Figure Sketching School : The Essential Step-by-Step Guide to Sketching Accurate, Life-Like Figures Book

Sketches can be works of art in themselves or they can be used as a preliminary stage in creating a painting, and this complete course provides instructions for learners pursuing both of these goals. Written by an accomplished artist who specializes in portraits, it explains the fundamentals of observing and reproducing form, contour, light and shadow, and explores the various styles of lines, shading, color, and special effects that can be achieved in media ranging from charcoal, chalks, pastels, to pens and water-based paints.

Fully illustrated lessons take sketchers through every step of putting their observations on paper, They'll learn how to compare body shapes, deal with perspective, and add the touches that differentiate old and young faces. From eyes, nose, and mouth, to hands and feet, all the details of the human figure are covered. Six special workshops focus on key aspects of drawing, including developing a subject, creating character studies, portraying children, and depicting motion in a realistic manner; each workshop features helpful and inspiring examples of how other artists have accomplished the task. A photographic reference file giving additional pointers on proportion, form, balance, and posture, as well as specifics about the male and female form, rounds off this indispensable, easy-to-use guide.