacs.com or the stock references from deviantart, http://senshistock.deviantart.com/ and http://mostlyguystock.deviantart.com/ have great reference photos, just read first the rules to know how to use them



Oh! I'll keep that web link for posemaniacs, that'll be helpful thank you  i'll check the others out as well.


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## Rivercoon (Jul 22, 2016)

There are always the classics like Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth.  I've always liked the Japanese POSE FILE photo reference books.


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