Create characterful, eye-catching portraits using this inspiring, in-depth guide from world-renowned master artist Giovanni Civardi.
Explore the anatomy that underpins human morphology, discover practical techniques for capturing form, movement, light and character, and study drawings from Civardi's own inspiring sketchbooks.
This book is essential for anyone wishing to learn or improve on their drawing skills. Starting with the necessary tools and materials, move on to a fundamental exploration of human anatomy and delve into practical considerations such as the technical intricacies of light and shade. With skills and knowledge built up over a career of medical study and artistic exploration, Civardi gives expert guidance on drawing stunning, characterful portraits, from newborns and infants to the elderly, focusing on the facial features individually, as well as the body as a whole.
In this comprehensive guide you will learn how to:
- draw facial features for a range of ages and genders;
- compose a successful portrait;
- work with light and shade;
- work in different mediums;
- understand the anatomy and morphology of both adults and children;
- draw portraits using grids;
- capture character and expression.
Civardi’s technical advice and tips, alongside his own stunning drawings, accrued throughout an illustrious career, make this a crucial resource for any artist.
Praise for previous series title, Drawing: A Complete Guide: 'Full of expert advice and practical tips, this is a brilliant book that covers all of the essentials for drawing different subjects.' - Waterstones Piccadilly
This comprehensive guide brings together six books from Search Press’s successful series:
The Art of Drawing: Drawing Portraits (2002)
The Art of Drawing: Sketching People (2011)
The Art of Drawing: Heads and Faces (2012)
The Art of Drawing: Portraits of Babies and Children (2017)
Drawing Using Grids: Portraits with Character (2018)
Drawing Using Grids: Portraits of Babies and Children (2018)
The constituent books have been translated from Italian.
Table of Contents
I: Drawing Portraits
Introduction
Materials and tools
Tools and techniques
Practical advice
Anatomy and external morphology
Heads and faces of adults
Drawing the adult head
Heads and faces of older people
Heads and faces of infants and youngsters
Features of the face
Portrait composition
Drawing portraits: getting started
Lighting
The drawing method
Portrait studies
II: Capturing Character and Expression
Introduction
Methods of capturing character
Approaches to drawing
Step-by-step examples: pencil
Step-by-step examples: watercolour
Step-by-step examples: gouache
Drawing portraits with character using grids
Finding inspiration
III: Drawing Portraits of Babies & Children
Introduction
Practical considerations
Anatomical notions and proportions
Morphology of a child
Facial features
Drawing methods
Graphic techniques
A gallery of faces
From the family album
Drawing portraits of babies and children using grids
Proportions and procedure
Portrait gallery
IV: Sketching Faces and Figures
Introduction
Getting started
A repertoire of faces
A repertoire of figures
Drawing statues: sculptures from the Musée Rodin, Paris
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About Giovanni Civardi
Giovanni Civardi is a best-selling Italian artist and author, with over 600,000 copies of his books sold worldwide in English alone. Civardi was born in Milan, Italy in 1947. While training to become a sculptor, portrait artist and illustrator at the Free Life-Study School of the Accademia di Brera, he also studied medicine and surgery. For over a decade, he worked as an illustrator, producing commissions for newspapers, magazines and book covers. During frequent trips to France and Denmark, Civardi put on one-man exhibitions of this work and pursued his interest in studying the relationship between medical anatomy and the human form as depicted by the artist. His experience gained from teaching anatomy, life drawing and portraiture in schools and institutions over many years has led to the publication of numerous books in which Civardi's experiences are brought into focus. For more work and information visit his website: www.giovannicivardi.it.
