Anatomy for Figure Drawing: Mastering the Human Figure (Udemy.com)

review, 4.5 stars Wow. This course was very thorough and long. It covered a lot of topics: human proportions, human bones, muscles and figure drawing. I was glad I had some basic background before taking this course because I think it is for beginner-intermediate or intermediate. I had some previous knowledge of bones and muscles so it wasn't all new. The bone section was very useful. This is the first course where human portrait instruction started from the skull and then built from there. Some of my previous portrait courses explained there are rhythms and plains but seeing from the skull and muscles of the faces all made sense. In the muscles section, the insertion and origin of each muscle was taught, starting from arms to feet to face. I really impressed my physiotherapist with some of this knowledge but I got carried away with googling for extra images. Later this information was used in drawing the figure but it was simplified to some of the main outer muscles. My favorite section was the drawing figures which brought all this information together. This was close to the end. I did the great exercises which were suggested and I filled in some clarification of the muscles using google, so this course was a lot of work to complete. Knowing that the muscles are going to be simplified later, I did not have to go in so deep with all the muscles. For a muscle to work it has to originate from one bone and it has to connect to another bone to do the extension or flexion to be performed. I found it very interesting but a more simplified view is probably more practical for drawing. Excellent course. It had 65 hours of video plus many exercises. I was glad I had some basic knowledge first and then I learned a ton of information in this course. The middle sections took some determination to complete, but it was worth it when all the information was brought together at the end. I would recommend this course if you have already taken a shorter overview course first. I have now enrolled in some of Neil Fontaine's other courses.

The good about this course is that the instructor is very knowledgeable about the subject he is teaching, and he goes over the connecting points of everything in the human body which helps you in drawing the figure from imagination. He also helps you understand the importance of practice because although the information provided here is crucial, nothing will come of it if you dont do the exercises and use reference. The only downside is that most of the course felt like a filler. I noticed he has an updated course which is half the watch time, so I would recommend that one since this instructor is very good at teaching the material.

Incredible, just incredible. The course is very well organized and Neil’s explanations of the muscle origins and insertions helped me memorize them faster than I could have imagined. The organization of the course is well thought out, which makes learning the material even easier. My one recommendation is to use supplemental materials like anatomy textbooks and Google to help solidify the material in memory. If I had one “comment”, it is that some of Neil’s pronunciations make it difficult to look up the supplemental material. However, the challenge in doing the research and finding the reference pictures makes the learning all the more powerful. My “comment” in no way takes away from the invaluable knowledge I have gained. Neil, thank you. Worth every star and then some.

I did not appreciate the first part of the course because it seemed to simplified and not very well presented. I was doing another anatomy course at the time and the other was more advanced. However, once I finished the other course, I went back to this one and very soon the instructor moved from the simplified skeletons to very detailed muscle groups and that part was very well done and worked well with the skeletons introduced to create good form. I am very pleased with the course as a whole. Much detail was provided and the instructor is very knowledgable. I preferred to listen to it at a faster speed (1.25) as it tended to drag a little if I did not. Yes - Unfortunately, I had no idea it was going to become X rated towards the end. This guy has an obsession for women's breasts - sick! You better put an x rating on the course or take the last part off. It was totally unnecessary. (Awesome poses, breast mechanics, Drawing breasts - good grief. Separate that into another course PLEASE!!! Not a good "bonus". . . does not make me want to take another one of his courses, that's for SURE.

Really enjoying this course and already got some more of Neil’s courses. The tutor is very concise, easy to understand and lays out the course in little chunks of information that i can understand clearly and practice on my own time before moving onto the next bit of information/lesson. I am just half way through the course but i have learned so much and looking forward on completing it and seeing how it all comes together in my own drawings. It gives me motivation to keep learning and practicing as i considered myself not being able to draw a straight line without a ruler and i surprised even myself. Thanks for the GREAT content Neil.

Just getting through the skeleton and doing as the tutor said (memorize the bones by continuously drawing them) got me a huge boost of knowledge. This is definitely a good course for people who are not afraid of putting time and effort into their development as artists. Edit: I got through most of the muscles now and I'm amazed already how my knowledge impacts my drawings. It is really important to follow Neil's directions (especially about repetition). The course IS NOT EASY and that is a huge plus! Good job for Neil and good luck to everyone taking part in this awesome course! Edit 2: Now, as I finished the course and practiced a lot on my own I must say I see a huge improvement in my anatomy drawings (especially from imagination). This course was a great introduction int my anatomy drawings development. Thanks to Neil I am now able to study Bridgman's and actually know what the book is about. This is a great course for artists that are looking for a place to start and artists that are unsure what is wrong with their anatomy. Thanks a lot Neil!

It's a very indepth course with a lot of material. I've learned a lot from this course and how to draw figures. My figure drawing has improved especially because I did not come into this course with very much knowledge about drawing. Getting on sale is worth it; however, I am not sure about the full price. As for some critique, I found quite a few flaws with the course. 1. Neil contradicts himself with proportions between lessons. Sometimes he corrects himself, but often it is after putting in the hours to learn something the wrong way. 2. Sometimes there is a lack of consistency between lessons. For example, we learn the skeleton structure, but when learning the muscles, Neil uses a very detailed skeleton structure instead of the one we've learned. 3. I've asked for drawing feedback, but was ignored. To me, it looks like Neil doesn't value his students. 4. Neil says this course is a course for all skill levels, and then 75% of the course in expects you to know form and perspective. The description is misleading about this part. 5. There are not really any review sections. I think having some review sections would help cement the material.

This course shows what he has to offer and does it without holding back. PROS: -Good knowledge -Way of showing every concept in every lesson, making things easier to watch and memorize -shows how to simplify and applies it into every session giving a good explanation. CONS: put -Too much time for a lot of explanations that could be resumed in a few seconds to improve the course and make things a little more faster, around 30min so to speak -Sometimes getting out of focusing in the subject but that nitpick To sum up: it's a good course and if you studied anatomy before having some problems in some parts, this course will show you how to solve it and think outside the box.

Since this course was really a long one and took me about two months to complete it, I would like to to sum it up a little bit. PROS Overall this course taught me a lot. And I can not stress it enough. I do think this might be the best course on how to learn drawing a human figure. Thanks to it, I completely understand all the parts of a body and know how to draw them. Neil is very nice to listen to and explains everything clearly. CONS There are some parts of the course that are just too long and would not have to be so I had to use the speed button here and there. Also during some lessons Neil repeats himself about his other course too much, which is a little bit distracting. However that does not change anything about how great this course is. Thank you so much Neil! - Ondrej

This course is absolute treasure, and at the asking price of 25$ is the greatest value for people seeking to master figure drawing. The courses are slow, but comprehensive. It accumulates. Given enough time and practice (lots of practice). Drawn figures will become better because; better proportion, better shape, better contours. That said, THIS IS NOT INDOCTRINATION. Absorbing the info and quizzing on it will not cause improvement. This is EDUCATION. It is not the facts themselves, but the vehicle by which you achieve knowledge. That takes work on the part of the student. The methods are important, above all. Neil will show you the methods. Great course!