Dynamic Sketch · Head Structure

Author: Burne Hogarth
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: The portrait head is one of the most complex subjects in the required curriculum for fine arts students. The delicate and subtle representation of form, structure, and proportion in the head has long been a challenge for art learners, as well as professional painters. For most people, drawing the head is not only a meticulous process from beginning to end but also an endless refining process. Dynamic Sketching: Head Structure aims to explain fundamental concepts: the relationships of proportion, the concept of form, the principles of anatomy, and the foundational elements that have shaped many great works over two millennia. The book does not introduce entirely new material; instead, these painting techniques and methods for depicting portrait heads, facial features, and facial expressions are an ancient craft that dates back to Greek art, reached its perfection during the Renaissance, and has been followed by artists and art educators ever since. The discussions on proportion and form in the book are largely based on the theories refined by Greek sculptors and the anatomical knowledge summarized by Renaissance artists. Although artistic expression has evolved across different eras, we still build upon the foundations laid by our predecessors. The book also includes numerous outstanding sculptures, oil paintings, sketches, and engravings of portrait heads from the Greek era to the present day, intended to illustrate the principles of head modeling upon which the book is based. It is evident that the classical concepts of the head have inspired countless artists—ranging from sculptors of the Greek and Roman periods to the great masters of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and even contemporary giants like Picasso and (Luó)—whose works consistently reflect the enduring legacy of classical experience and principles. The head is the source of all power and inspiration. This classic treatise on the head is presented by a renowned artist and an exceptional educator.