Review of Andrew Loomis Drawing the Head: Constructing the Head, Understanding Form, Learning Proportions, Rendering Facial Expressions

Why This Book, Andrew Looomis's Drawing the Head, Is Important

Drawing the Head is the fastest and easiest way to add a collection of head and face drawings by illustration master Andrew Loomis to your bookshelf. Proportions, planes, expressions and ages are explained for your practice and reference.

What to Expect

Inspiration: Loomis was told to drop out of art school, but prevailed. Loomis says to draw a head every day. A good way to start would be to copy his drawings in this book for your own practice. They are realistic, but not slavishly photorealistic. That is the appeal of the drawings and this book.

Try using Drawing the Head out of sequence. The Blocks and Planes page is good. The view of the back of the head on that page is especially helpful.

The page titled Planes has an excellent diagram of the shadows on the face. This helps sort out the maze of shadows and reflected light, which can be daunting.

In some respects this book is a little odd. The format is large. Some of the commentary is quaint. The two-dimensional aspects of where to line up the hairline, eyes, nose, and lips are handled more clearly in other books. More explanation on observing the planes of the head would be welcome.

Recommendation for this In-Print Andrew Loomis Book

Drawing the Head is not the only drawing the head and face book and tutorial you will ever need, yet it covers all the important topics. Buy it for the advice, the drawings, and the tradition.

At under ten dollars, recommended.

All About the Great Teacher Andrew Loomis

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