Eliot Goldfinger’s epic anatomy book Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form covers all the anatomy an artist should ever need. It’s a very comprehensive book and works better as a reference guide than a book to read through cover to cover.

What’s particularly good about this book is how in depth each muscle is covered. If you’re looking to break-down any part of the body this book will help you figure out what you’re looking at on a model. In covering a muscle, you will get an excellent (though small) photo of a lean model where the muscle is clearly visible. Next to the photo, the author provides illustrations of the muscle at different angles. There is also a large amount of text that discusses the muscle and its function.

The one downfall of this book is that it can be a bit overwhelming. It’s great if you want to figure out something you’re specifically have problems with, but just flipping through the book can make you feel like learning the anatomical forms is an impossible task. In my book, How to Draw People, I approach anatomy from simple shapes and then build up complexity. Once you’ve got a strong understanding of the shapes of the muscles, Eliot Goldfinger’s book will help you expand your knowledge and be able to add more detail to your work.

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