Rating: 
Summary: A very good introduction to figure drawing
Review: As an art student I've been reading as many drawing books as I can get my hands on. As far as beginning figure drawing books go this is the best that I've read.It has the most useful information, is the best written and has a wide range of illustrated examples.Mr. Robins writes clearly and doesn't assume that the reader has any prior knowledge of the subject. He covers the basics systematically and throughly, giving helpful tips along the way.But what I like most about this book are the author's drawn examples. They run the gamut for quick gesture to finished drawings done in a variety of media from pencil to ink wash. Also, you can tell that these drawings are there to help the reader, not to show off the author's skills. These are true "working" drawings done, for the most part, for information. If you're looking to begin to draw from the figure, I can't recommend a better starting point than this book.
Rating:
Summary: A very good introduction to figure drawing
Review: As an art student I've been reading as many drawing books as I can get my hands on. As far as beginning figure drawing books go this is the best that I've read.It has the most useful information, is the best written and has a wide range of illustrated examples.Mr. Robins writes clearly and doesn't assume that the reader has any prior knowledge of the subject. He covers the basics systematically and throughly, giving helpful tips along the way.But what I like most about this book are the author's drawn examples. They run the gamut for quick gesture to finished drawings done in a variety of media from pencil to ink wash. Also, you can tell that these drawings are there to help the reader, not to show off the author's skills. These are true "working" drawings done, for the most part, for information. If you're looking to begin to draw from the figure, I can't recommend a better starting point than this book.
Rating: 
Summary: i am the author!! take this with a grain of salt!!
Review: Bruce Bain's excellent review of my book makes very valid points. My book is certainly NOT a complete guide to figure drawing, whether classical or otherwise. I wish I could contact him personally, and tell him so; judging from the quality of his review, it would be a very good conversation.
The only point worth addressing is how little control an author has over any North Light publication. I did not title the book, let alone subtitle it "a complete guide to classical figure drawing". My own title was "The Language of Figure Drawing".
I was given 144 pages in which to make what points I could. This does not excuse any incompleteness here; no one forced me to sign the contract. But that contract is not unique, and Mr. Bain would be well advised to bear these things in mind. There are plenty of things in the book that are my own fault, and that I wish I could redo. (There will be a second edition, in which some of these are indeed addressed.)
There are a lot of ways to teach drawing. I make no apologies for the methodology I used in my book. I have been teaching figure drawing for years, and the methods employed in the book have helped a lot of people. The book makes what I consider to be some excellent points, some of which have never been addressed elsewhere, to my knowledge. (The chapter on The Rule of Tipped Cylinders is a good example.)
I hope someday to do a really complete book, but this would require some more space. In the meantime, I do recommend the book, as well as quite a few others. (North Light left out a reading list which contained quite a few of these.)
It has been a great pleasure to have my book read, and commented on, by people of Mr. Bain's calibre.
I think the book's well worth the price, incomplete as it may be.
If you can only afford one book, try "George Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing From Life". Shortly before his death, the great comic book illustrator Gil Kane told me he was just beginning to grasp Bridgman. It's a book you'll live with, and feed upon for the rest of your life.
Rating: 
Summary: If ever I saw plagarism, this is it.
Review: Clem Robins' book is filled with extremely basic information dealing with an "objective" instead of "interpretive and insightful" discussion of drawing the nude figure. His commentary is trite, at times (something which is unnecessary, and distracting).
The book contains no "original" ideas or concepts for drawing in general, let alone in regards to drawing the figure.
I strongly recommend that you invest your money in Brigdeman's "Guide to Figure Drawing", any book by Robert Beverly Hale (all of which address drawing, drawing the figure, and anatomy for the artist), and Anthony Ryder's "The Complete Guide to Figure Drawing".
Quite frankly, Mr. Robins has done nothing but "borrowed" concepts on drawing the human figure from these and other authors, boiled them down to their most basic level, and represented these ideas as though of his own invention and imagination. There are even exerpts in the book where it is evident that he has copied "verbatim" descriptions and terminology from the afore mentioned artists/authors.
Don't waste your time or money on this cheap rip-off. Instead invest your money in authors who developed "original" and innovative ways of approaching drawing and of drawing the human figure. Trust me you won't be disappointed that you passed on this "art book".
Rating:
Summary: If ever I saw plagarism, this is it.
Review: Clem Robins' book is filled with extremely basic information dealing with an "objective" instead of "interpretive and insightful" discussion of drawing the nude figure. His commentary is trite, at times (something which is unnecessary, and distracting).
The book contains no "original" ideas or concepts for drawing in general, let alone in regards to drawing the figure.
I strongly recommend that you invest your money in Brigdeman's "Guide to Figure Drawing", any book by Robert Beverly Hale (all of which address drawing, drawing the figure, and anatomy for the artist), and Anthony Ryder's "The Complete Guide to Figure Drawing".
Quite frankly, Mr. Robins has done nothing but "borrowed" concepts on drawing the human figure from these and other authors, boiled them down to their most basic level, and represented these ideas as though of his own invention and imagination. There are even exerpts in the book where it is evident that he has copied "verbatim" descriptions and terminology from the afore mentioned artists/authors.
Don't waste your time or money on this cheap rip-off. Instead invest your money in authors who developed "original" and innovative ways of approaching drawing and of drawing the human figure. Trust me you won't be disappointed that you passed on this "art book".
Rating: 
Summary: Drawings are not very clear or well done
Review: I bought this book, because I heard that it was published by an artist here in Cincinnati.
I am an artist, and I found the drawings to be flat and undescriptive. I also found the text and concepts to be somewhat disjointed and difficult to follow.
I hate to admit it, but I am thoroghly disappointed that this is a book which represents some of the artists here in Cincinnati.
I think it is not a good choice for any art library.
Rating:
Summary: Not Bad...
Review: I thought a suitable criteria for judging a book was "Does it provide the info I'm looking for?". However reading other reviews it appears that there are other things to consider such as whether it is by an artist from my community and we are all judged by their works....strange concept I have to say. I personally found it to be a worthwhile introduction to a theme that has challenged artists throughout time. Currently awaiting the arrival of a couple of other books on this subject. However the text describing the how the head is divided into 3rds on pg 120 doesn't make sense - one third too many... I generally shy away from the North Light series of art books as in my opinion they offer very twee, staid approaches to art without pushing the artist - find they propagate the inordinate number of banal paintings that are out there.
Rating: 
Summary: good book
Review: I've been involved in figure drawing for about three years, hardly an expert. Still I found that this book contained information I've not encountered elsewhere or in other guides to figure drawing. ( I have a shelf full of them )Some of the ideas the author presents have changed my understanding of what it is I am trying to accomplish in my drawing. I recommend it to anyone trying to come to terms with 'classical' drawing style. People more into avant garde may find it somewhat lacking in passion, but thats just the style of drawing presented.
Rating:
Summary: Balanced Perspective
Review: In all fairness to Mr. Robins, his first review is from a model he has previously worked with. One could possibly conclude that her caustic attitude could be attributed to some unresolved concerns in this light. She is not an artist but anyone can be a critic. The book has good, solid, fundamental info and synthesizes many good techniques into one volume. You'll enjoy the work.
Rating:
Summary: Balanced Perspective
Review: In all fairness to Mr. Robins, his first review is from a model he has previously worked with. One could possibly conclude that her caustic attitude could be attributed to some unresolved concerns in this light. She is not an artist but anyone can be a critic. The book has good, solid, fundamental info and synthesizes many good techniques into one volume. You'll enjoy the work.
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