The Beginner's Guide to Drawing Portraits

• Introduction 6
• Materials 8
• Your first portrait 26
• Self portrait 28
• Shape and structure 32
• Features 38
• Proportions 46
• Capturing a likeness 68
  • Dimithra 72
• Shading, tone and form 76
• Character and expression 90
• Moving on 96
  • Rosie 102
• Drawing from life 106
• Composition 114
• Story 124
  • Maasai Warrior 132
  • Cora 136
• Experimenting 140
• Index 144

Carole Massey was born in Hertfordshire and studied at St. Alban's School of Art and Leicester School of Art & Design. After a career in advertising and graphic design, Carole returned to her first love, painting, full-time. She now teaches and runs weekend workshops, as well as organising painting holidays. Carole's work is exhibited widely, and she is particularly known for her celebrity portraits, mostly inspired by photographs. She uses a wide variety of media including acrylic, watercolour, pastel, pencil and monochrome.

The People's Friend

More people than ever have been finding joy in drawing and painting its a fabulous way to unwind and relax. However, if you would like to improve your skills, then this is the perfect guide to take you through the stages. Step-by-step instructions remove the mystery to creating your very own masterpieces, with tips on how to capture personality and expression.

Leisure Painter contributor, Carole Massey's eagerly anticipated guide to drawing portraits is aimed specifically at the beginner. Carole takes great pains to dispel the myth that portrait painting is only for experienced artists and makes it accessible to beginners through step-by-step examples. Simple exercises and longer projects show how to use line, tone and form to capture a likeness, using both monochrome and coloured pencils. There are also chapters on composition, clothing, props and more personal characteristics, such as hairstyles, resulting in portraits full of character and life.