Drawing: Faces & Features by Debra Kauffman Yaun

Drawing: Faces & Features (How to Draw & Paint)

by Debra Kauffman Yaun

Learn to create detailed, realistic portraits in graphite pencil from basic shapes.

Successfully drawing the human face is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, artistic experiences. Faces & Features shows you how to capture the unique characteristics of the human face in graphite pencil, with tips on choosing materials, building with basic shapes, placing proportionate features, defining facial expression, and shading to develop form and realism. With a wealth of detailed step-by-step projects to both re-create and admire, Debra Kauffman Yaun teaches artists how to develop a portrait drawing to its fullest. She shares her personal methods for rendering the human face in all its expressiveness as she introduces tips and techniques for approaching babies, children, teenagers, and adults of all ages.
 
This book includes in-depth information on specific facial features as well as detailed, step-by-step exercises that explore ways to develop complete portraits. And the wealth of beautiful, inspiring examples ensure that Faces & Features will be a welcome addition to any artist’s drawing reference library. Drawing faces can be a challenge, but with this step-by-step guide, you’ll be rendering realistic portraits in no time.
 
The How to Draw & Paint series offers an easy-to-follow guide that introduces artists to basic tools and materials and includes simple step-by-step lessons for a variety of projects suitable for the aspiring artist. Faces & Features allows artists to develop their drawing skills, demonstrating how to start with basic shapes and use pencil and shading techniques to create varied textures, values, and details for a realistic, completed drawing.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Drawing: Faces & Features is a new entry in the Learn to Draw series of booklets. Due out 7th May 2019 from Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 40 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

This booklet, by artist Debra Kauffman Yaun focuses on realistically representing 3 dimensional objects, the elements of the human face, onto a 2 dimensional surface. Instead of providing specific project tutorials, the book focuses on thematic lessons such as proportion, lighting, drawing from life, capturing a likeness, depicting age, details, and tonal values. The book includes a general introduction to tools and materials which is identical across all the booklets in this series followed by a very short overview of the underlying anatomy of the human head.

This booklet separates the drawing process into technical elements which can be studied and mastered by any student with practice.

This would make a super gift with a set of pencils or drawing materials (also available as a coordinating package from Foster) for learning realistic graphite portraiture.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

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  • 28 April, 2019: Reviewed