Have you tried drawing faces and having the faces end up resembling lemons with weird markings on it? If you answered that question in the affirmative, you are one among millions of others who find it difficult to draw faces. However, you might be interested to know that it is really quite easy to draw faces. After all, faces are made up of just a combination of simple shapes, using which you will be able to draw quite realistic faces from any angle in very little time. Once you get the basics right, you can copy examples from photographs, magazines and newspapers and try to draw them yourself. Also, do not limit your drawings – experiment with faces of men and women, old and young, from different races. Draw faces in as many angles or lighting conditions as possible and note how they look different under different circumstances. Yes, you can be a master at drawing faces. However, before that, you will first need to learn the basics. Use the following tips to learn how to draw faces.
Tips To Draw Faces
- Begin with a simple oval sketch, which should be drawn lightly. If the shape is not a perfect oval, don’t worry about it.
- Get the standard measurements right. Normally, people’s features are identical on both sides of their face, and the ears will be attached in line with the eyes. The centre of the eyes will normally be halfway down the oval shape that is drawn.
- Split the lower half of the oval shape to position the nose tip. The rest of the space can be divided in two and the mouth can be positioned here.
- Make sure that the distance between the center of the eyes and the tip of the nose work out to an equilateral triangle. If you do not get it right at first, keep trying until you get it right.
- Make sure that the ears are a bit further to the back. The distance between the back of the ear and the outer edge of the eye is the same as the distance between the chin and the eye.
- Use dotted lines around the borders to give the appearance of roundness to the head.
- Shade the face with a view to the angle of light, so that you will be able to get the shape of the cheeks and facial lines (if any). Shade areas of the chin as well so as to make it rounded or pointed.
- Add shadows just above both eyes so that it seems like the eyes are recessed into their sockets.
- Add shadows just beneath the nostrils so that they look more well defined and three dimensional.
- For the bottom lip, you can make it look a bit fuller by adding a little shadow beneath it.
- Add a good hairstyle. Here is an opportunity to be creative, but keep it realistic.