Painting Portraits in Acrylics

Hashim Akib is an internationally renowned artist and is represented by several galleries in the UK. He has exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, New English Art Club and Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries in London. Before becoming an artist, Hashim worked as an illustrator for 15 years. His clients included the likes of Times Newspapers, The Telegraph, Time Magazine and New Yorker Magazine.Hashim has taught his unique techniques to art schools in the UK, Italy and France. His first book, Vibrant Acrylics, was published by Search Press in 2012 and has now been translated into French, German, Italian and Dutch.

• IntroductionMaterialsStarting outThe RobotIdeas and planningA face that tells a storyAge & ExperienceLightColourPainting skinFull Length PortraitPainting self portraitsSelf portraitGoing furtherChoosing a faceAttitude and expressionYoung GirlPortrait in profileIndex

'Exciting' is not normally a word springs to mind when discussing books on portraiture. 'Thorough', maybe, or 'comprehensive' - what you are mostly looking for is something that describes working methods clearly and illustrated the type of people you can relate to. This, though, is something different. Hashim Akib captures likenesses well, but he also introduces a sense of character, personality and presence through his trademark dynamic brushwork. It would be all too easy for this to fall wide of the mark, becoming mannered, or maybe too individual to have more general appeal. Instead, and this is down to his very considerable technical expertise, the book makes you want to get started and even to try Hashim's own demonstrations - they're people you feel you'd really like to meet. Excitement on its own would not be enough, of course, so be assured that this is thorough and comprehensive as well.