Nicholas Beer 
On Sight-Size Portraiture 
4th Edition – Revised and Expanded

In this fully revised and expanded book, Nicholas Beer examines the sight-size portrait method, in which the artist stands back at a distance to view the picture and sitter side-by-side and to scale. Nick demonstrates the technique in a series of projects that culminate in portrait painting. There are also sections on the history of sight-size, early treatises on portraiture, and the ‘philosophy’ of seeing. This new edition also includes a ‘starts and studies’ section, which looks at a series of unfinished paintings in detail to analyse the thought processes and techniques of great artists. Includes; an historical overview of the technique and introduction to the traditional language of drawing and painting; the limited palette and the philosophy of seeing; a step-by-step sequence with practical instruction, and examples of great masters ranging from Van Dyck to Sargent. Superbly illustrated with 152 colour illustrations including step-by-step sequence.

About the author

Nick Beer runs courses in painting and drawing at the Sarum Studio in Salisbury. He has exhibited widely and has undertaken portrait commissions throughout Europe and America.