Heads, Features and Faces

by George B. Bridgman

Certainly one of the most difficult, often neglected areas of art study is the correct rendering of heads, features, and faces. This volume, prepared by an expert in the field, is devoted exclusively to just that. With its clear, concise text, its almost 200 excellent illustrations, and its overall life-drawing approach, the book provides valuable guidelines on how best to portray faces, features, and heads.
There is probably no better instructor to turn to than George B. Bridgman. He brings to the subject both his expertise as an artist and his fifty years' experience as lecturer and teacher at the Art Students League of New York. Throughout the book, he places as much emphasis on perspective and planes as on anatomy. In this way, you'll develop a more precise understanding of each feature, the head and face in general, the relationship between features, and the relationship between a specific feature and the face or head. Mr. Bridgman's consideration of the head includes such topics as the head at eye level and below eye level; planes of the head; and round and square forms. Four features — eye, nose, mouth, ear — are dealt with in detail. Sections on light and shade, comparative measurements, and principles of cube and oval construction further enhance the scope of the book. The finely executed drawings complement the textual material, illustrating all important concepts.
Of special value is the author's inclusion of the work of famous portrait artists. Vermeer, Hals, Rembrandt, Reynolds, Louise Elisabeth LeBrun — these are the people who made portraiture a master art; and you'll be able to study, up close and at your leisure, the qualities that let their work achieve the status it did.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Nonfiction, Reference, Art Design

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

George Brant Bridgman was a Canadian-American artist, teacher and writer. Born in Canada he spent most of his working life in the USA teaching anatomy and figure drawing at the Arts Students League of New York. His students included many future famous artists including Will Eisner, Marion Greenwood, Andrew Loomis and Norman Rockwell.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun little booklet with lots of head sketches to practice with. It's more of a reference book to practice with. I've read through it, but am now slowly making my way through the sketches and spending time on doodling just for fun.

[Erika Mulvenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an okay book, with some examples of how past famous artists sketched heads and faces.

[Rudolfo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but still hard to understand. Most books on drawing seem to be. Still worth the study. Many good examples by illustration. Which you are to copy.

[Viki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rambling and disjointed. This book has some good information on it, but it's buffered by rambling pages about artists and random historical figures for no apparent reason.

[Anthea · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to understand the human anatomy to get this, well I think it is really part of learning drawing. He has nice tips and tricks to practice sketching.

[Konstantine · Rating 3 out of 5]

useful getting some neat tricks for drawing heads, but theres better books by bridgman id recommend for the real meat of the anatomy

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

great illustration

Easy to follow. Not real defined as far as soft variations but the angles are good and you can practice quick drawings from this book.

[keereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

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