The face is a fundamental part of the human anatomy and can express many different emotions. In a portrait or in any work that depicts people, the faces are the main element. Each trait has its weight in representing a certain expression or emotion. Being able to draw faces well means taking an important step on the road to becoming a great artist. In this article you can get an idea of the techniques for drawing certain types of faces.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Drawing a Woman's Face
Step 1. Draw the outline of the face with light strokes
Remember that heads are never round, but oval - draw an oval with the underside narrower and tapered, like an egg.
Step 2. Divide the oval into sections
The easiest way to start is to draw lines to delimit the different parts of the face. Divide the oval in half with a vertical line; then divide it in half again, this time horizontally.
Step 3. Draw the nose
Divide the bottom half of the oval in half by drawing another horizontal line. At the point of intersection of this second horizontal and vertical line, draw the lower outline of the nose and the nostrils.
Step 4. Add the mouth
Draw a third horizontal line to divide the bottom quarter of the oval in half. The lower lip will rest on this new line. Draw the lip line and add the upper lip. You can then finish drawing the lower lip.
Step 5. Draw the eyes
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Draw two large circles at the horizontal line in the center of the oval; will delimit the orbits. The top of each circle corresponds to the position of the eyebrow, the bottom to the top of the cheekbone.
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Draw the eyebrows at the top of the circles.
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Work on the shape of the eyes. Keep in mind that the eyes have an almond shape; the rest is up to you: there are all types and sizes. As a rule, the distance between the two eyes is equal to the width of one eye.
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Draw the pupil (the black circle in the center of the eye) inside the iris (the colored circle of the eye). Color most of the pupil black, leaving a small white space. Lay the lead of the pencil flat on the paper to make shades at the base. Creates gradations of shades in the iris, from medium to light; outlines the space between the pupil and the white of the eye with short, closely spaced lines. Apply less pressure in some areas, so that the stroke is lighter and clearer: this way you will get a nice effect. Draw the eyebrows and then erase the guidelines under the eye.
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Draw the top of the eyelid over each "almond". The bottom should cover the iris slightly.
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Step 6. Shade the area under the eyes
Add some shadow under the eyes and where they meet the nose to define the eye socket area. To give the face a tired look, intensify the shadows and draw curved lines under the lower lids, at a sharp angle.
Step 7. Draw the ears
The base should be aligned with the nose, the top end with the eyebrows. Remember that the ears should stick to the sides of the head.
Step 8. Draw the hair
Draw them going from the parting outwards.
Step 9. Draw the neck
The necks are wider than you think. Draw two vertical lines downwards, starting from the points where the lowest horizontal line crosses the contours of the face.
Step 10. Add the details
Add some shading under the nose and accentuate the chin. Draw expression lines around the mouth and make some shading at the corners. Then outline the bridge of the nose. The more these features are marked, the older the face will appear.
Step 11. You can also add clothes, using a drawing technique such as cross-hatching
Step 12. Clean up the drawing
Use an eraser to erase any unnecessary marks.
Part 2 of 3: Drawing a Girl's Face
Step 1. Draw the shape of the head you have in mind
Step 2. Draw lines to locate the center of the face and the position of the eyes
Step 3. Outline the width, height and position of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears with rough strokes
Step 4. Outline the eyes, mouth, nose, ears and eyebrows
Step 5. Add the hair and neck
Step 6. Use a fine-tipped drawing tool to work on the details
Step 7. Trace out the contours using the sketch as a guide
Step 8. Erase all unnecessary marks for a clean, well-defined design
Step 9. Color and shade the drawing
Part 3 of 3: Drawing a Male Face
Step 1. Draw a circle with a light stroke
Step 2. Draw a vertical line
Start at the top of the circle and stop where you will draw your chin (this line determines that the face is facing you).
Step 3. Sketch the outlines of the cheeks, chin and jaws
Step 4. Outline the width, height and position of the eyes, mouth, nose and ears with rough strokes
Step 5. Outline the eyes, mouth, nose, ears and eyebrows
Step 6. Add the hair and neck
Step 7. Use a fine-tipped drawing tool to work on the details
Step 8. Trace out the contours using the sketch as a guide
Step 9. Erase all unnecessary marks to get a clean and well defined drawing
Step 10. Color the drawing
Step 11. If necessary, add shadows
Advice
- You don't have to draw the same faces represented in this article; this is just a basic guide. Try to draw what you imagine or see.
- Pencils are the best allies of budding artists. You can find all kinds of them and you can delete them. Take advantage of it.
- Don't waste too much time on specific details like symmetry and exact proportions.
- If you want the drawing to be a little more realistic, focus on the shading of the eyes to make them as expressive as possible.
- Once you have drawn an oval, divide it into sections and follow the various steps described above.
- Go over all the contours with a darker shade to make the face stand out.
