Drawing the Head for Artists Techniques for Mastering Expressive Portraiture

Drawing the Head for Artists teaches time-honored techniques for drawing the human head and portrait in charcoal, graphite, and other classic drawing mediums—from accomplished artist, veteran art instructor, and LucasArts alumnus Oliver Sin.



Drawing the Head for Artists is the definitive modern guide to drawing the human head and portrait, featuring the classic mediums and methods of the Old Masters.

Written by celebrated portrait artist and veteran studio instructor Oliver Sin, this richly informative and beautifully illustrated volume leads readers step-by-step through his method, from establishing a point of view to applying the timeless principles for creating an accurate and expressive likeness.

Among the topics covered:

• Essential Materials & Techniques:Learn about necessary supplies and basic drawing techniques, including hatching, various stroke styles, and blending.
• Applying the Essentials: Explore how the concepts of sight-sizing, value, negative space/shapes, and plane changes factor into a portrait’s underlying structure.
• Techniques for Creating Depth & Dimension:Investigate how contrasting shapes, overlapping forms, and linear and atmospheric perspective are used to enhance depth.
• Creating the Illusion of Three Dimensions: Examine how edges—contours as well as changes in value—are used to convey three-dimensional form.

Brimming with striking images that document all the phases and details of the author’s process, Drawing the Head for Artists inspires and informs all artists, from aspiring to accomplished, on how to successfully portray the physical subtleties and emotional eloquence of the human face.

The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.