How to Paint Living Portraits [Hardcover]

Roberta Carter Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1990

Roberta Clark's How to Paint Living Portraits is a practical and in-depth approach to portraiture. You'll work through a series of detailed drawing exercises of the face, body and clothing as a basis for painting lively, successful portraits in watercolor and oil. The book Includes 24 step-by-step exercises and additional techniques and exercises show how to stage interesting lighting situations, use different mediums, avoid common errors and capture a subject's unique likeness.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Both these books approach one of the most difficult of artistic challenges--the accurate depiction of the human form. Bodyworks is a compact manual for seeing and drawing the figure. Its strong point is that it does not treat each muscle or limb in isolation but in clear relationship to the entire figure. Well illustrated but with limited text, the book concentrates on form, omitting the consideration of color. Still, despite its assets, Bodyworks is not an essential purchase, particularly for libraries owning George B. Bridgman's classic series on figure drawing (Dover Publications, 1932-1974). How To Paint Living Portraits is an innovative approach to the subject. The emphasis here is not merely on the realistic portrayal of the figure but on the finer problem of creating portraits that look like their models. Step-by-step demonstrations consider the proportions of the head; such individual features as eyes, nose, mouth, etc.; the body; and the clothing and lighting of the figure. More comprehensive than similar books, this one covers working in charcoal, oil, and watercolors, with an especially good treatment of color. Appropriate for all levels of expertise, How To Paint Living Portraits is highly recommended.
- Daniel J. Lombardo, Jones Lib., Inc., Amherst, Mass.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Roberta Carter Clark has juried both state and national exhibitions and taught portrait and figure painting workshops across the U.S. Her paintings have received awards at national exhibitions, including The American Watercolor Society, Allied Artists, Midwest Watercolor Society and the Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, and her commissioned portraits are in the collections of hundreds private, corporate and public collections throughout the U.S. and England. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; 1st edition (August 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891343261
• ISBN-13: 978-0891343264
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #471,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > Arts & Photography > Painting > Portraits

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "...a standout, user-friendly instructional book..", February 11, 2000

By 

DJ Rix (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Paint Living Portraits (Hardcover)

A workshop guided by a master painter of portraits. Robert Carter Clark sets out here to teach you thoroughly from her professional experience, without cutting corners or resorting to caricature. Fully one-half of this fine book is given to draftsmanship. She begins with proportions of the head (male, female & infant) in Chapter One, then moves on to drawing features -- with special attention given to the windows of the soul, the eyes. Chapter Three is dedicated to drawing the body. In Chapter Four, Ms. Clark presents the difficult skill of capturing fabric folds. Chapter Five covers lighting for four different views. Charcoal portraiture comes next, then using color, stepping through hue, value, intensity, & flesh & hair tones.

Finally, she devotes chapters to painting portraits from life in oils & in watercolors. Oil techniques include wet-into-wet, monotone, & glazing.

"How to Paint Living Portraits" is a standout, user-friendly instructional book within a genre glutted with volumes that can be too light or too dense, or promise too much, too quickly. Roberta Carter Clark cooked this one right. She's an excellent teacher.

Bob Rixon, Pearl Art & Crafts

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible techniques, March 15, 2007

By 

A. Hainsworth "Gallery Marketing Director" (Lahaina, Maui) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Paint Living Portraits (Paperback)

I work for an artist who owns a gallery in Lahaina, Maui for over 12 years & has a 30 year reputation as a respected International artist. As a budding artist, myself, I requested Jim Kingwell to critique' a painting of mine that was in progress - he handed me Roberta's book and told me that she was his teacher and great influencer in painting. After a few days I re-emerged from the book with a painting that captured not only the subject, my mother, but also captured the emotions I wanted to communicate. Jim could proceed to help me with small refinements...then he asked for the book back. He jokingly referred to it as his "bible". I since have ordered my own and Roberta's book on capturing children's portraits! A must have! Incredible guidance and techniques. Mahalo.

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative., July 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Paint Living Portraits (Hardcover)

Great for anyone that has some experience in painting but is just beginning portraits. Detailed step-by-step instructions work you through the process. Lots of illistrations and color pictures.