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The White House Historical Association will release How to Draw the Presidents by artist John Hutton on September 5. This first of its kind book provides readers with step-by-step instructions to make portraits of each U.S. President using four steps.

Readers can practice drawing each president on the many practice pages provided in the book.

"Anyone can learn to draw,” says Hutton. “Drawing is simply another form of looking. . .The trick is in learning to look very carefully, and to know what to look carefully for. Drawing is translating the world into a pattern of lines and tone. With each new line drawn a shape takes form, and before you know it, you have a complete drawing!"

With Hutton's instructions, aspiring artists of any age can try drawing portraits on the page, looking to the facing page, which includes the completed illustration, for guidance. Hutton provides readers with an oval framework and drawing tips that include considering the time period in which a president lived so that the portrait accurately reflects clothing and hairstyle.

How to Draw the Presidents will be available for purchase at shop.whitehousehistory.org, and in the Association’s retail stores: The White House History Shop at 1610 H Street NW, Washington D.C. 20006 and the White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20006.

About the Author

John Hutton attended Princeton, Harvard, and the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London. He has taught art history at Salem College for nearly 30 years. Hutton also illustrated The White House Historical Association’s The White House Easter Egg Roll: A History for All Ages and recently gave children drawing lessons on the South Lawn of the White House during the Easter Egg Roll.

To request a review copy of this book, or to interview author John Hutton, please contact Jessica Fredericks, Director of Communications, at jfredericks@whha.org.

P.D.F. Resources

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About the White House Historical Association

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy envisioned a restored White House that conveyed a sense of history through its decorative and fine arts. She sought to inspire Americans, especially children, to explore and engage with American history and its presidents. In 1961, the nonprofit, nonpartisan White House Historical Association was established to support her vision to preserve and share the Executive Mansion’s legacy for generations to come. Supported entirely by private resources, the Association’s mission is to assist in the preservation of the state and public rooms, fund acquisitions for the White House permanent collection, and educate the public on the history of the White House. Since its founding, the Association has given more than $115 million to the White House in fulfillment of its mission.

To learn more about the White House Historical Association, please visit WhiteHouseHistory.org.