9 781600 611506 5 2 2 9 9 ISBN 978-1-60061-150-6 US $22.99 Z2412 (CAN $27.99) ISBN-13: 978-1-60061-150-6 ISBN-10: 1-60061-150-8 EAN UPC SKETCHING PEOPLE MELLEM Fluid, fast and expressive life drawing starts here. Step by step, you’ll learn to render fl eeting gestures from memory, capture expressions simply and quickly, give your drawing a life of its own with body language, and more. Along the way, you’ll develop a more spontaneous approach for successfully working from life. INSIDE YOU’LL FIND: § A COMPREHENSIVE COURSE ON DRAWING FROM LIFE, BASED ON CLASSIC PRINCIPLES § ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUES FOR DRAWING GESTURE, FIGURES, CLOTHING, EXPRESSION, BODY LANGUAGE AND MORE § LOTS OF EXERCISES THAT BRING LESSONS TO LIFE The skills you’ll learn from this book are so fundamental that every artist will fi nd something in these useful lessons for making the most of all the inspiration that life has to offer. Sketching and drawing from life can be a powerful tool for recording everyday observations, experiences and ideas. In this richly illustrated book, Jeff Mellem covers everything you need to know to turn a moment’s inspiration into an entry in your sketchbook, including: OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS GESTURE DRAWING PORTRAYING THE HUMAN FORM DRAWING CLOTHING CAPTURING EXPRESSION TELLING A STORY WITH BODY LANGUAGE “STAGING” YOUR DRAWING ESTABLISHING MOOD WITH VALUES Even beginning artists can discover the joy of life drawing by following Mellem’s straightforward, step-by-step approach: Start with the gesture, build form based on simple shapes, and fi nally, add the details that give your drawing a sense of believability. As you apply and internalize this artistic process, your mind will be freed to concentrate on what you’re trying to express rather than how to draw. Gather ideas anytime and anywhere, and grow your skills as an artist with every sketch you make. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Professional artist and graphic designer Jeff Mellem has worked in various industries over the last decade. Among others, he has designed for magazines, video games, and theater. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, and studied drawing at the American Animation Institute in Hollywood, California. Jeff uses traditional drawing techniques, the foundation of his work, to develop characters and stories. Art technique | Drawing “By learning the essential principles of drawing you will be able to not have to think about how to draw, but instead be free to express your life through your art.” Z2412 CM SketchingPeople.indd 1 Z2412 CM SketchingPeople.indd 1 3/27/09 10:10:52 AM 3/27/09 10:10:52 AM SKETCHING PEOPLE Z2412 001-009 SketchingPeopleFM.1 1 Z2412 001-009 SketchingPeopleFM.1 1 3/23/09 3:15:27 PM 3/23/09 3:15:27 PM Z2412 001-009 SketchingPeopleFM.2 2 Z2412 001-009 SketchingPeopleFM.2 2 3/23/09 3:15:56 PM 3/23/09 3:15:56 PM Z2412 001-009 SketchingPeopleFM.3 3 Z2412 001-009 SketchingPeopleFM.3 3 3/23/09 3:16:38 PM 3/23/09 3:16:38 PM ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeff Mellem is a professional artist and graphic designer who’s worked in many industries over the last decade. Among others, he has designed for magazines, video games and theater. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, and studied drawing at the American Animation Institute in Hollywood, California. Using traditional drawing techniques to create character and story is the foundation for Jeff’s work. For more on his work, visit www.jeffmellem.com. METRIC CONVERSION CHART TO CONVERT TO MULTIPLY BY Inches Centimeters 2.54 Centimeters Inches 0.4 Feet Centimeters 30.5 Centimeters Feet 0.03 Yards Meters 0.9 Meters Yards 1.1 SKETCHING PEOPLE: LIFE DRAWING BASICS. Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Mellem. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45236. (800) 289-0963. First Edition. Other fi ne North Light Books are available from your local bookstore, art supply store or online supplier. Visit www.fwmedia.com. 13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1 DISTRIBUTED IN CANADA BY FRASER DIRECT 100 Armstrong Avenue Georgetown, ON, Canada L7G 5S4 Tel: (905) 877-4411 DISTRIBUTED IN THE U.K. AND EUROPE BY DAVID & CHARLES Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, England Tel: (+44) 1626 323200, Fax: (+44) 1626 323319 Email: