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How to Draw Lifelike Portraits from Photographs
If you've always wanted to draw beautiful, realistic-looking portraits of your favorite people, this step-by-step guide shows you how to do it - better and more easily than you ever thought possible. Lee Hammond quickly teaches you how to add the illustration of three-dimensional highlights and shadows to simple shapes using pencil shading and blending. After you've got the basics down, you'll learn how to use the same techniques to portray every feature of the human face. You'll also discover how to figure out what the features of your photographed model really look like so you can draw them from different angles. Then Hammond shows you how to put all those features together to create a lifelike portrait that truly captures the individuality of your subject. After you've completed these easy-to-do drawing exercises, you'll soon be turning the memories frozen in your old snapshots into warm, beautiful works of art.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 1995
26 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Lee Hammond
51Ìýbooks32ÌýfollowersLee Hammond is known as “The Queen of Artâ€�, by her publisher, North Light Books! She is a prolific writer and artist, in a variety of themes. With more than 40 yearsâ€� experience, she is the true pro when it comes to art instruction, illustration, and forensic art.
POLLY “LEE� HAMMOND
Lee Hammond is an author, illustrator and art instructor from the Kansas City area, who now resides in Naples, Florida. Her career spans more than 35 years. She is now the Artist in Residence for the Rookery Bay Research Reserve in Naples, Florida, where she teaches art in a variety of mediums and subject matter. She is also the official artist for the Friends of the Florida Panther organization, and the Naples Zoo.
Lee Hammond’s passion is teaching, and has owned and operated private teaching studios her entire career. Within her studios she has taught fine art to literally thousands of aspiring artists.
Lee is also a prolific writer who has had more than 35 books on art instruction published by North Light Books in Cincinnati. She has been their best selling author for more than 20 years and releases new books for them on a regular basis Her books feature step-by-step instructions for drawing and painting, utilizing her own proven, self taught techniques.
Lee is also a forensic illustrator and sketch artist for the Police. She started a career in law enforcement in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1978, where she was trained as a forensic artist, and certified with Smith and Wesson. She continues to aid various law enforcement agencies by drawing composites of suspects, as well as reconstruction drawings for identifying John Doe cases. She is also an expert age progression artist. Her drawings have been integral in solving many cases.
She moved to Kansas City in 1981 to work for the Kansas City metro Police Departments and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. She then married. Raising a family forced her into a self imposed retirement from law enforcement in 1983, finding it too difficult to be on call with small children. She then concentrated on teaching and writing, creating a very successful career with a strong following of loyal students and readers. She wrote books on illustration, specifically portraiture, and continued to hone her skills and expertise in facial anatomy.
The murder of a young woman in Leawood, Kansas in 2002 prompted her return to law enforcement, and she volunteered her services to help with the case. When the case was not immediately solved, the TV show “America’s Most Wanted� was also called in to gather national attention. They created a show based on the unsolved murder, and asked for leads. Because of the professionalism of her work, the producers of “America’s Most Wanted� hired her to work on their show, to help them with future cases. The case that brought them to Kansas was ultimately solved due to her drawing.
She worked for “America’s Most Wanted� on many cases, and is also on other true crime shows. She continues to offer her services to Police Departments in SW Florida.
Other career highlights for Lee include working as an illustrator for NASCAR®, creating drawings and paintings of the race car drivers. Those prints were sold all over the country, and on QVC.
Her prints are not limited to the sports market however. Lee also creates beautiful drawings and paintings of many different subjects, including animals, scenery, and floral. Fine art prints of these pieces of artwork are sold nationwide.
Lee’s newest endeavor is branching out into other genres in the publishing world. She is releasing a motivational book titled REACH!, in 2016, through Balboa Press, a division of Hay House Publishing. She will be offering motivational speeches and lectures upon its release, as well as REACH related artwork, illustrations and note cards.
Lee is also working on a novel titled “Remembering Anthony�, which addresses teenage suicide and bullying. Based on a childhood friend who took his own life more than 40
POLLY “LEE� HAMMOND
Lee Hammond is an author, illustrator and art instructor from the Kansas City area, who now resides in Naples, Florida. Her career spans more than 35 years. She is now the Artist in Residence for the Rookery Bay Research Reserve in Naples, Florida, where she teaches art in a variety of mediums and subject matter. She is also the official artist for the Friends of the Florida Panther organization, and the Naples Zoo.
Lee Hammond’s passion is teaching, and has owned and operated private teaching studios her entire career. Within her studios she has taught fine art to literally thousands of aspiring artists.
Lee is also a prolific writer who has had more than 35 books on art instruction published by North Light Books in Cincinnati. She has been their best selling author for more than 20 years and releases new books for them on a regular basis Her books feature step-by-step instructions for drawing and painting, utilizing her own proven, self taught techniques.
Lee is also a forensic illustrator and sketch artist for the Police. She started a career in law enforcement in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1978, where she was trained as a forensic artist, and certified with Smith and Wesson. She continues to aid various law enforcement agencies by drawing composites of suspects, as well as reconstruction drawings for identifying John Doe cases. She is also an expert age progression artist. Her drawings have been integral in solving many cases.
She moved to Kansas City in 1981 to work for the Kansas City metro Police Departments and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. She then married. Raising a family forced her into a self imposed retirement from law enforcement in 1983, finding it too difficult to be on call with small children. She then concentrated on teaching and writing, creating a very successful career with a strong following of loyal students and readers. She wrote books on illustration, specifically portraiture, and continued to hone her skills and expertise in facial anatomy.
The murder of a young woman in Leawood, Kansas in 2002 prompted her return to law enforcement, and she volunteered her services to help with the case. When the case was not immediately solved, the TV show “America’s Most Wanted� was also called in to gather national attention. They created a show based on the unsolved murder, and asked for leads. Because of the professionalism of her work, the producers of “America’s Most Wanted� hired her to work on their show, to help them with future cases. The case that brought them to Kansas was ultimately solved due to her drawing.
She worked for “America’s Most Wanted� on many cases, and is also on other true crime shows. She continues to offer her services to Police Departments in SW Florida.
Other career highlights for Lee include working as an illustrator for NASCAR®, creating drawings and paintings of the race car drivers. Those prints were sold all over the country, and on QVC.
Her prints are not limited to the sports market however. Lee also creates beautiful drawings and paintings of many different subjects, including animals, scenery, and floral. Fine art prints of these pieces of artwork are sold nationwide.
Lee’s newest endeavor is branching out into other genres in the publishing world. She is releasing a motivational book titled REACH!, in 2016, through Balboa Press, a division of Hay House Publishing. She will be offering motivational speeches and lectures upon its release, as well as REACH related artwork, illustrations and note cards.
Lee is also working on a novel titled “Remembering Anthony�, which addresses teenage suicide and bullying. Based on a childhood friend who took his own life more than 40
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 10, 2012
Who better to learn portrait drawing from than a certified police composite artist!
Lee Hammond's warm encouraging style and clear basic instructions are indeed helpful for the student. Portrait drawing is one of the most difficult to master, and drawing each feature such as the nose or the eye is a specialty on its own.
I went through some of the exercises but not all as I plan to take a hiatus from portrait drawing and move on to something easier such as still life and flowers. But when I have the confidence to try portraiture again, I will certainly pick up Lee's book.
Lee Hammond's warm encouraging style and clear basic instructions are indeed helpful for the student. Portrait drawing is one of the most difficult to master, and drawing each feature such as the nose or the eye is a specialty on its own.
I went through some of the exercises but not all as I plan to take a hiatus from portrait drawing and move on to something easier such as still life and flowers. But when I have the confidence to try portraiture again, I will certainly pick up Lee's book.
February 13, 2014
If you would like to learn to draw and really learn to see shapes this is the book for you. I taught drawing classes for a few years from this book and several other books by Lee Hammond. She is an amazing person and artist.
Great as a gift to an artist friend as well.
Love love love this book and all of Lee's books.
Great as a gift to an artist friend as well.
Love love love this book and all of Lee's books.
January 16, 2013
My personal favourite portrait drawing tutorial book, clear step by step tutorials which will help you progress in portrait drawing
March 10, 2020
This woman taught me how to draw back in the '90s! I truly believe anyone can learn how to draw by practicing the techniques in this book. More importantly she teaches you how to see, rather than drawing from memory or what you think you know. Using a simple grid system images become shapes and you learn how to capture the shapes that you see on paper. Over time it becomes easier to draw freehand without a grid. After taking a 16-year hiatus from drawing I was able to pick up a pencil and still remember how to sketch from observation. Also isn't it fantastic that pencil and paper is so cheap to come by? This is a great book for beginners or if you think you don't have artistic abilities, you will surprise yourself!
July 14, 2024
This book ACTUALLY helped WAYYYY more than I thought I would. I thought it'd be hard for mere bookish words to explain how to draw and shade and give life to a person in 2D. BUT YES, if you're looking to speedrun the art of making portraits to gift someone or for whatever reasons, I can confirm this is your go-to book. Like I read this 1 month and I went from absolute zero to making a portrait of her. 95/100. I'm happy. And I suppose so is the receiver.
October 24, 2018
This book was the start of my obsession to master. The blending technique the steps were easy to follow and I've learned a great deal Lee Hammond is by far the best realistic artist your surely be able to be drawing like a pro. By the time you finish this book definitely recommend it
April 3, 2008
I used to draw once in a while and while I was okay I wasn't great, I could never seem to get anything better than the average person could draw.
I first bought Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and it helped me a good deal, it got me started but it wasn't really until I got this book that I really began to draw something I could be proud of. While I don't consider myself a real artist I have improved greatly because of this book.
It is such an easy-style book, it gives details on lighting and shadows and how they effect your image but unlike alot of art books it gives tons of actual drawings of what she means. I don't think anyone could read this book and not come back a better artist.
Ohh BTW I buy my Art Supplies from Dickblick.com - I recommend you get a mechanical pencil(I love mine) and you definitely need tortillons. They will help in blending and make the drawing look real and not just flat. Kneaded rubber erasers are also very convenient.
I hope you will take this initiative and start drawing again or begin for the first time. Don't let anyone tell you you can't cause you can and this book will be a great help to you.
feel free to send me a message if you would like some help or have a question about the book.
I first bought Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and it helped me a good deal, it got me started but it wasn't really until I got this book that I really began to draw something I could be proud of. While I don't consider myself a real artist I have improved greatly because of this book.
It is such an easy-style book, it gives details on lighting and shadows and how they effect your image but unlike alot of art books it gives tons of actual drawings of what she means. I don't think anyone could read this book and not come back a better artist.
Ohh BTW I buy my Art Supplies from Dickblick.com - I recommend you get a mechanical pencil(I love mine) and you definitely need tortillons. They will help in blending and make the drawing look real and not just flat. Kneaded rubber erasers are also very convenient.
I hope you will take this initiative and start drawing again or begin for the first time. Don't let anyone tell you you can't cause you can and this book will be a great help to you.
feel free to send me a message if you would like some help or have a question about the book.
March 10, 2013
Although somewhat "stylized" in its approach, Lee Hammond's book on Portrait drawing is full of useful instruction. She calls her method "The Hammond Blended Pencil Technique", and it revolves around the usage of pencils, kneaded erasers and tortillons. The features of the face are broken down to individual chapters with relevant blending and drawing techniques to the feature presented. The chapters on hair and facial hair were interesting in their approach. Good instruction for those looking to render in this style.
August 4, 2007
I love this book and it's a part of my "how to" library. I read them over and over, and never tire of teaching myself to draw and paint.
May 14, 2008
I got this from the library but I may have to buy it. In-depth but user-friendly tutorials on drawing portraits and facial features. Very informative and fun to look at.
December 11, 2010
When I decided to get serious about drawing, Lee's was the site I came across with tips and techniques that transformed the way I worked. I would highly recommend any of her books.
April 11, 2015
This is a good book!
September 14, 2016
Started this book and I refer to it so often when doing my art, it is a definite must have for Artist.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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