Drawing the Head and Figure

by Jack Hamm

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.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Nonfiction, Reference, How To, Art Design, Crafts

120 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1962

About the author

Jack B. Hamm was an artist who is recognized both for his Christian-themed artwork and editorial cartoons, and for his books on drawing technique. He both studied and taught at the Frederic Mizen Academy of Art. As a cartoonist and comic strip letterer, he worked on the "Bugs Bunny", "Alley Oop", and "Boots and Her Buddies" comic strips before attending Baylor University to study theology. He taught at Baylor both before and after he graduated in 1948.

Jack Hamm started drawing at 5 years old. Hamm went to Frederick Mizen Academy of Art c. 1936-1941. After finding success in cartoons, he was offered his own creation to which he turned down in order to study ministry at Baylor University from 1945 to 1948.

Hamm hosted an early TV drawing program, The Jack Hamm Show, in Texas and conceived of what became The New Testament from 26 Translations, published by Zondervan. His work drew praise from such diverse folks as "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz, Norman Vincent Peale, and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. By the end of his life, Jack Hamm's artwork could be found in over 25 books.

Reviews

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for learning to draw people. It's from the fifties, so the styles of hair and dress are outdated and the features are more European looking, but it's still an excellent reference and I improved my skills just by practice drawing some of the figures and employing the suggested techniques. I ordered this used off Amazon for a very affordable price (less than $5) and it was so worth it. I highly recommend this to artists who want to focus on figure drawing.

I'm marking it read, but I will continue to consult and work on my drawing from this book.

[Tammy]

I will always be "currently reading" this one as I use often for reference.

[J.G. Keely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as conceptually complex as Hogarth, nor as aesthetically a master of gesture as Loomis, but certainly a worthwhile book while I was learning the form. That is, if you aren't creeped out by the fact that most of the nude sketches are of his wife, whom he dedicates the book to. I was quite a young man when I got this book, so that confused me a little.

[Parka · Rating 5 out of 5]

(More pictures at parkablogs.com)

Here's a great figure drawing book for beginners. The author/artist Jack Hamm has packed the 120 pages with over 3000 illustrations and loads of drawing tips.

What I like particularly about this book is the plentiful use of anatomical landmarks and proportion guides. In demonstrating the height of a man as eight heads, he literally filled the man with eight heads. There are helpful grids for finding features and checking proportionals.

Every subject is accompanied by plenty of examples in different variations, making this book also like a style book. All parts of the body are covered, including a bit on clothing and hair. The instructions are concise and easy to understand.

I've read some reviews complaining about the book being outdated. Well, the only thing outdated here is the hair style but even so, the techniques taught to draw hair is applicable to modern hairstyles as well. Figure drawing itself is a timeless.

This is a very good quick-start guide to figure drawing. It's very affordable and well worth the money.

[Holly Hearts Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great drawing book I am very happy to have in my collection. It has wonderful tips and tricks the beginner drawer would kill to learn! It is a little plain jane showing no color and the illustrations are quite outdated but none the less, this book is definitely recommended by me!

[Armando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely invaluable. This book was long ago recommended to me by my college art professor as suggested further reading to getting better at drawing human figures. And like most of my most valuable, most knowledge texts, it has been sitting on my bookshelves collecting dust for nearly a decade. Prompt only to pull it out after a new years resolution to draw more.

The pages are filled with several tips and techniques on how to capture the complicated portions and shapes of the human body, as well as perhaps one of thebbedt breakdowns of drawing eyes and faces that I've ever seen. The last few pages also dive into capturing clothing, which I felt was a great way to end the book.

The insightful tips and exercises are so interesting to read that it's hard to put the book down and actually practice them without just continuing to read, and more so than being a 'how-to' book, I think this will serve well as a reference book for capturing those hard bits of anatomy every artist struggles with from time to time.

Cannot recommend this enough.

[Kiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of drawing books over the years, but this book puts all the other figure/portrait drawing books that I've read to shame. This one is especially helpful for semi-realistic sketches and graphic novel illustrations, because I wouldn't say that all the diagrams in this book will speak true to a live model... Some of the tips are cartoony, but still relevant to real-life sketches. There are a lot of helpful anatomical pictures that aren't just diagrams with labels, but practical guides to demonstrate how to draw certain muscles.
This is a great book for anyone who seeks to add realism to their portraits.

[CFDeeDee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book .. Some drawings were wrong, but over all there were good points and some mistakes beginners usually do.
But If you are an intermediate/advanced artist I wouldn't really recommend this book for you.

This book would only show basic lines and shapes. There are only few points about lighting, shading, but none on how to improve your drawing skills.

All of the drawings in the book were more as cartooned, if you're looking for realistic drawings and realistic art then you should pay more attention to details .. This book might not be what you're looking for ..

Over all .. It was a nice book.

[Serge Pierro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book with lots of good information. Not as complex as Hogarth or others, but has lots of explanations and formulas that are very useful. It would be a welcome addition to a collection of anatomy books.

[J.J. Rodeo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non of my art teachers have ever taught me any of these simple yet useful principles for drawing people. After reading each page, I felt gratitude towards the author. It was filled with useful techniques. One of the best books I've ever read educating myself in arts.

[Michael Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing the Head & Figure, by Jack Hamm, will help you draw the human body — or any part of it — accurately and expressively. Simple instructions, many illustrations, it seems to be a complete solution. I will keep this one for reference.

[Eric C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will make you good at drawing people. Study every page. Copy every page three times.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One my favorite art books on drawing the human figure that I use over and over again. Solves the conundrum of drawing the human ear!

[Mitch B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Once upon a time this was a book I used to rent from my art teacher constantly - Exclusively for the cool drawings. I read it after a long while, why the hell did I like it so much? I must have been stupid. I've read "How to draw animals" just to see if Jack Hamm could be redeemed... no he sucks. both are two of the most "How to draw X" books I've ever read. HEAVILY reference-reliant Drawings with super fake "construction" and little to no depth.

[Jerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's been a long while, but I remember being rather unimpressed with this book. I suppose that I feel that way about a lot of self-help drawing books. I think that may have to do with my own development as an artist, which has been through diligence and practice. I also have not enjoyed drawing classes, so this just may not be my thing.

[Jesse Brace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible. If you have confidence in yourself, but you don't know how to draw people, this book will change that. I read the first few pages about ten years ago and learned how to draw eyes and faces, but since then, I haven't been nearly as skilled drawing the rest of the human form, or especially clothing, since I haven't read anything else yet!

[Jasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great manual for drawing the figure. Though the illustrations might seem dated; but the info is great. Must have.

[Nehice4820limtu · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[A.R. Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an older slightly more complicated method of drawing the head and figure. It’s a foundational methodology that serves well drawing in high detail across all age and culture groups. It is dated in the fashion sense and you’ll see that in some of the drawings - but that makes it perfect if you’re illustrating a historical time period like 1940s or 1950s.

The instructions are detailed, step by step and the illustrations are realistic figures vs. today’s supermodels or super chisled buff male standards. In addition it deals with types of pencils, sketching in charcoal, lighting details and clothing folds.

There is nudity, but its muted (not pornographic in high detail) and we all have anatomy and if you are sketching the human figure, you need to learn about anatomy. Would recommend this anatomy version because its not detailing the super unrealistic body standards of the modern era. (The women here look closer to Ursula Andress in James Bond, than a modern supermodel. The some of the men here have that classic chiseled 1950s look, but not all.)

[Holuwa Feranmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pages are filled with several tips and techniques on how to capture the complicated portions and shapes of the human body, as well as perhaps one of thebbedt breakdowns of drawing eyes and faces that I've ever seen. The last few pages also dive into capturing clothing, which I felt was a great way to end the book.

The insightful tips and exercises are so interesting to read that it's hard to put the book down and actually practice them without just continuing to read, and more so than being a 'how-to' book, I think this will serve well as a reference book for capturing those hard bits of anatomy every artist struggles with from time to time.

[Stephen Melkanos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, clear and inspirational. Some of the hairstyles are a tad dated, but retro 'dos are more interesting to draw anyway. An excellent addition to the library of any aspiring artist, or even a veteran from the pencil-shaving trenches.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of specific technical instructions and tips, though the print quality feels like 1920s newsprint.

[Pragati Pandey · Rating 5 out of 5]

i want to readthis whole book now

[LemontreeLime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent.

[O LCB · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 101

[Anna Morgenstern · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a nice, concise, short book about the subjects mentioned in the title, works great for beginner to intermediate level, although artists on all scales can find something out of this.

[B.J. Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for basic figure drawing.

[Robel Besufekad · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book to develop drawing skill

[Danan Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely valuable knowledge only gained through years honing the craft.