Figure and Portrait [With Flaps]

This book provides a good, quick overview of different figures and portraits in various styles and mediums. About 4 pages are dedicated to each a portrait and a figure in each medium, and discusses how a particular artist completed their work in that medium - this also includes composition. However, I was looking for more detailed instruction and examples on technique and color, which wasn't offered as much. This is an interesting quick reference and may inspire using a different style or different medium, but more information is likely required for those newer to painting or the mediums.

One would think that art books would automatically have the best visual layouts of any books. I wish that were true! This book is probably the best layout for a how-to book I've yet seen. You can open the book to any page and the visuals are so good and text so well integrated that you will learn something then and there. This is wonderful because artists don't necessarily like progressing in art books from page 1 to the end. However, most publishers assume that is the way that they do take in how-to material. I work in mixed media and am currently concentrating on the human figure and face. Thus, this book perfectly suits me. The author is also open to a variety of styles and is not focused on only one style. I too like variety in style. Someone who is still trying to choose a medium should also benefit from this book as you can easily see the benefits and detriments of each as applied to this subject matter. However, if you are solely focused on one medium, rendered in one style, on one small portion of the human body or face, then this may not be a good choice for you. Although, then I think you especially could stand to have your artistic vision given a bit broader and looser scope than that description implies.

For anyone interested in learning to paint portraits, this is an excellent "how-to" book, much better than the average. For a relatively small book, it contains a surprising amount of information, including painting in different media and styles, selected palettes of several contemporary painters, with particular attention given to composition as well. I saw this book in Ireland on a recent trip, and am so glad to find that I can get my own copy here at home.