Justifiably renowned for his series of books on figure drawing and human anatomy, Giovanni Civardi turns out to be just as good when he directs his attention to the animal kingdom.

You won't want to skip the technical introduction that covers perspective, anatomy, form, structure and movement as well as basic drawing methods. Giovanni crams a great deal of practical wisdom into a mere 14 pages and this short section should be enough to get you on the right path, even as a complete beginner.

Once you're confident with the basics, the exercises that follow are an absolute delight. It's not a long book, and Giovanni's style is not the extended step-by-step demonstration. He is the eloquent master, though, of the informative drawing and the few, perfectly-chosen words. His explanations have the knack of telling you what you're looking for, not what you're looking at, which is the essence of good instruction.

If you're reasonably confident with your materials and your techniques, you'll revel in the sheer beauty and variety here. Giovanni always makes you feel that his results are achievable.


Book: Search Press. Paperback. 64 pages. Black & White Throughout.