Force Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators Epub

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 · 1,845 ratings  · 20 reviews

Start your review of Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators

Feb 23, 2016 Dooz rated it it was amazing

Oh my gosh, this book. It really was a game-changer for my drawing. Academic figure drawing is very stiff. It took a book about animation to bring out the natural beauty and flow of the human figure. Animation has a tendency to be poo-poo'd as being a lesser art. I disagree - animators have the difficult job of making a complex machine like the human body visually interesting without the luxury of detail. There are none better qualified than they to point out how to portray motion in the figure. Oh my gosh, this book. It really was a game-changer for my drawing. Academic figure drawing is very stiff. It took a book about animation to bring out the natural beauty and flow of the human figure. Animation has a tendency to be poo-poo'd as being a lesser art. I disagree - animators have the difficult job of making a complex machine like the human body visually interesting without the luxury of detail. There are none better qualified than they to point out how to portray motion in the figure.

This isn't a how-to book on figure drawing. For that, I recommend Jack Hamm, George Bridgman, and Burne Hogarth. This book concerns itself with the concept of a body's natural "forces," such as gravity, motion, and thrust (stop giggling).

These are very simple drawings that break down the body's motion into its most basic forms. An excellent book for the serious art student.

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Truly enjoyed this one.

I've had figure drawing lessons, mostly as a prerequisite to enter the school of fine arts I graduated from but also as a student there. I'd given up drawing for some years now, in favor of other arts, and recently started getting into the habit of daily sketching again. This book was immensely helpful. I felt it saved me bucket-loads of time and helped me find my form quicker and more efficiently than i would have had I gone at it by myself.

It goes through the basics of f

Truly enjoyed this one.

I've had figure drawing lessons, mostly as a prerequisite to enter the school of fine arts I graduated from but also as a student there. I'd given up drawing for some years now, in favor of other arts, and recently started getting into the habit of daily sketching again. This book was immensely helpful. I felt it saved me bucket-loads of time and helped me find my form quicker and more efficiently than i would have had I gone at it by myself.

It goes through the basics of figure drawing. Mainly concerned with lines, forces and perspective techniques - there isn't much if anything at all on shading and volumes through textures/colors/shadows. It's best if you couple it with figure drawing poses from online resourses (I've found at least 2 youtube channels dedicated to this) so you'll immediately put to practice the lessons you learn.

It was a joy to look, read and study it. I plan to refresh the lessons taught in a few months. Definitely recommended.

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Nov 15, 2009 Parka rated it it was amazing

(More pictures at parkablogs.com)

Here's a very useful book not just for animators, but for anyone who do character drawings. It's called Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, authored by Michael D. Mattesi.

First of all, this is a book for intermediate and advanced artists. Foundational knowledge of anatomy is required to fully appreciate and follow along with the lessons.

This book is about creating realistic poses for life drawing. Examples show how forces inside the body and outside (g

(More pictures at parkablogs.com)

Here's a very useful book not just for animators, but for anyone who do character drawings. It's called Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, authored by Michael D. Mattesi.

First of all, this is a book for intermediate and advanced artists. Foundational knowledge of anatomy is required to fully appreciate and follow along with the lessons.

This book is about creating realistic poses for life drawing. Examples show how forces inside the body and outside (gravity or objects) act on the human figure, and how the body reacts to the force.

There are lots of tips and illustrated examples on strong and memorable poses, such as the using of structure and form, overlaps, foreshortening, silhouettes etc. The explanations are clear and simple, even very sketchy illustrated examples bring the point across with very few lines.

While many instructional drawing books teaches how to draw, this book teaches how to think before drawing. Whenever I draw, I always remind myself of the tips to help prevent my characters from being too static.

Additionally, there are also chapters on handling clothing, drawing on location and drawing animals.

The companion website for this book is at drawingforce.com.

Mike Mattesi is the owner and founder of Entertainment Art Academy based in Southern California. He has been a professional artist and instructor for the last fifteen years with Disney, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, Electronics Arts, Dreamworks and Nickelodeon.

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Jan 14, 2021 Seth rated it it was amazing

delicious anatomical knowledge expressed thru the framework of force is so sexy that it might make me want to engage with art again, sob. gesture and form are my favorite favorite aspects of life drawing, & this is such an engaging bridge between them, a v exciting pov to practice from, lkjadfh literally worth a buy just to look at this man's drawings. delicious anatomical knowledge expressed thru the framework of force is so sexy that it might make me want to engage with art again, sob. gesture and form are my favorite favorite aspects of life drawing, & this is such an engaging bridge between them, a v exciting pov to practice from, lkjadfh literally worth a buy just to look at this man's drawings. ...more

Dec 06, 2013 Clint rated it it was amazing

Just the book I was looking for! I wanted an instructional-type book that didn't start off with blind-contour drawing and lead into "using a grid." This is not an art book for someone who wants to learn to draw; this is a book for someone who wants to learn to draw better. Coming from an animation background, Mattesi pushes some ideas I really like that focus on making the drawing come alive. His approach is less "draw what you see," and more "understand what you see and give it an opinion." I b Just the book I was looking for! I wanted an instructional-type book that didn't start off with blind-contour drawing and lead into "using a grid." This is not an art book for someone who wants to learn to draw; this is a book for someone who wants to learn to draw better. Coming from an animation background, Mattesi pushes some ideas I really like that focus on making the drawing come alive. His approach is less "draw what you see," and more "understand what you see and give it an opinion." I borrowed this book from the library, but I'm going to acquire it and add it to my personal library -- I can't say enough nice things about it. ...more

Kind of a basic book. Used it in my college figure drawing class for animation. I loved the expressive art, but it does VERY LITTLE to teach you about real anatomy. It's really a book for developed artists to learn how to take their already great core fundamentals of anatomy and skew them for animation and exaggerated/expressive illustration. I do NOT recommend beginner artists to get this book if they want a serious book that will teach them proportional anatomy/ realistic anatomy. AMAZING book Kind of a basic book. Used it in my college figure drawing class for animation. I loved the expressive art, but it does VERY LITTLE to teach you about real anatomy. It's really a book for developed artists to learn how to take their already great core fundamentals of anatomy and skew them for animation and exaggerated/expressive illustration. I do NOT recommend beginner artists to get this book if they want a serious book that will teach them proportional anatomy/ realistic anatomy. AMAZING book for animators, just make sure your conception of anatomy is solid before breaking all the rules and experimenting with exaggerated pose. ...more

very cool drawings and probably great way to think for some people but i just can't seem to wrap my mind about the multiple uses and meanings of the used word "force"/can't turn it into something my brain can use as I just get confused when it sometimes means a force like in physics/gravity, other times directionality and other times energy and "rhythm" type stuff. very cool drawings and probably great way to think for some people but i just can't seem to wrap my mind about the multiple uses and meanings of the used word "force"/can't turn it into something my brain can use as I just get confused when it sometimes means a force like in physics/gravity, other times directionality and other times energy and "rhythm" type stuff. ...more

Feb 22, 2009 Ian rated it liked it

Took a short 4-class teaser from the author. Thought it was interesting but I prefer to draw from gesture/silhouette and found this a little idealistic at times.

Dec 13, 2017 Antonia rated it it was amazing

This is one of the best drawing books I've ever come across. If you read 'The natural way to draw' by Kimon Nicolaides and liked it, this is the next step. It teaches you how to see the underlying force of model and use it to build a solid lifelike figure.
I'd been trying to learn anatomy and to work from references in order to draw realistic figures from memory, but my work was too stiff. This book is for anyone who has the ability to draw from observation and wishes to take it further. This is one of the best drawing books I've ever come across. If you read 'The natural way to draw' by Kimon Nicolaides and liked it, this is the next step. It teaches you how to see the underlying force of model and use it to build a solid lifelike figure.
I'd been trying to learn anatomy and to work from references in order to draw realistic figures from memory, but my work was too stiff. This book is for anyone who has the ability to draw from observation and wishes to take it further. ...more

Jun 19, 2020 Eric rated it it was amazing

This may sound dramatic, but this book changed the way I look at life drawing. Because models are still the entire pose, you kinda look upon them as frozen statues. But this book smashes that notion and teaches you how to look for all the forces flowing freely through the model even when they're entirely still.

FORCE is a must read for any artist trying to capture life and its energy.

Nov 22, 2017 Helsean K. rated it it was amazing

I cannot begin to describe what a magnificent effect this book had on my drawing! Every artist MUST give it a try! Especially if you are suffering from statue-like lifelessness and stiffness in your drawings.

Sep 06, 2018 Hanieh Salehi rated it really liked it

a very good start in figure drawing. first 3 chapters were most useful. I didn't go through the rest carefully. Once you get the concept of force, then you can use it in drawing everything. a very good start in figure drawing. first 3 chapters were most useful. I didn't go through the rest carefully. Once you get the concept of force, then you can use it in drawing everything. ...more

Jul 07, 2008 Toby rated it it was amazing

changed my life... Seriously this book opened my eyes to push my drawings and see things I didn't before while drawing. The Force has had a HUGE influence on me! changed my life... Seriously this book opened my eyes to push my drawings and see things I didn't before while drawing. The Force has had a HUGE influence on me! ...more

Nov 13, 2010 Greg Tatum rated it really liked it

Great ideas on figure drawing. I think it was worth it just for his advocacy of china marker on newsprint which is amazing.

May 30, 2015 M0rningstar rated it really liked it

The text can be vague and rambling, but it's still a worthwhile read. Works best if at least somewhat familiar with anatomy. The text can be vague and rambling, but it's still a worthwhile read. Works best if at least somewhat familiar with anatomy. ...more

Aug 04, 2012 Ahmed Gamal rated it it was amazing

very innovative approach to understand drawing.
it teaches you how to bring life to your drawings

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Force Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators Epub

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