Drawing: The Head (HT197) [Paperback]

Andrew Loomis (Author), Editors Of Walter Foster (Editor)

Book Description

Series: How to Draw & Paint/Art Instruction Program

Here is an essential guide that is head and shoulders above the rest! In The Head, expert Andrew Loomis teaches you the basics of drawing the human head, including detailed drawings of a variety of male and female models in different poses. First he covers the basic proportions of the head and the proper placement of facial features. Then he shows you how to render light and shadow, as well as exploring simple techniques for capturing an array of facial expressions and depicting differences in type and character. This comprehensive guide is a welcome addition to any artistÆs drawing reference library!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Dear Art Enthusiast,

Today may be your fist time using a Walter Foster art book, or it may be the continuation of a long-term relationship with our products. Either way, this book will delight you.

Like all of our art books, this title was written with careful attention to detail. It includes detailed illustrations that will bring you a satisfying learning experience and hours of enjoyment. Walter Foster Publishing knows that artists are eager to learn, sharpen their skills and talents, and experience new artistic horizons. And while you may not be in a position to take private lessons, Walter Foster offers you the next best thing--step-by-step, do-it-yourself art instruction books that are entertaining and affordable.

Our books are authored by some of the best artists in America, and you can be sure our quality standards and color presentations are at the highest possible levels. For 80 years, Walter Foster Publishing has been providing instructional art books and products to million of enthusiastic artists who enjoy the rewards of learning to draw and paint. Most of all, we hope you have fun in the process!

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walter Foster; Revised edition (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560100109
• ISBN-13: 978-1560100102
• Product Dimensions: 13.6 x 9.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #863,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Art > Art History > Themes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars walter foster publishing ruins what they touch, June 13, 2002

By 

jack ailles (lansing, mi usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing: The Head (HT197) (Paperback)

I held Andrew Loomis's books in the highest esteem. Then walter foster came along and decided to cut cost by publishing every third page and discarding everything in between. Think this statement is absurd! Compare Andrew Loomis's books BEFORE and AFTER walter foster got his hands on them.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A popular standard in learning to draw heads from memory..., September 17, 2006

By 

"extreme_dig_cm" (Chicago, Il USA, Amazon.com Fan!) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Drawing: The Head (HT197) (Paperback)

...for beginners & intermediates in ability. It's 32 pages taken from several of his original books- easily my favorite Loomis collection!

In recent decades there have been 3 main teachers in learning to draw heads from memory. For cube-based construction we have George Bridgman. For ball/sphere-based construction we have Andrew Loomis. And for oval/ellipse-based construction, we have the famous teacher of the Dynamic Drawing series- comicbook artist Burne Hogarth. Many of today's Japanese animation & comicbook instructionals are using these very same principles, along with some of the teachings by the Famous Artists School. My current interest is in oval & cube-based construction, but it's Loomis' famous *ball/sphere-based* construction here that many people consider to be the BEST. All artists, from beginners to even professionals(!), could easily benefit in learning these 3 popular standards.
In any case, this is a great work *in pencil* on heads of all kinds. All popular aspects of construction are covered: men, women, children, teens, elderly, fashion-models, proportions, rythmic lines, planes, anatomy, bone structure, simple lines & shapes, perspective, common actions, expressions, clear line drawings, and even full-blown tonal studies (whew!). That's a lot in just 32 pages. It's all done in a classic mid-20th century style, similar to Jack Hamm's excellent Drawing The Head And Figure. My favorite pages here are p.26, p.27, and p.30, because these are his clearest & most detailed pure line drawings- exceedingly great to copy & learn from. A tremendous help for anyone interested in learning to draw from memory- get this great book today!

P.S. ...just to update: this reviews page used to be linked to 2 Loomis books. The 1st is his slim & tall, 32-page Walter Foster paperback collection currently entitled Drawing: The Head (HT197). This HT197 guide was also known as Heads/2. My review is for this Walter Foster collection. The 2nd book this reviews page had been linked to was Loomis' original hardcover called Drawing the Head and Hands; a full-blown book- more than 32 pages. The real reason these 2 books had shared these reviews is that the shorter, Walter Foster collection takes a few pages from several books, mainly pages from this full-blown Drawing the Head and Hands.
As I understand it, Loomis actually *created* ball/sphere-based construction for heads, printed in Fun With A Pencil circa 1939- and I see no evidence to contradict this. And today it's one of the most popular methods around. His books being out of print confuses many! That's why I give this 5 stars: instead of slamming Walter Foster's publications for their lack of completeness, we should thank them for keeping Loomis' name alive(!). If it weren't for this Drawing: The Head collection, I might never have given his Figure Drawing For All It's Worth a chance. Now I have both- and I consider that a good thing.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very, very good book!!!, February 23, 2001

By 

Richard Price (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing: The Head (HT197) (Paperback)

"Drawing Heads" by Andrew Loomis is a very thorough and comprehensive book that has amazingly been crammed into under 70 pages.

There is no waste whatsoever in any of the pages. The illustrations are beautiful and it contains simplified, easy to understand approaches to drawing the head as well as basic anatomy and facial planes. Also contained are the proportions for small children, babies and teens.

It would have to be the best book on drawing the head i have come across and is at a bargain price. It is a "must have" for anyone serious about learning how to draw the head.