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The Art of Portraiture: A practical guide to better drawing with Stephen Bauman (Hardback Edition)

The Art of Portraiture: A practical guide to better drawing with Stephen Bauman (Hardback Edition)

£22.00 GBP
£22.00 GBP
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PLEASE NOTE: this book is out of print with no current plans to reprint it.
 

The limited edition hardback has now sold out, but the softback edition is available here!

 

This is no ordinary book about drawing portraits; this is a book that can transform you into a ‘person that draws’. Author, artist, and expert teacher Stephen Bauman offers a synthesis of the best lessons he has learned in his career as a student, as well as the most efficient exercises he’s developed as a professional artist and teacher. Whether you’re a beginner or an accomplished artist, The Art of Portraiture will take you on a journey of discovery, exploring how to capture the essence of a person with just graphite and practice.

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More about this book

In The Art of Portraiture, author, artist, and expert teacher Stephen Bauman offers a synthesis of the best lessons he has learned in his career as a student, as well as the most efficient exercises he’s developed as a professional artist and teacher. 

Within the four main chapters – Vision, Foundation, Practice, and Process – invaluable topics are covered in thoughtful detail. These include classic fundamentals such as shadow, light, composition, and anatomy; each discussed with a philosophical approach and always with the artist’s individual journey in mind. In addition to art theory and educational insights, there are compositional analyses and practical exercises on specific techniques, accompanied by illustrative examples, helpful diagrams, and stunning finished pieces. 

Combining an academic and philosophical artistic perspective, Bauman provides a wonderfully deep dive into the messy, marvellous, and often magical world of portrait drawing.

- High-quality illustrations, photographs, and educational diagrams
- Explores core topics including anatomy, composition, shadow, and light 
- Study compositional analyses and follow practical exercises on specific techniques
- An extensive reference for any artist interested in learning the art of portraiture

Product details
Hardback 232 pages
Dimensions: 270mm x 230mm
Paper quality: Full color premium paper pages
ISBN: 978-1-915992-09-3

About the artist

Stephen Bauman is a classically trained artist and spent 12 years as an instructor in the drawing and painting programme of the The Florence Academy of Art. He was also the director of the Anatomy & Ecorche Department for six years, first in Sweden and then in the USA. In 2020, he left the academy to focus his efforts on his art career and online courses.

    Interviews

    Contents and contributors

    FOREWORD

    PREFACE

    VISION
    Why Do We Draw?
    Two types of vision
    What is the goal of drawing?

    THE LEARNING JOURNEY
    What is the most useful way to learn?
    Specifically, how do you learn to draw better?
    Goal-setting and the 'SMART' approach
    Practice

    FOUNDATION

    What is meant by foundation?
    The siginal and the noise

    Value, Light, And Shadow
    Understanding values
    Value relativity
    Light and shadow
    Lambert vs. linear value scale
    The fall of light
    Light for learning
    Shadow shapes, light shapes

    Organization And Simplification
    Shadow is atmosphere, light is form
    Organizing in a controlled setting
    Selection and control
    Simplification
    3D-form-based simplification
    Flat-shape-based simplification
    The simplification of values
    Organizing and keying edges

    Visual Memory
    All drawing is a visual memory exercise
    Comparative measurements
    Triangulation
    Naive recognition

    Anatomy
    The sketletal and muscular system
    Anatomical terminology
    The bones of the skull
    Muscles of the head and neck
    Subcutaneous forms of the skull
    The simplified model of the head
    The frontal bone
    The zygomatic bone
    The mandible
    The maxillae
    Orbicularis oculi
    Structures of the nose
    Muscles of the cheek and chin
    The masseter
    The temporalis
    The ear
    Attaching the head to the body
    Fat desposits of the Face

    COMPOSITION
    Thumbnailing
    Composition terms
    Start with a feeling
    Keying and choices
    Compositional analysis: Ivan Loginov
    Compositional analysis: Ksenia Istomina
    Compositional analysis: Daria Novikova
    Compositional analysis: Nikolai Blohkin

    PRACTICE
    Getting Started
    Studio set-up and effective practice
    Materials
    Three levels of drawing
    The importance of an even tone
    Exercise: Even tone practice
    What can you learn from drawing a sphere?
    Exercise: Sphere-drawing practice
    Exercise: Simplified block-in practice
    Drawing from memory
    Exercise: Memory-drawing practic

    Visual Block-In
    Visual block-in: Stage one
    Visual block-in: Stage two
    Visual block-in: Stage three
    Visual block-in: Stage four

    Structural Block-In
    Structural block-in: Stage one
    Structural block-in: Stage two
    Structural block-in: Stage three
    Structural block-in: Stage four

    Mass Drawing
    Mass drawing: Stage one
    Mass drawing: Stage two
    Mass drawing: Stage three
    Mass drawing: Stage four 
    Mass drawing: Stage five

    PROCESS
    A portrait is a story
    Thumbnail development
    Anatomical studies
    A hybrid block-in approach
    Keeping you options open
    Value and texture
    Balancing values and dealing with doubt
    The final stage
    A note on self-assessment

    GALLERY

    GLOSSARY

    Reviews

    Customer Reviews

    Based on 18 reviews
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    L
    Lynnette JONES
    Stunning

    Brilliantly comprehensive book! Quality publishing too!

    S
    Saskia Mouchart
    Great book!

    This book is a great tool for understanding the face for portrait drawing or painting. It is an extensive source of information. Highly recommended!

    D
    David Foster
    Beautiful and Insightful book...

    Every so often, a book comes along that doesn't just instruct but inspires — this is one of those rare treasures. This beautifully illustrated guide on portraiture, crafted by an incredible artist, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Each page radiates with stunning visuals, demonstrating not only the artist's technical mastery but also their deep understanding of the human form, light, and expression.

    Beyond the illustrations, the instructional content is superbly written, blending practical advice with the artist's personal insights. Whether you're a beginner just stepping into the world of portraiture or an experienced artist looking to refine your skills, this book provides a wealth of knowledge in an engaging and accessible way.

    B
    Brian Slavin
    Amazing book!

    I am an artist who has been following and using Stephen’s course material online for a few years now. I have been hoping that he would put his teachings down in a book and this one is a gem! It’s beautifully arranged with detailed explanations about materials, techniques, and exercises and guides you from the beginning stages of a portrait drawing to the end. I was also very impressed by the skeletal and muscular models he used to help teach how the face is structured.
    This feels like a book that I will be using for the rest of my days until I have mastered the art of portraiture. Thanks Stephen and thank you 3Dtotal Publishing for making a solid book.

    C
    Customer
    Amazing Book

    Book is totally worth it. If you like to draw portraits, you need to get this book.

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