INFINITE SURFACE is a deep look into a broad range of issues in art. I'm Jesse Thompson, a sculptor, drawer, painter and art-teacher. I've always loved representational art, but my interests dont stop there. On this channel you'll find demos on drawing and sculpting, interviews with professional and popular artists, and topical conversations about issues in art. Please subscribe to encourage more free content.
Hi. Thank you for that book tour! I'm trying to choose my first anatomy book to buy and these book tours are very helpful. Would you recommend Roger Peck's book as a first Anatomy book? I also stumbled upon the book "Anatomy for the Artist - A Complete Guide to Drawing the Human Body" by Jennifer Crouch, but I can't find any review of it? Have you had a chance to go through this one?
I definitely recomend peck, but as I mention in the videos often, not alone. I recomend to purchase it alongside michael hampton's book as well as Mike Mattesi's book, both of which you can find reviews of on my channel. thanks for watching and sorry for the slow reply!
I don't mean to be a dick, but you are so opinionated about these books and yet your art doesn't measure up. Maybe you should spend less time on books and more drawing things you like instead.
Wow - this is super helpful to me! It feels like it’s right in the middle of construction and gesture, which, to me, is a great way to work. Thank you so much for this!!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@jessethompson1 I recently retired and am embarking on my lifelong dream of an excellent art education (I was met with a firm “no” in high school haha). There is so much to learn - practically and philosophically, so I really appreciate your channel. I’m so glad to have found you!!
Yeah- actually I haven’t read them yet. Once I get through my personal (and possibly dated) fat stack of books I’ll be taking some requests on what to look at next
Yeah- actually I haven’t read them yet. Once I get through my personal (and possibly dated) fat stack of books I’ll be taking some requests on what to look at next
It will be in the next batch for sure. up next is Shawn Martinborough's How to Make Noir Comics, and some other anatomy books like Vanderpoel and Hale as well. Im really excited to go over the Guptil, but it will take some prep on my part. I need to have a lot of other books handy to cross-reference.
@@jessethompson1 I'm looking forward to it! Hatching is one of those things where the best I can do is an okay 123 read on a cube and anything more than that just looks like a hot mess.
@@jessethompson1 I like them. The H2D book is what I'd imagine the perfect high school introduction to drawing textbook to be. Both of them detail a bunch of exercises - very similar to what you'll find in Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson. The only real ding I'd have against the books, and it is very slight, is they are both very focused on obersvational drawing and not a lot on invention. They're a bit lopsided in that regard. There is about 2 pages on linear-perspective in the back of H2D. Since, for a beginner, perspective is typically the most intimidating and fun-sucking topic I can't really fault the book too much for it. It isn't until the last section of the figure book that it goes into construction. The depictions are very reminiscent of Morpho or Hampton. They are well drawn with plenty of observations from the author to read as well. It is just the last 15-20% of the book. Perspective was nowhere in the index.
Ah, that’s a really good summary- I’ll take a look for sure. It seems you are digging really deep into these books as well. Are you working as an artist as well? Or teaching? I’d be curious to see how the books helped your art.
@@jessethompson1 Nope. I'm just a couple years into being hobbyist and also a bit of a book nerd. I don't have much to show for it, art-wise. I'm doing more reading than drawing these days. Mostly doing some brief exercises to warm up and then sitting there trying to figure out what to draw. I feel like my imagination is dead and feel pretty lost, honestly.
hands down my favourite figure book and would prolly conisider my most valueable reference material. I d also reccomend checking out his youtube channel where he breaks down elements like feet in real time. What I appreciate most bout the book is its focus on methodolgies of thinking about the figure and ways of approaching it instead of specific techniques or rules
Do you mean that I've somehow ripped off Frazetta's work? Here I am learning from Frazetta, as many artist's do. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, as the saying goes. If you take a look at my personal work portfolio, I think you'd be hard pressed to think I've "ripped offed" Frazetta. I am however inspired by, and learn lots from him.
Studying other artists techniques is not ripping off, it´s learning. And if you´ve never studied or tried to copy other artists styles to personaly learn and get better, youre simply not telling the truth. And btw, no one could ever truly rip off a master such as Frazetta, he´s done some of the best fantasy oil paintings of all time, and next to Bernie Wrightson is perhaps the best inker of all time too. A great master artist, such as Jeffrey Watts study Frazetta all the time and so do many other artist. And btw, most great master artists use refrences, be it models or nature.
"He's not a popular artist" 😂 ok, now I know youre just a troll. Almost every great comicbook artist, dead or alive, have been inspired by Frazettas work, his oil paintings sell for millions, and there are no examples of "other artists" supporting him in his process of making his art😂 Where do you get this from? Please show evidence of this, because Ive read almost everything about Frazetta, and never have I come across anything that said he didn't do his own artworks. That's simply just a lie, that you have no evidence for what so ever. Frank had his own unique style, that no other artist in his prime (which was from the 60s and up in the 80s) did. Even Bolero, also a well known fantasy artist, had a totally other style) And where do I say anything about other artists in my comment to you? I know all the artists you mention and many more, and yes they are all excellent within their own field, but none of them where Frazetta or could be. Then again Frazetta could'nt be Rockwell either.. But no one could be as diverse as Frazetta was. He did comics, charicatures, pencils, pen, water color and oils and when he worked he usually did a painting in a day or two which is insane when you look at the quality. But whether he used reference models or not doesn't matter, most professional artist do btw. And to say something as preposterous as Frank is today regarded as notorious, because he lied about using references, is simply a false statement, one you can't possibly back up with evidence, because there are non. IT completely goes against the fact of how popular his art still is to this day (merchandise and books about his work still sell extremely well), and so does his oil paintings btw. What he made matters, and he made some of the most iconic, gorgeous and powerful fantasy art ever, fact! Deal with it. Oh, and you say Frazetta is easy to immitate? Put you skills where your mouth is then, do a video, I promise I will applaude and give you a "thumbs up" If you do a decent job😉
@@davedfw814 Wauw, who I am or what Ive done, has nothing to do with what YOU have said in your comment about the guy "ripping off" Frazetta, or your statements about Frazetta. Don't change focus. I merely commented on you accusing the guy of ripping off Frazetta and your many accusations about Frazetta too, that you still have'nt backed up with any real evidence btw. I ended by commenting on your statement that Frazetta is easy to copy, and then challenged you to put your skills where your mouth were, and since your'e actually the one making art videos on RU-vid, it would, in all honesty, be interesting to see you do a study on Frank, instead of accusing the guy of doing rip offs, when all he's doing is studying Frazettas art. Btw, I'm almost 50, and have been drawing most of my life, and been studying art for many years on the side too, art is a huge passion of mine and always have been. So I do know plenty about art and artists. I dont have a career, nor do I have website, since thats never been an interest of mine but that doesn't matter the slightest here.
@@davedfw814 But to get back on track, to try and keep focus, you described the guys work as "ripping off" when he was actually studying. There is a huge difference. He's not doing anything different from what other great artists through time have done, which is studying other artists, taking a little here and there, and combining it into a style of ones own. And let me correct myself, because I wrote Bolero in my first comment, I must have been drunk, since I meant Boris Valero, the artist often compared to Frazetta, although the first is not nearly as good as the latter, in my opinion. But you said you wanted to school me, Im curious of what? Perhaps a study in Frazettas style, his brush strokes, the way he uses light and shadow etc?
Nice review! I worked through Successful Drawing before Figure Drawing and I feel like it was essential to understanding his earlier sections in the book. Could you do a review on Ted Kautzky Pencil Book?
Yeah that’s a really good point- I’ll go over those books as well in the future. Thanks for mentioning it! Anyone reading who wants to learn this stuff well: take the tip- successful drawing has a really creative chapter on perspective!
Yeah I wasn't ready for this book when I got it. I could barely draw a circle so it wasn't until like years later that I could actually understand what was in it and what it was saying. The language wasn't that great for a beginner. There's not very many art books that are actually for beginners. Most professional artists have been drawing for years, so it's kind of hard for them to remember what it was like to first Learn how to draw. So they don't explain important parts that are actually important. But to them it's just basic but do need explanation. Like the Charles barge drawing course copying the plates. There was like another course by a different artist, but the one by the other artist was much more detailed and harder for students to learn from because it didn't simplify enough
yes! his book is called drawing with broadsides and it is great....but I lost it! I havent found a replacement so dont have the book with me anymore. So when i can get my hands on a copy, I will. he also has a great watercolor book!
@@jessethompson1 thanks I find those pages on how it simplifies it to be pretty useful. There so many anatomy books it's overwhelming. I got Michael Hamptons one but it more of a figure drawing book and doesn't have super detailed drawings like this one. Do you like Stonehouse book that anatomy one by that Korean artist.
@@williammclean6594 actually I don’t have a copy of it. I saw it advertised a few years ago- it looks great, but I haven’t had the chance to read through it
@@jessethompson1 yeah I've been looking into it all. The reviews seem good. It had some controversy saying like the artist was racist for like putting notes in the book on why the human body evolved to be that way. But that was just people being sensitive. He's not racist.
Great stuff as always, Jesse! Loomis has a special place in my heart- his books were where I first started learning drawing from. Awesome to hear your insights about understanding Loomis and figure drawing and to see you cover this title :)
I bought Andrew looms book when I first wanted to learn how to draw the language that he used was really confusing. I had no idea what he was talking about. I don't think art books are great for beginners. They're more for people who already know how to draw because now when I look at art books I can understand them because I've studied some art through courses and other things. when you open an art book for the first time and you know nothing about art It's hard to understand. What I'm saying. I wasn't ready for it. I was only able to understand what was in the book by doing proko courses.
Oh interesting. Yeah I agree to an extent- I had drawing books for years and didn’t know how to use them well. It’s a steep hill to climb. But that’s why I make these videos, to try to highlight some important points in this and other books that really can help. Stan’s courses are great! I’m a big fan as well!
@@jessethompson1 yeah everybody has like a different learning ability. Some people can like pick up stuff from books pretty easily. For me, I have learning disabilities and I've always learned everything pretty slowly. I always get overwhelmed by all the images and everything and I kind of need a structure because most drawing books don't have you know any sort of exercises in them usually. I'm more of a visual learner. I can read something but I might not understand it but if I see someone do it then I'll get it. Through practicing art, I know now you have to make up your own curriculum what you want to study each week. But I prefer courses for that reason. They have a curriculum so I know what I'm studying so I'm not spinning my wheels.
@@williammclean6594 have you ever tried Nicolaide’s book “the natural way to draw”. It’s more focused on fine arts than illustration, but it is basically a daily exercise drill book! I’ll review it eventually, but check it out
@@jessethompson1 I've heard of it when I forget his last name but his first name is Marshall. He works with proko. I was doing his free Bridgeman series on his RU-vid channel and he mentioned it. Right now I feel pretty okay because I set up projects for myself and what I want to study each week like I'll study gesture for a week and then like drawing heads and stuff that I have a hard time with. But I'll check it out. Because like I still haven't found like any drawing exercise that I can do for very long because most of them are pretty boring. If I'm not having fun with like the subject matter, I don't really stick to it . I can stick with gesture drawing because that's really fun to. I just don't get excited like drawing ellipses and straight lines.
I've found Hamm's How To Draw Animals book very useful--same kind of application as the ones you show here (other books cover everything in more detail but a great book for a "first pass" at understanding something.) I always find myself starting there whenever I have to draw an animal!
As an artist and educator I appreciated this book review and the insights you shared. I stumbled upon you by accident but now look forward to more from you. Thank you.
It is a good title. It’s like the male and female mind. The male or in this case anatomy structure must but developed. It must be first and foremost. The female or emotional style submits or Becomes itself pure by allowing the male or structural side to master the logic. This way the art is perfect to all. Be perfect my friend.
Ya it's kind of the in-between gesture and construction. It seems very similar to Proko's "bean" method of gesture/figure drawing. Thank you for taking the time to share and teach all this btw! I just found this channel so I'm excited to go through it all.
yeah, thats right....its just my synthasized version of all sorts of methods, including the line of action, the box method, and for sure Stan's bean or robo bean. Anyone deep into this kind of study can tell you that none of these are brand new. But give a look also at the loomis disk or symbols pelvis! that is one that i want to go over in more detail for sketching and invention
Hello! Thank you so much for your video! I recently got the book and I like it a lot! I hope you don’t mind me asking but is it me or are some of the hand drawn drawings kind of hard to see 😅 I originally thought it was because I bought a used version of the book 😅
Great video! This has really inspired me to not only own this book for myself and study from it, but also the tips that you recommended like having your own manual with the things that help/speak to you that's really helpful. Thanks so much
