How to Draw and Paint Portraits

This practical and inspirational book provides a comprehensive and detailed guide to drawing and painting portraits. It offers budding artists the chance to take step-by-step lessons and expert tutorials while learning essential skills from professional artists. The book is divided into three easy-to-use sections. The first, Materials, provides advice on the different range of media and equipment available, from pencils, pastels and inks to selecting paintbrushes and paper. The second section, Tutorials, explains the technicalities of portrait drawing. It begins with a simple introduction to the facial features from the eyes, nose and nostrils to the hands and feet. It also highlights the key artistic concerns such as composition and lighting. If you are a complete beginner, work through this section page by page as it will help you build up confidence to tackle life studies of your own. The final section, Projects, begins with a gallery of works by professional artists. These stunning examples are perfect as a source for ideas and inspiration. Following the gallery pages, are a series of step-by-step projects, each designed to demonstrate a range of poses and media, from a head-and-shoulders portrait in acrylic and a baby in watercolour to a character portrait in charcoal and a figure in landscape. You can copy the projects exactly if you wish, or simply use them as a starting point for your own explorations. Illustrated throughout with over 400 beautiful step-by-step colour photographs, this accessible book will show you how to get started in drawing and painting portraits, and to embrace one of the world’s most creative and relaxing pastimes.