The Basis of Academic Drawing. The Human Figure, Head, Portrait, and Capital

Alexander Ryzhkin is an artist, associate professor at the Department of Academic Drawing at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after S.G. Stroganov, a lecturer in plastic anatomy at the Russian Academy of Arts and Design named after I.S. Glazunov, a member of the board, chairman of the youth section of the Union of Artists of Russia, project manager, and author of the YouTube channel "How to Draw" with one and a half million views, and one of the most well-known teachers of academic drawing. Elizabeth Ryzhkina is an artist, art historian, a member of the Union of Artists of Russia, and acting dean of the Design Faculty at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after S.G. Stroganov, curator of the project "How to Draw." Academic drawing helps us to see form, to realistically convey it on paper, teaches us to feel tonal relationships, see perspective and distortions of objects as they recede from the viewer, and distinguish types of hatching. In this book, the author uses his six-stage drawing technique. He step-by-step demonstrates and provides clear explanations on how to draw the human head, its figure, portrait - from constructing the skull to drawing from life. A separate section is dedicated to the architectural element - the capital, where the principles of performing each of its details are shown. Understanding the approach itself, its sequence, as well as precise instructions will allow for skillful embodiment, depth, integrity, and expressiveness of the work. The book is intended for students of art and architectural universities and faculties, for students of vocational educational institutions, and for anyone who wants to improve their drawing skills. The book presents an illustrated methodology for step-by-step work on the main tasks of academic setups: - male figure in the contraposto position; - figure of the Doryphoros; - figure of a youth leaning on one leg; - waist portrait of Niccolò da Ucciano in profile; - waist portrait of Niccolò da Ucciano in three-quarters; - head of Diadoumenos; - female portrait; - male portrait with a shoulder harness; - drawing of a Doric capital.