Morpho: Joint Forms and Muscular Functions - (Morpho: Anatomy for Artists) by Michel Lauricella (Paperback)

About the Book

In Morpho: Joint Forms and Muscular Functions, artist and teacher Michel Lauricella presents a unique approach to learning to draw the human form. In this book, Lauricella offers a mechanical vision of the body, allowing us to see the important connections between the body's joints and its muscular functions. By reducing joint shapes to very simple forms, such as the pulley and the sphere, and then demonstrating the relationships that muscles have to these joints, you acquire much more insight into both the shape and movements of the human body, which in turn improves your powers of observation and thus your drawing skills. Geared toward artists of all levels--from beginners through professionals--this handy, pocket-sized book will help spark your imagination and creativity.

Book Synopsis

The must-have guide for all artists who draw the human figure!

In Morpho: Joint Forms and Muscular Functions, artist and teacher Michel Lauricella presents a mechanical view of the human body. In the same way that paleontologists work, we can deduce the body's muscular functions by studying the shapes of the bones. Starting with the joints, which are reduced to simple shapes such as pulleys and spheres, Lauricella teaches you their connections and correspondences with the muscular system, which is necessary for understanding movement.

Geared toward artists of all levels, from beginners through professionals, this handy, pocket-sized book will facilitate your practice of imaginative drawing and will enrich your drawing from observation. Whether your interest is in figure drawing, fine arts, fashion design, game design, or creating comic book or manga art, you will find this helpful book filled with actionable insights.

(Publisher's Note: This book features an "exposed" binding style. This is intentional as it is designed to help the book lay flat as you draw.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

Head and Neck

Torso

Upper Limbs

Lower Limbs

Resources

About the Author

Michel Lauricella was trained at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (National Higher Institute of Fine Arts) of Paris. He has been teaching morphology for over twenty years, first at the Émile Cohl school (Lyons), then at the Beaux-Arts studios of the city of Paris, and finally at the Gobelins (Paris). He currently teaches at the LISAA school, the Beaux-Arts workshops, and the Fabrica 114 studio, all of which are located in Paris, France.