Overview
Drawing the human head is a critical skill that can be learned with a little expert guidance. Now you can improve your accuracy and enhance creative expression when drawing heads, from creating, basic head maps and capturing profiles to using facial expression and symbolism.Synopsis
It's the first thing anyone looks at when there's a figure in a painting: the details of the human head and face. There's far more to creating an accurate portrait than meets the eye, and that's exactly what this extremely focused, richly visual guide teaches artists. The amount of information here is truly astounding, and it offers welcome help for anyone struggling to master the technique. The study starts with the basic shapes, planes, forms, and values of the head. There's a "map" to follow as a model, a discussion of anatomy, suggestions for capturing profiles and angled views, advice on recognizing what makes a face individual, historical photos to examine, and so much more. No other art book is its equal on the subject.
Library Journal
The face and head are the most detailed, individual, and critical aspects of drawing the human form-they can also intimidate the novice into tossing paper and art supplies into a Dumpster. The chief problem, according to Kraayvanger (Figure Drawing Workshop), is that we see objects in three dimensions but draw them in two. If the brain doesn't make the transition, a portrait becomes hideous, humorous, or both. Kraayvanger teaches the brain to see shape, first drawing the large ones and then relating all other forms to them. He begins by demonstrating the use of basic materials: ordinary crayons, pencils, and plain white paper. By creating a simple "head map" as a guide, one advances to surface modeling techniques and the interplay of shadow and light on human features. Good sections on the anatomy of skull and facial features, the depiction of the head from several angles, and the completion of finished portraits round out a very fine beginner's manual. Recommended for general collections. For a good book on painting portraits in color, see Pat Clarke's Painting Heads and Faces. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.