Drawing the Head & Hands

Drawing the Head & Hands by Andrew Loomis is a classic instructional book for artists who want to draw convincing heads and hands. This digital PDF edition gives you instant download access to the full text and illustrations.

The book presents a clear construction method. You start with the ball of the cranium, add the plane of the face, and build the features in their proper places.

It covers anatomy, proportions, expression, character types, and the structure of the hand.

Book Overview

Drawing the Head & Hands is an art instruction classic by illustrator Andrew Loomis, published by The Viking Press in New York. The content is organized as a series of plates with accompanying text.

The book begins with the skull and facial anatomy, then moves through the proportions of male and female heads, babies, little children, school-age children, and teen-agers. The later plates focus on the anatomy and construction of the hand.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• The ball-and-plane method for constructing the head.
• Plate-by-plate coverage of skull structure and facial muscles.
• Proportions for male and female heads, babies, children, and teen-agers.
• Guidance on expressions, characterization, and facial markings.
• Detailed hand studies covering anatomy, block forms, proportions, construction, foreshortening, and action.
• Approaches for placing features with the cross and middle line.

Why This Book Matters

Andrew Loomis’s teaching has been used by students and working artists for decades. The book’s emphasis on construction gives artists a dependable foundation for drawing from life or imagination.

It remains a standard reference for portrait and figure work, and this digital edition keeps the original plates accessible to a new generation of readers.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download. No physical item will be shipped, and access is available immediately after purchase.

The PDF can be read on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices using compatible reading software, including Kindle apps and other PDF viewers.

FAQ

How do I get access after purchase? You receive an instant download link after your purchase is complete.

Will a physical book be shipped? No. This is a digital PDF edition, so no physical copy is shipped.

What devices can I use? The PDF works with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop readers, and most mobile PDF applications.

Add Drawing the Head & Hands to your library and begin working through its construction-based lessons today.