Classic Human Anatomy: The Artist's Guide to Form, Function, and Movement

I've seen and owned a lot of art anatomy books and they fall into 3 different catagories: 1. Essential, 2. Supplemental 3. Not worth your money. This book which is published this year (2009) would fall in the essential category. The information is paticularly useful for the beginner; There is a lot of hand-holding sort of speak. The information is presented in a clear, consise manner which is a god-send for such a difficult subject. A nice touch is that the author presented pronounciation keys for several of the muscles names. The pictures are also of high quality although I have seen better pictures in other books (Atlas of the Human Anatomy by Peck, Artistic Anatomy by Richer, and Die Gestalt des Menschen (German edition only) by Gottfried Bammes have much more impressive detail). The book artist is no slouch though. This book is a nice surprise and it stands out in a sea of bad anatomy books.

I saw this in a NY Times book review and gave it to a friend for a his birthday. I did look through it before wrapping it. To me it looked like a true masterpiece, but what would a real artist would think? My friend is an artist and professional medical/forensic illustrator with over 25 years experience. When he first opened the gift, he paged through the book and said it looked good. One week later he called me to thank me again, and said he had been going through it almost every night and found it to be a goldmine of really important information, presented in a way that artists could really use and appreciate. I felt that this was a strong endorsement from someone with a really critical eye.

This book is titled "Classic Human Anatomy". It's that and it's so much more! The artwork in this book is incredible. There are details and breakdowns that cover everything one might be looking for in an anatomy book. On top of that, the artwork itself manages to be engaging, artful and full of warmth. There are copious amounts of beautiful figure drawings and gestures throughout this lavish volume. This artist definitely knows her craft and shares her invaluable knowledge here. This book also includes helpful reference listings, a glossary, an index and even pronunciation keys! It's a major work that should be in the collection of every art teacher, art student and art lover who can appreciate this modern classic! Aside from the informative material in this book, just flipping through it's pages is inspiring. You won't be able to wait to get in front of a model and draw! As a college art teacher, I will be recommending this book to all of my students and colleagues.

Valerie L. Winslow's Classic Human Anatomy is the latest offering for the artist about anatomy and drawing the human body. Designed for an artist by an artist, this book is a gem. Included in this volume is, how to draw muscle movement, how to pronounce the complicated anatomical names, and how to understand anatomical structure. All this makes Ms. Winslow's book a fantastic offering. The modern science of anatomy and the classical roots from which it comes are developed with attention to detail. Ms. Winslow has vast experience in a classroom and knows what artist's want in an anatomy treatise. She combines exquisite drawings of the body with technical knowledge of the science of the human form in a beautifully illustrated work. The hardbound book delivers key information on everything anatomical and does it with style and power. The text is expertly organized and instructors will find all the information helpful when teaching this complicated subject. The information in this book is delivered in a logical way. This makes it a pleasure to read and look through. This volume helps make the complicated easier and memorable. Students of anatomy, who draw well and those who hope to improve drawing of the human figure, will find the information contained in this beautifully crafted book, exactly what they are looking for. The volume is easy to access and can be opened non-sequentially so that whatever you are looking for, you can find. An artist needs visual stimulation to develop skill level in drawing and this book by Ms. Winslow will inspire artists everywhere to learn and study anatomy.