Drawing

GIOVANNI CIVARDI was born in Milan in 1947. While training to become a sculptor, portrait artist and illustrator at the Free Life-Study School of the Accademia di Brera, he also studied medicine and surgery. For over a decade, he worked as an illustrator, producing commissions for newspapers, magazines and book covers. During frequent trips to France and Denmark, Civardi put on one-man exhibitions of this work and pursued his interest in studying the relationship between medical anatomy and the human form as depicted by the artist. His experience gained from teaching anatomy, life drawing and portraiture in schools and institutions over many years has led to the publication of numerous books in which Civardi's experiences are brought into focus.

Nov 09Most of this first appeared as Giovanni Civardi’s Complete Guide to Drawing, but this smaller format edition also includes the volume on The Nude.It’s a sound introduction to drawing in pencil and the smaller page size makes it more manageable, but also means that you have to strain slightly to read the text, which has also been reduced. The style is best described as “classic”, meaning that it’s all well done, but perhaps slightly dated. If you don’t mind that, and it’s the technique that’s more important to you, then this is a book it’s hard to better. If your eyesight’s not 100%, however, best buy a pair of stronger reading glasses as well.

• Previously published as Giovanni Civardi's Complete Guide to Drawing 9781844482061 and now includes "The Nude" 9781844482443