The FORCE Companion

by Mike Mattesi and Swendly Benilia

Published 15 March 2019

Swendly Benilia shares with us simple and tangible tips and tricks to understanding and drawing FORCE across hundreds of drawings full of dunamism and energy! This book is an expellant companion to the FORCE brand since it delivers hundreds of FORCE drawings with succinct notations, filtered and approved by Mike Mattesi, about how to improve your FORCE drawing skills

Key Features:

  • Hundreds of dynamic FORCE drawing that inspire the reader to see and draw FORCE
  • Succinct tips and tricks keep it light and educational
  • The tips and tricks not only explain how but also why the drawings are successful. This is unique to the FORCE Drawing method
  • Each page shares numerous drawing around a FORCE idea with a short paragraph to further clarify the FORCE tip or trick. Explaining to the reader why the drawings work increases their ability of achieving the same level of excellence

Swendly Benilia is a professional character designer and illustrator. During his five years in the field he contributed with artwork for various game and publishing projects. Swendly also instructs FORCE Drawing.

Michael Mattesi has authored four FORCE books, published in numerous languages, utilized around the world to inspire and educate artists on the concept of FORCE. He has instructed FORCE Drawing for over twenty years and inspired thousands of artists. Simultaneously, Michael has been contributing his skills as a professional artists on numerous award-winning projects in varied capacities and has collaborated with Pixar, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Consumer Products, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, DreamWorks/PDI, Zynga, The School of Visual Arts, Beijing University, Art Center, Scuola Internazionale di Comics, San Jose State University. The Academy of Art University, Nickelodeoan, LeapFrog and many others. Micael’s students occupy all fields of the art industry and have themselves gained prestige for their abilities. Michael lives in northern California with his wife and two daughters. Visit him at: DrawingFORCE.com and connect with Michael on Facebook at: DrawingFORCE.com with Mike Mattesi or email him directly: mike@drawingforce.com

Key Features

  • Hundreds of dynamic FORCE drawings that inspire the reader to see and draw FORCE.
  • Compact tips and tricks keep it light and educational.
  • The tips and tricks explain how and why the drawings are successful.
  • Explaining to the you why the drawings work increases your ability of achieving the same level of excellence.

  • FORCE: Dynamic Life Drawing

    by Mike Mattesi

    Published 10 October 2006

    Bring your artwork to life with the power of the FORCE! Watch, listen, and follow along as Mike Mattesi demonstrates the fundamental FORCE line and explains dynamic figure drawing techniques through 30 videos that are launched through the book's companion App. Packed with superb, powerfully drawn examples, the updated third edition of FORCE features an all-new section on the "FORCE blob," and dozens of fresh illustrations. Mike Mattesi’s 10th anniversary edition of FORCE will teach readers how to put thought and imagination to paper. Whether you are an illustrator, animator, comic book artist, or student, you'll learn to use rhythm, shape, and line to bring out the life in any subject.

    The 10th Anniversary Edition contains numerous improvements. Around 30 videos are embedded within the book and accessible through the FORCE Drawing App. In the App, click on the image of the camera, point your mobile device’s camera at the page with the symbol, and then finally tap the video card image floating above the drawing to launch the video. Then sit back and watch the video that shows me creating that drawing and discussing my process. Many new drawings can be found within this edition and the addition of color now further clarifies the theory of FORCE.

    Key Features

    • The unique, dynamic learning system that has helped thousands of artists enhance their figure drawing abilities
    • Dozens of updated illustrations and all-new content, exclusive to the 3rd edition
    • Select pages can be scanned by your smartphone or other device to pull up bonus video content, enhancing the learning process

    Companion App:

    Nearly 50 videos are available on the free FORCE Drawing companion app that can be downloaded through Google Play or the Apple App Store


    Design creative characters inspired by real people. Let Mike Mattesi show you how to use life drawing to discover the poses, features and personalities which form the basis of character and then build, develop and 'PUSH' your drawings to new heights of dramatic and visual impact for believable characters audiences can relate to.

    Packed with color illustrations and photographs of the models who inspired them. With step-by-step explanation of how the characters were developed and exercises for you to sharpen your skills this is everything you need to bring your characters to life.


    FORCE: Drawing Human Anatomy

    by Mike Mattesi

    Published 20 December 2016

    The newest book in Michael Mattesi’s Force Drawing series takes movement to the next level. Force: Drawing Human Anatomy, explores the different facets of motion and the human body. As opposed to the memorization technique, Mattesi stresses the function of each body part and how gravity relative to different poses affects the aesthetics and form of muscle. The chapters are divided by the different parts of the body, thus allowing the reader to concentrate on mastery one body part at a time. Color coded images detail each muscle and their different angles. Special consideration is given to anatomy for animation, allowing the reader to create a character that is anatomically accurate in both stillness and motion.


    Force: Animal Drawing

    by Mike Mattesi

    Published 5 May 2011
    Many artists are unsure how to bridge the gap between the many basic 'how to draw' books and the more advanced ones dealing with the esoteric details of composition, perspective and anatomy. Force: Animal Drawing is the comprehensive guide to developing artistic animals that are creative, dynamic and anatomical, bridging the gap between foundational art and advanced techniques. Artists and animators alike all find animal inspiration when animating characters- be they human or inhuman. For a unique 'larger than life' character, readers will learn to apply the unique facets of animal movement, locomotion, expressions, facial features, physical build and personality to their traditional and digital art. Readers will also adapt key industry tricks and techniques to personify animal animations with key characteristics of a human's face. Explore the practical application of force theories and learn from today's leading character designers with the included artist interviews and an extended video tutorial via www.drawingforce.com.

    FORCE Fabric

    by Mike Mattesi

    Published 11 October 2023

    The nude figure defines the best way to learn the fundamentals of drawing, yet the end goal of most art presents clothed figures, be it animation, video games, film, or fine art. This sixth book in the ‘FORCE’ series instructs artists on how to understand fabric with FORCE, thus leading to improved drawings of clothed figures. Expertly organized and beautifully illustrated, the book instructs artists to see clothing in a new way, through FORCE. Michael’s clear, concise, and informal writing coupled with Mritunjay and Michael’s FORCE drawings of clothed models comprehensibly informs you, the curious artist, to identify and draw FORCE clothing.

    Key Features:

    • The unique, dynamic FORCE Drawing learning system that has helped thousands of artists enhance their figure drawing abilities now brings clothing to the figure!
    • Easy to follow fundamentals on drawing clothed figures for games, animation, film, or fine art
    • A clear, organized, and understandable, step-by-step approach to learn about the effects of FORCE on fabric and how that pertains to drawing clothes
    • Learn to see clothes through tight, medium, and loose-fit and discover the common fold types per category, making it easier to identify and draw
    • A ‘sticker system’ that presents the different types of folds found in different fit types of clothing
    • Each chapter has exercises you can use to help you learn the process of drawing clothes
    • Find out how line can bring the texture of different fabrics to your clothing drawings
    • Includes robust author website with further information, forums, and videos
    • Color-coded page edges to quickly find the material you need
    • Unlock your imagination; put the theory into practice with detailed exercises to sharpen your skills