Drawing and Painting Hands and Feet

by Robert E. Fairley

• ISBN13: 9780823014668
• ISBN10: 0823014665
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill

Summary

Portrait and figure studies need convincing hands and feet to really come alive, but they can be hard to get right.Drawing and Painting Hands and Feetis the only book published that demonstrates, step by step, how to tackle these notorious trouble spots, the most difficult parts of the anatomy for any artist to draw. First, readers are led through a unique series of helpful drawings and diagrams that illustrate the interactions between the bones, muscles, and skin of the hands and feet. Next, an extensive array of sketchbook exercises, practical examples, and hands-on diagrams help build up confidence and expertise for more detailed artistic studies. Finally, eight step-by-step illustrations detail surefire ways to paint convincing hands and feet with pastels, watercolor, acrylics, and oils. "...deserves a place on library shelves...Fairley's book concentrates on those troublesome extremitieshands and feet. Sketchbook exercises are followed by eight detailed painting demonstrations in watercolor, oil, and other media. Fairley then continues on to portraits in which variations in age, skin tone, composition, mood, and movement are integrated...highly recommended for serious artists and comprehensive library collections."Library Journal, July 2001

Author Biography

Robert E. Fairley is a Scottish artist who specializes in portrait and landscape paintings, sometimes combining these two passions during his travels to Nepal and India.

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(15)
Structure and Anatomy	22	(18)
Skeleton of the arm and hand	24	(2)
Skeleton of the leg and foot	26	(2)
Muscles of the forearm	28	(2)
Muscles of the hand	30	(2)
The hand: holding, gripping, catching	32	(2)
Comparative proportions of hands and feet	34	(1)
Muscles of the lower leg	35	(1)
Muscles of the foot	36	(4)
Drawing Exercises	40	(36)
Drawing your drawing hand holding the pencil Scribble-drawing	42	(2)
Drawing your non-drawing hand Developing scribble-drawing to a full study	44	(2)
Drawing your non-drawing hand pointing and with clenched first Pen and ink studies	46	(2)
Drawing adults' hands Brush drawing	48	(2)
Drawing a baby's hand Silverpoint	50	(2)
Drawing children's hands Watercolour sketches	52	(2)
Drawing your own hand in oblique light Charcoal and enlarging the scale	54	(2)
Hands: the ultimate exercise Distortion and perspective	56	(2)
Drawing your own feet Wash drawings with coffee and watercolor	58	(2)
Drawing your own foot resting on your knee Thinking with a ball-point pen	60	(2)
Drawing your own feet when standing Working in reverse with charcoal	62	(2)
Walking Capturing movement with wash and line	64	(2)
Walking Capturing movement with wash and line in more detail	66	(2)
Drawing a baby's feet Silverpoint	68	(2)
Drawing a child's foot Line and wash drawings	70	(2)
Drawing an adult's feet Pen and ink	72	(2)
Drawing feet on tiptoe Working at speed	74	(2)
Progressing to Painting	76	(50)
Louisa practising her finger exercises	78	(6)
Jackie in Room 13	84	(6)
Parbati	90	(6)
Angela and Liam	96	(6)
Pilgrim at Varanasi	102	(6)
Father, child and emu	108	(6)
Rickshaw driver, Dacca	114	(6)
Tibetan trader counting money	120	(6)
Acknowledgements	126	(1)
Index	127