I’m currently re-reading Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm.  It was the first figure drawing book I ever bought and was suggested to me by my mother who didn’t care for the HTDM books I borrowed from the library.  After reading the book the first time and seeing a good jump in my skills, I understood what she had been telling me about the complexity of figure drawing and the importance of building a solid foundation.

I often hear a lot of people recommend figure drawing books to me with added instructions to “copy” the drawings.  I think that can help beginners but I view good books as supplemental information to what can be observed from life or photography.  I also have read a lot of books and have a library of useful ones that I refer to from time to time.  Some highly recommended books did not work with me so I hope that no one has ever gotten offended when I didn’t take their advice.  I just learn differently is all. 

Also, on a somewhat random note, my sketchbook is not something I keep up to impress people with.  Everything in my sketchbook is done with the intention of either releasing steam or figuring out something, whether it be a particularily difficult piece of anatomy or a composition for a new painting.  I feel like some people think I don’t do studies when that is not true at all.  It’s just that I don’t see the need to scanning in every single study I complete because, again, they are not meant to impress or show around, they are meant to aid me. 

So yeah…just some random art thinking.