Hashim Akib's striking portraits are at the heart of this inspirational book. The subject of portraiture is seen by many as the zenith of art, and Hash's easygoing, unpretentious style puts fantastic results within the reach of hobby artists and aspiring professionals alike. Assuming nothing and starting from the basics - making it suitable even for the enthusiastic beginner - this book includes six step-by-step projects to follow; along with friendly but in-depth advice on color palettes; skintone; composition; working from photographs and models; markmaking; lighting; atmosphere and much more. The book covers many types of portraiture - from the self-portrait to full-length portraits - all with a striking, contemporary style

Introduction -- Materials -- Starting out. The robot -- Ideas and planning -- A face that tells a story. Age and experience -- Light -- Colour -- Painting skin. Youth -- Painting self-portraits. Self portrait -- Going further. Full-length portrait -- Portrait in profile