Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression
This instructional and reference manual is a visual index of facial expressions. It centres on the muscles of expression and their effects as a basis for understanding and analyzing those expressions they see on models and in photographs. Artists will be aided in understanding expression and in creating expression. The book is organized around three parts - part one analyzes the basic structures of the head, the fundamental forms of the skull and recurring proportions, all in preparation for understanding full facial expression in part three. Part two describes the muscles of expression in the three key parts of the face. In part three, the basic facial forms from part two are combined to form the six basic human expressions - joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise. Each expression is depicted in steadily increasing intensity. Examples of facial images are drawn from a variety of photographic art and artistic sources.
Stats for nerds
2recommend
2mentions
2people
2017–2025years
100% recommend
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I believe it's a cartesian production of three sets:
- What (the subject: portrait, human figure, landscape, animals,...)
- How (the medium: Drawing, painting, digital painting,...)
- Why (the objective: Study, doodling, full piece, Technical, illustrations,..)
The what is mostly a bunch of rules about anatomy, poses, perspectives, best practices...
The how is where you learn the concept of edges, values, color palettes, etc.., as well as the specificity of each medium.
The why is mostly tips and techniques.
What and How is your best bet for starting. Animation is kinda a why. So select one subject (portraint and figure drawing are really complicated), then learn the basics of one medium (I'd go with pencil). And then learn about it.
Most books focus on the subjects. The books about How generally assumes you have practiced a lot and are looking for better approach.
What I currently have on my bookshelf are:
- Figure Drawing - Design and Invention, Michael Hampton: The author also post on Youtube
- How to Render, Scott Robenson, Thomas Bertling
- How To Draw, Scott Robenson, Thomas Bertling
- Imaginative Realism, James Gurney
- Color and Light, James Gurney
- The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression, Gary Faigin
- Classic Human Anatomy, Valerie Winslow
- Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing from Life
And a few others
- Anatomy For Sculptors, Uldis Zarins
- Anatomy of Facial Expression, Uldis Zarins
- Figure Drawing for All It's Worth, Andrew Loomis: It may be free
- Force, Michael D. Mattesi
- Nice share, thanks.
Gary Fagan founded the Gage Academy of Fine Arts. He's done quite a bit of work on representing facial expressions. His book is "required" reading for portrait arts. His lectures are fun too.
http://www.garyfaigin.com/faigin-face-blog
http://www.garyfaigin.com/expression-demonstrations.html
The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Complete-Guide-Facial-Express...
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