Learn to Paint Portraits Quickly by Hazel Soan

If you've ever wanted to paint portraits, but been put off by not knowing where to start, this straightforward guide will come to the rescue. In just a few pages, Hazel explains more than you can ever hope for, from basic outlines and facial shapes to eyes, ears, hair and skin tones. Each section is concise, but completely to the point and, by keeping things simple, understanding follows quickly and easily. If you want subtleties, they are there in the illustrations, but there's no need to get bogged down before you're ready. As well as structure and likeness, Hazel also explains tone, contrast and lighting and how to use these to create form, dimension and character. She even manages to cover clothing and backgrounds. This is a lot more than just an introduction and includes information that should allow you to become both competent and confident in less time than you might imagine.

• Batsford 
• Hardback 
• 112 pages
• Colour throughout