Anatomia Artistica Michel Lauricella -
This is the meat of the book. He breaks muscles down into distinct shapes.
Lauricella simplifies the torso into two rigid boxes:
The Key Insight: The torso moves because these two blocks twist. The muscles (pectorals, abs, trapezius) are simply straps or spiral bands that connect these two boxes. anatomia artistica michel lauricella
Let’s analyze one spread (p. 42–43 in the Italian edition):
This is not exhaustive—it’s essential. Lauricella removes what isn’t needed for drawing. This is the meat of the book
The Italian version (Anatomia Artistica) is published by Logos Edizioni and retains all original illustrations. It sometimes includes small captions in Italian (e.g., trapèzio, grande dorsale), but the book is 95% visual. You don’t need to speak Italian to use it.
The paper quality is slightly warmer than the French or English versions, giving the sketches a natural, charcoal-on-newsprint feel. The "Pinch and Pull": Look for where he
Subject: Artistic Anatomy Reference
Author: Michel Lauricella (French anatomist and professor at École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris)
Original Title: Morpho: Anatomie Artistique (English/Spanish/Italian editions exist; the Italian edition is titled Anatomia Artistica)
Target Reader: Illustrators, sculptors, comic artists, animators, fashion designers, and medical illustrators
