14 Best Figure Drawing Books for Beginners and Professional Artists

One of the most talked about books among the figure drawing artists by the illustrator Andrew Loomis (1892-1959).

Many famous artists praise him for his clean-looking realistic style and the knowledge that he shared in this must-have art book.

This is not a quick tips book, but rather a lot of theory and knowledge that has to be learned over a couple of months.

It covers fundamental concepts such as proportion, gesture, and anatomy, providing detailed explanations and many illustrations.

Give it a shot if you are up for the challenge!

Arguably one of the most famous books on figure drawing right now!

A book that doesn’t teach shading, expression or contour drawing. Instead, it stands out for its emphasis on the design aspect of figure drawing.

It focuses on a simplified approach to understanding anatomy, form and the use of lines.

Overall, teaching us to understand How everything works and Why.

Geared towards beginners and experienced artists, this book on figure drawing covers everything from how to hold your tools properly to the last finishing strokes of an amazingly “alive” drawing.

Steve Huston emphasizes the importance of capturing the essence and character of the human figure. As well as teaching techniques for accurate proportions, gesture, and conveying weight and volume.

Something to admire is the boldness of the lines in the sketches as well as how well the form is portrayed!

In order to truly learn from the book, don’t just flip through, but follow along with the practical exercises and clear instructions. You will definitely see results soon!

An astonishing visual guide that leads you through the anatomy of even the smallest bones.

About half of the book is filled with beautifully taken images with transparent paper overlay. This way, you can still see the photo behind while understanding how the bones fit in place (since they are drawn on transparent paper and correspond with the image next to it).

It’s a next-level book that requires a lot of time studying, but its practical exercises and anatomical references can really help you step up your art game.

Dan Gheo is a New York artist who teaches figure drawing and painting at the Art Students League and the National Academy School of Fine Arts (New York City) and is a professor at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts (Connecticut).

This book has many drawings (120) by the old masters, as well as Dan Gheno’s own beautiful pieces.

Inside, you can find 5 step-by-step illustrations to help you understand the process in even greater detail.

Geared toward concept artists, this book offers practical tips on drawing dynamic and believable characters.

It’s a little different from others on this list. The main goal of this book is to teach you figure drawing while keeping in mind the artist’s main goal – concept.

This book is for you whether you are a traditional artist looking to find a way into the concept art industry or a concept artist wanting to ground your work in classical art skills.

Beautiful illustrations and easy-to-follow explanations are both present in this minimalistic and stunning guide.

This book’s main objective is to teach you to understand what is actually happening with every muscle and bone in the human body rather than what we think we see by following a three-step drawing method taught here.

Starting from basic correct shapes, moving into a refined contour line and then working inside those lines.

There are also separate chapters for gestures, light, and form; as well as multiple tips and tricks along the way in this 160-page long guide.

As the title suggests, this book serves as an anatomical atlas, providing detailed illustrations and references for artists.

It offers a comprehensive understanding and the Classical study of everything you need to know about bones, muscles, surface anatomy, proportion, equilibrium, locomotion, expressions, and distinctions of age, sex, and race.

This 272 pages long book is filled with photographs, drawings, graphs and text that supports and explains how everything works.

It is very well organized for you from the start of your learning until the end of the book, with multiple three-dimensional rendered drawings.

A book with beautiful figure drawings from Burne Hogarth (1911–1996), sometimes called “Michaelangelo of the comic strip,” since he was the one who started combining classicism, realism, and expressionism in comic strips in a very powerful way.

It reminds every artist that no matter what style you prefer working in, knowing the anatomy is very important!

This is a 176-page book that will teach you basic as well as complex anatomy. The author exaggerates many of his drawings in order to prove his point and provide you with knowledge about even the most complex foreshortened positions.

It explores gesture, action, and foreshortening, offering practical techniques and exercises to convey energy and vitality in drawings.

This newly redesigned book is special in a way that it combines 6 books by George B. Bridgman, who was an artist and lecturer at New York City’s Art Students League for many years.

It is filled with many illustrations of human anatomy in a variety of mediums, with more than 200 (!!) drawings of hands alone.

It covers various aspects of figure drawing, including anatomy, proportions, and structure, with an emphasis on capturing the live model’s gestures and movements.

In this 352-page book, you get references and text describing them on the side.

This book offers a unique approach by analyzing the works of master artists from the Renaissance to the 19th century.

It is filled with a lot of examples from multiple art geniuses, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and many others!

Each part of the body is well explained and presented with a couple of different stylistic approaches to how you may draw it.

Robert Beverly Hale believes that one must know how everything works but still be able to skip a few details here and there in order to focus on the most important aspect of your drawing – the spirit of it.

Old Book – Gold Rules!

Don’t look at the date of publishing and decide that you are looking for newer tips because this book has got it all! When it comes to figure-drawing knowledge, time is not really of the essence.

It provides step-by-step instructions, simplified techniques, and ample visual examples for drawing both the head and the figure.

Reading it and practicing those rules will help you understand the human figure you see in front of yourself. Learning from it will allow you to draw from imagination while keeping correct proportions.

If you feel intimidated by the usual human anatomy drawing lessons and would love to get started from the very basics, this is the book for you.

This excellent book by Chris Hart is specifically designed with beginners in mind.

It offers step-by-step instructions, clear demonstrations, and practical tips for drawing human figures with confidence.

It provides a solid introduction to the fundamentals of figure drawing, including proportions, poses, and capturing the essence of the human form.

It’s made with an approachable style and beginner-friendly content, so it’s perfect for aspiring artists new to figure drawing.