Drawing Portraits: Faces and Figures

Drawing Portraits: Faces and Figures by Giovanni Civardi is a practical guide to capturing likenesses in pencil, charcoal, ink, and more. This digital PDF edition is available for instant download after purchase.

Drawing on decades of experience as a portrait painter, illustrator, and teacher, Civardi explains the essential techniques for drawing the human face and figure.

Book Overview

This art instruction book from Search Press offers easy-to-follow information on drawing portraits of children and adults. It covers tools, techniques, anatomy, details of the face, composition, lighting, and actual method, stressing the overall view of the head.

The book is divided into short chapters with accompanying sketches, based on the author’s practical teaching sequence. It also includes advice on drawing hands, elderly people, women, men, self-portraits, and full-figure portraits.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• Guidance on choosing and using popular portrait media: pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, watercolour, and mixed media.
• Practical advice on framing, posing, lighting, clothing, and background to strengthen a portrait.
• Anatomical notes and methods for observing the structure of the head and facial features.
• Specific approaches for drawing children, women, men, elderly subjects, hands, and full figures.
• Tips on achieving both physical and psychological likeness.
• Techniques for using photography, sketches, enlarging tools, and the grid method.
• Suggestions for setting up a practical working environment.

Why This Book Matters

Portrait drawing has always been an important theme in figurative art. This book addresses both the documentary and artistic sides of the portrait, helping readers move from generic head drawing to real likenesses.

Originally published in Italy in 1994 and translated into English in 2002, it remains a clear, teacherly introduction to a demanding genre.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so there is no physical shipping. Access is available immediately after purchase.

The PDF works with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, and mobile reading apps.

FAQ

How do I get access after purchase? Your PDF is available for instant download once the order is complete.

Will I receive a physical copy? No, this is a digital edition only.

On which devices can I read it? The PDF is compatible with common reading apps on tablets, phones, computers, and Kindle devices.

Begin your portrait drawing practice with this practical guide and study the human face with confidence.

Verified Bibliographic Details