How to Draw the Human Head: Techniques and Anatomy [Paperback]

Louise Gordon (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 27, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014046560X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140465600
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #266,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for portraiture students!, April 3, 2000

By 

Jenelle E. Steeg "jsteeg1" (Fort Wayne, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Draw the Human Head: Techniques and Anatomy (Paperback)

This is the best book I've seen that teaches how to draw human heads accurately without going overboard on the anatomical information.

I've taken college-level figure drawing classes, and when it came time to draw the head, I've been virtually clueless! This book eliminates that feeling. It's easy to get the misconception that drawing heads is a piece of cake; without the information about what lies underneath the skin, understanding how to capture an expression can be a chore. Louise Gordon obviously knows what she's talking about and is thoughtful enough to include tips on shading, contouring, proportion and perspective once students have mastered the basics.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unmatched Classic!, December 30, 2008

By 

J. Karp (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Draw the Human Head: Techniques and Anatomy (Hardcover)

I'm not sure where I got this book to tell you the truth. It's a second edition from 1979 and says it's from a high school library in Pleasanton, CA. But regardless, I've been using this book since I first found when I was a kid. Back then, I had a working knowledge of how to draw, but the idea of constructing a face through the underlying structure is what I learned from this book. I almost lost it once and I was so sad. I wanted to find it again, but had no idea what it was called, nor did I remember the author. I'm so glad I found it again. Anyway,keep in mind, if you DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DRAW, THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR YOU. This book shows the bone and muscle structure of a human face. Although, what always set this apart from a typical anatomy book is the fact that it's done in pencil. For some reason, I found it far easier to comprehend when seeing the strokes than I did just looking at a face by itself. It helped me to develop my skills in shading and blending to create a more realistic face. It definitely was among my favorite books as a child, and now that I've found it again, I still love to flip through it! :)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Good Book, September 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Draw the Human Head: Techniques and Anatomy (Paperback)

Louise Gordon's books are all great. The anatomy is simple and the lines are clear. Some books look like they were scribbled. There is plenty of what you want here. Buy all her books.

Natalie