n a beautiful book that is part memoir, part book of instructive advice and counsel, and throughout a portfolio of portraiture, an American portrait painter shares the lessons of forty years depicting (as the author puts it) "the world's most interesting men and women." This large volume begins with an absorbing personal story - how the possibilities of a career in portraiture became apparent to a young artist in the Midwest who then risked everything on a new start in New York. This is the surprising account of how the author made the impossible leap from painter of religious pictures in mid-America to recognition as one of the nation's most sought-after portrait artists. Here is the story of early false starts and crucial mid-life decisions. How the "big break" came and the long hard work that followed. Through case histories the reader experiences a behind-the-scenes look at big league professional portrait painting, with 129 examples in color of the portrait work that has inspired tens of thousands of students and artists around the world through the author's books and videos. Hardcover, 176 pages. Large format, coffee table size; 12½ x 9¾ inches. 214 illustrations, 178 in color, 155 never before published. Click here to read and see more.

  

The Portraits of
John Howard Sanden
A Thirtieth Anniversary Collection

resenting the best of John Sanden's portrait work of the past thirty years, in high-quality lithographic reproductions in a large-format hardcover volume. Each painting is accompanied by the artist's own commentary, plus supporting studies and preliminary work. There are 126 illustrations in color. Published by Madison Square Press, New York.

In addition to the collector's album of sixty large color plates of portraits, there are two sections of particular interest. The Premier Coup Tradition in Portrait Painting traces the four hundred year history of direct, broad-stroke technique, from Velazquez to today. A concluding appendix, John Sanden's Creative & Technical Procedure provides helpful data. Bonus foldout step-by-step demonstration.

Portraits From Life in 29 Steps
A Step-by-Step Instructional Guide

n 1976, John Howard Sanden published his first book, Painting the Head in Oil. That book proved to be a bestseller and went through thirteen reprintings, remaining for many years on the publisher's list of most-requested titles. 23 years later, North Light Books published this completely revised and updated version of the original classic.

Every illustration in the book — all 162 in full color — is completely new. The heart of the book is the two highly detailed demonstrations that show — in 29 logical steps (many with close-up details) — how to paint a portrait from life in a single sitting.