A how-to handbook that makes drawing easy. Offers simplified techniques and scores of brand-new hints and helps. Step by step procedures. Hundreds of illustrations.
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About the Author
Jack Hamm is one of the best-selling authors of art instruction books. With nearly a million copies sold, his books have helped aspiring artists of every age and level of ability learn to draw and improve their technique.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
172 of 180 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jack Hamm approaches the student with respect...#1 figure drawing book.
June 30, 2004
By Bruce Bain
Format:Paperback
"Drawing the Head & Figure" by Jack Hamm I rate #1 of the top four figure drawing books!
It is said that the Rennaissance Masters passed around "pattern books" for their students, with figures drawn in charcoal as simple cube shapes. This is that kind of book.
"Practice the rough"! Hamm writes. Jack Hamm's book is refreshingly straightforward. This is the best beginner's drawing book on the market today, and it will endure for many years. There's nothing here for the "drawing on the right side of my ambition" crowd. Hamm's freehand illustrations are absolutely PACKED into this book, from 10 to 25 illustrations generally, on each and every page with brief but concise text. The vast number of illustrations ensure that this book will be unchallenged as the formost of "how to draw" books for beginners.
Hamm's presentation does not overwhelm the beginner because he does not use a confusing style of teaching. His chapters are in sequential order. It's as though he took Stephen Peck's "Atlas of Anatomy for the Artist" and reduced it to its bare essential text, while at the same time, increasing the number of illustrations in the book. I'm truly amazed at how much good basic instruction Hamm has packed into only 120 pages. He is to be complimented.
$11.95 is the list price, but Amazon discounts that down to $9.56, and with the many clunky HOW-TO-DRAW books approaching $20 and $30, this is one of the best bargains on the market.
Want to know how to draw the shoulder, the "six-pack" (abdomen), the pectorals, upper body and the neck? Hamm shows how better than 95% of the drawing books on the market today.
Hamm devotes an entire page each, to show how to draw lips, nose, eyes, etc. If you look carefully, you will find that most books on FIGURE DRAWING have little or nothing on head & face / portraiture. Likewise, there is an entire page to show closed hands, and another entire page to show the open hand. No other book comes close.
[Some authors say that beginners should do hands when first starting the figure] The Nose page shows 21 different styles of noses. And on page 41, Hamm shows the SIMPLIFIED FIGURETTE, with an Egg-shaped head, egg-shaped chest, egg-shaped pelvis, a couple of stick legs and arms, and illustrates its use in dynamic action poses. BRAVO!
Better still, Hamm does not just show us "one way" to draw the SIMPLIFIED FIGURETTE. He shows us several ways that various artists have worked with down through the centuries. He shows the figurette as drawn with LINE, OVALS, SQUARES, and TRIANGLES. No matter what method works for you, Jack Hamm is giving you a basic methodology, and one will fit your style of expression.
Another feature I like about Hamm is that he has acheived clear mental focus. When he offers a book on "drawing" there's nothing in there on Working With Color, or Painting, or Composition, or worse, attempts to burden the student by imposing metaphysical ideas. Hamm approaches the student with respect. When he titles his book "DRAWING" then drawing is exactly the subject he treats, and not other complicated and non-essential matters. By the way, Hamm does offer separate books on the subjects of:
"Still-Life Drawing and Painting" "How to Draw Animals"
"Drawing Scenery: Landscapes and Seascapes" etc. all at bargain prices.
Hamm reminds me of the working draftsmen of the Rennaissance era with his CLASSICAL TRADITION teaching method, and he's a teacher for the working day. If I could rate it higher, I certainly would. Jack Hamm's book belongs #1 of all beginner figure drawing books.
It is said that the Rennaissance Masters passed around "pattern books" for their students, with figures drawn in charcoal as simple cube shapes. This is that kind of book.
"Practice the rough"! Hamm writes. Jack Hamm's book is refreshingly straightforward. This is the best beginner's drawing book on the market today, and it will endure for many years. There's nothing here for the "drawing on the right side of my ambition" crowd. Hamm's freehand illustrations are absolutely PACKED into this book, from 10 to 25 illustrations generally, on each and every page with brief but concise text. The vast number of illustrations ensure that this book will be unchallenged as the formost of "how to draw" books for beginners.
Hamm's presentation does not overwhelm the beginner because he does not use a confusing style of teaching. His chapters are in sequential order. It's as though he took Stephen Peck's "Atlas of Anatomy for the Artist" and reduced it to its bare essential text, while at the same time, increasing the number of illustrations in the book. I'm truly amazed at how much good basic instruction Hamm has packed into only 120 pages. He is to be complimented.
$11.95 is the list price, but Amazon discounts that down to $9.56, and with the many clunky HOW-TO-DRAW books approaching $20 and $30, this is one of the best bargains on the market.
Want to know how to draw the shoulder, the "six-pack" (abdomen), the pectorals, upper body and the neck? Hamm shows how better than 95% of the drawing books on the market today.
Hamm devotes an entire page each, to show how to draw lips, nose, eyes, etc. If you look carefully, you will find that most books on FIGURE DRAWING have little or nothing on head & face / portraiture. Likewise, there is an entire page to show closed hands, and another entire page to show the open hand. No other book comes close.
[Some authors say that beginners should do hands when first starting the figure] The Nose page shows 21 different styles of noses. And on page 41, Hamm shows the SIMPLIFIED FIGURETTE, with an Egg-shaped head, egg-shaped chest, egg-shaped pelvis, a couple of stick legs and arms, and illustrates its use in dynamic action poses. BRAVO!
Better still, Hamm does not just show us "one way" to draw the SIMPLIFIED FIGURETTE. He shows us several ways that various artists have worked with down through the centuries. He shows the figurette as drawn with LINE, OVALS, SQUARES, and TRIANGLES. No matter what method works for you, Jack Hamm is giving you a basic methodology, and one will fit your style of expression.
Another feature I like about Hamm is that he has acheived clear mental focus. When he offers a book on "drawing" there's nothing in there on Working With Color, or Painting, or Composition, or worse, attempts to burden the student by imposing metaphysical ideas. Hamm approaches the student with respect. When he titles his book "DRAWING" then drawing is exactly the subject he treats, and not other complicated and non-essential matters. By the way, Hamm does offer separate books on the subjects of:
"Still-Life Drawing and Painting" "How to Draw Animals"
"Drawing Scenery: Landscapes and Seascapes" etc. all at bargain prices.
Hamm reminds me of the working draftsmen of the Rennaissance era with his CLASSICAL TRADITION teaching method, and he's a teacher for the working day. If I could rate it higher, I certainly would. Jack Hamm's book belongs #1 of all beginner figure drawing books.
52 of 53 people found the following review helpful
By M. E. Volmar
Format:Paperback
This book is a clearly written, easy to follow, detailed and concise handbook to drawing the head and figure by using several different approaches and understanding the anatomy of the human body from the outside without going deeper into its musculature or skeletal structure. This fully illustrated reference contains over 900 diagrams and illustrations and is structured into fourteen carefully organized sections that pack into one book, without leaving anything out, all the information that usually takes other authors 2 or 3 volumes.
The author covers general topics like figure and head construction, basic lines of the figure, head patterns, angles and comparisons, movements, proportions and simplified figures. He also goes into specific topics like facial features, hair, torso, neck and shoulders, arms, hands, legs, and feet. As an added bonus he includes not so common topics such as youth and age, and clothing, but as a warning, note that most fashion elements like clothing, hairstyles and makeup are from the 1960's since this volume is a reprint of a book originally published in 1963.
By studying this book as if it were a textbook on a course, doing all the exercises and reviewing each section afterwards, I have noticeably improved my drawings in a very short time.
If you are a beginner, this is the first book you should buy to understand the fundamentals of head and figure drawing before going into deeper, more complicated and not so thorough figure drawing books. If you are a seasoned or professional artist, get this book to discover new principles and techniques with which to experiment. This book is a must for any artist's bookshelf.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar
The author covers general topics like figure and head construction, basic lines of the figure, head patterns, angles and comparisons, movements, proportions and simplified figures. He also goes into specific topics like facial features, hair, torso, neck and shoulders, arms, hands, legs, and feet. As an added bonus he includes not so common topics such as youth and age, and clothing, but as a warning, note that most fashion elements like clothing, hairstyles and makeup are from the 1960's since this volume is a reprint of a book originally published in 1963.
By studying this book as if it were a textbook on a course, doing all the exercises and reviewing each section afterwards, I have noticeably improved my drawings in a very short time.
If you are a beginner, this is the first book you should buy to understand the fundamentals of head and figure drawing before going into deeper, more complicated and not so thorough figure drawing books. If you are a seasoned or professional artist, get this book to discover new principles and techniques with which to experiment. This book is a must for any artist's bookshelf.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar
38 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Is it really possible for beginners to get a quick start to this difficult subject? The answer here simply is- YES!
Jack Hamm has done here what *very* few books can: he introduces beginners to clear, detailed instructions that will continue to help them grow in their skills- even all the way to being established working professionals. Even professionals can use a few pointers every now & then, and this book is incredibly jam-packed in this regard. For such a slim book, it's truly a phenomenal achievement. Great price too!
Maybe the one knock on this book is its general appearance- it's an illustrative style popular in 1963. Style is really irrelevant though(!): it's the simple tips, tricks, and clear instructions here that continue to make this book so incredibly popular, even today. All aspects of the head are considered in the 1st part: step-by-step head & feature construction; proportions & measurements; varying types & comparisons; male & female differences; skeletal structure & details; drawing features using the fewest lines possible; styles & types of hair; foreshortening & rotation; profiles for men & women; planes & shading; semi-cartoons, kids & elderly. EVERYTHING is included here.
It's the full-figures section that gets *phenomenally* detailed- 2/3 of this book. Proportions are 1st- using 8-head & 7-1/2 head standards. Differences between males & females are described & depicted. How the skeleton affects the surface of the figure is constantly emphasized. Simple lines & shapes for full-figure construction & individual parts structure here are near genius. EVERYTHING a parts analysis could include is detailed here. Torso, neck, arms, hands, legs, feet, and even *clothes* are considered. Illustrators & Comicbook artists will especially treasure this work. Fine artists may be put off by the style- for them I recommend George Bridgman for a more general approach to memory drawing & drawing from life. His classical beauty is very different than the illustrations here by Hamm, yet I can definitely recommend both. It all depends on what you prefer!
Other great books (not necessarily for beginners): anything by George Bridgman, Andrew Loomis, Burne Hogarth & even Ernest Watson. Highly recommended! And for photo-reference of different heads, angles & ethnicities, check out Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists...
Jack Hamm has done here what *very* few books can: he introduces beginners to clear, detailed instructions that will continue to help them grow in their skills- even all the way to being established working professionals. Even professionals can use a few pointers every now & then, and this book is incredibly jam-packed in this regard. For such a slim book, it's truly a phenomenal achievement. Great price too!
Maybe the one knock on this book is its general appearance- it's an illustrative style popular in 1963. Style is really irrelevant though(!): it's the simple tips, tricks, and clear instructions here that continue to make this book so incredibly popular, even today. All aspects of the head are considered in the 1st part: step-by-step head & feature construction; proportions & measurements; varying types & comparisons; male & female differences; skeletal structure & details; drawing features using the fewest lines possible; styles & types of hair; foreshortening & rotation; profiles for men & women; planes & shading; semi-cartoons, kids & elderly. EVERYTHING is included here.
It's the full-figures section that gets *phenomenally* detailed- 2/3 of this book. Proportions are 1st- using 8-head & 7-1/2 head standards. Differences between males & females are described & depicted. How the skeleton affects the surface of the figure is constantly emphasized. Simple lines & shapes for full-figure construction & individual parts structure here are near genius. EVERYTHING a parts analysis could include is detailed here. Torso, neck, arms, hands, legs, feet, and even *clothes* are considered. Illustrators & Comicbook artists will especially treasure this work. Fine artists may be put off by the style- for them I recommend George Bridgman for a more general approach to memory drawing & drawing from life. His classical beauty is very different than the illustrations here by Hamm, yet I can definitely recommend both. It all depends on what you prefer!
Other great books (not necessarily for beginners): anything by George Bridgman, Andrew Loomis, Burne Hogarth & even Ernest Watson. Highly recommended! And for photo-reference of different heads, angles & ethnicities, check out Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unbelievably Good
This is the best book I've found on figure drawing and surface anatomy. All other books I've seen in the same price range are markedly inferior. Read more
Published 10 hours ago by The Eye
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Buy
My sister was talking to me about how expensive art books are, so I went on Amazon to try to find some for her, and we chose this one! Read more
Published 18 hours ago by Gretta Lonella
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very historical book on drawing!
This is one of the most important book ever written on the art of drawing. Jack Hamm did an excellent job with this one. Any artist that draws had read it. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Atilla MullQueen
5.0 out of 5 stars
awsome
great book really i mean it explins all down to details if you cant do the stuff explained in here then just toss your pencil in the can its nice that books like these are still... Read more
Published 1 month ago by sugarwolf
5.0 out of 5 stars
Drawing the Head and Figure
I recently took up wood carving and wanted to see the relationship between drawing the human figure, including faces and noses, etc. and carving those features. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bruce A. Dawson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good drawing book series.
I'm an illustrator and, for the price, I've found Jack Hamm's books to offer quite a good bit of valuable teaching when it comes to drawing. The whole set is well worth the price. Read more
Published 1 month ago by xxxhausted
4.0 out of 5 stars
Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm
This book is loaded with examples of various techniques for drawing the human body in detail and proper proportion. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Henderson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!👍👍👍
I would say this book is excellent and to the point! I actually order this book twice cause the first one got accidenltly ruined!
Published 2 months ago by Kelli McLean
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!
I really don't know how to rate this product because it is the title we were looking for. My girl does actually use the book and she says it has helped her skills a lot.
Published 2 months ago by R B
5.0 out of 5 stars
step by well instructed step.
Starting with each feature of the head and progressing logically thru the entire figure. Excellent, I recommend this book highly.
Published 2 months ago by Michael A. Carlone
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