With Lee Hammond's simple, step-by-step approach, you'll learn how to start with a basic foundation of color, then add layer after layer, gradually building towards a likeness. (Sound easy? It is!) A whopping 50 step-by-step demonstrations teach you basic techniques, how to paint individual facial features and, ultimately, how to accurately portray subjects of every age, complexion and ethnicity. Ten start-to-finish portrait demos bring it all together. Along the way, Lee shares her best tips from her 20 years of teaching experience: what colors to mix to get "skin," an easy trick for adding a hint of color to cheeks, what makes a good background, and expert advice on: Painting notoriously tricky elements, like eyes, ears, teeth, hair and clothing Capturing the look of age and the glow of youth Working from a reference photo Using the grid technique to simplify portraits and create an accurate preliminary sketch Even if you've never before painted in acrylics, this book will give you a great "head start" on the fun art of painting people!