Drawing Statues

Sculptures and statues have been popular subjects for observational sketching since the Renaissance, and the art of drawing statues has regularly been included in teaching programmes at art schools. Seen as perfect examples of the highest standards of beauty, style and composition, and as a tribute to classical art, capturing statues on paper allows artists to learn the techniques and study the human form before working from a live model.

In this inspirational and easy-to-follow guide, best-selling artist, Giovanni Civardi, teaches the art of drawing statues, sharing his expert advice on recreating beautiful sculptures in pencil with lifelike detail, observing closely human anatomy, form and structure. This comprehensive overview of the techniques involved suits beginners as well as those more experienced in life drawing, and includes advice, suggestions and practical guidance on all aspects of drawing from life.

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.