Book Review: Facial Expressions for Artists by Oliver Sin (Non-Fiction/Art)

Facial Expressions for Artists
Oliver Sin
Rockport Publishers
31 December 2024
160
eBook - PDF
Non-Fiction / Art
ARC via Edelweiss

Breathe life into your portraiture with this inclusive guide to drawing the full range of human emotions, from fear to rage, grief to joy.

An accurate depiction of a subject or character’s facial expression is the key to conveying their individuality as well as authentic emotion or mood. Written and illustrated by Oliver Sin, celebrated portrait artist, veteran instructor, and author of Drawing the Head for Artists, Facial Expressions for Artists:

• Shows how the skull and facial musculature translate into the planes of the face
• Covers subtle emotions like anxiety and irritation as well as unrestrained ones like exuberance and despair
• Features models of all ages and a variety of facial types and ethnic and racial backgrounds
  

Whatever your skill level, and whether you’re drawing or painting an individual’s portrait or developing a character-driven story, Facial Expressions for Artists will inspire and inform you on how to successfully portray authentically expressive and distinctive emotions in your drawings.

 

Facial Expressions for Artists offers an in-depth look at creating realistic expressions in your drawings. The focus of this book was more on understanding the anatomy in faces that on shading techniques, but while it gave correct terms for different bones and muscles, it didn't do so in a way that made it feel like a stodgy medical textbook, aided by the frequent and beautiful illustrations in each chapter. I particularly liked the fact that the book covered multiple ages and ethnic backgrounds, highlighting the different approaches needed for each. This would be a useful guide for artists at any level who already have texts on drawing techniques but who are looking for more details knowledge of how faces are structured and what anatomical changes take place when different emotions are expressed. I am giving it 4.5 stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.