Drawing Faces & Heads
For this assignment everyone will draw the same head/face below. You'll be able to choose who you want to draw in a later project. You will be using pencil for this drawing. Go down to the bottom of the page for the picture you'll be using as reference.
The human head has lots of details. However, if you focus on some basic rules it will help.
Don't focus on details! Look for basic shapes in the shadows and light areas.
When you can identify these shapes work from the large shapes to the smallest shapes. The largest shape on a head is the outline of the head - draw that shape first.
Sketch lightly and quickly at first. Don't worry about misplaced lines or details - the goal is to get everything in proportion and in the right place first.
Once everything is where it needs to be then you can slowly start adding the details.
Use the measurement/proportion guides below to help.
Notice how everything lines up on the face. The corners of the mouth are lined up with the edge of the iris. The sides of the nostrils line up with the inside of the eyes, and the ears line up with the bottom of the nose and lower part of the brow.
Remember that these measurements are just a basic guide. Everyone's features are different based on age, gender, and ethnicity. However, remembering and using this will still help when drawing faces.
Lightly sketch in the shape of the head and where the eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth will be. Don't worry about everything being perfect and in place.
You can add your guidelines here to help with the placement of the eyes, nose, etc. This the stage you make sure everything is close to where it should be.
Slowly add more detail and start lightly shading where the shadows will be. You can make slight adjustments to the proportions here before the pencil is too dark.
Keep adding more details and slowly build up your shadows one layer at a time. Your darkest values don't come until the very end.
Use the image below as reference for your drawing. Don't worry about making this look exactly like the face in the photo. You are practicing getting everything in proportion and in the right place, and working from large shapes to small details.
