Drawing the Human Face

Since we are asked to observe processes, I thought I should share one that I myself am very familliar with, that is, how I draw a human face. I made a quick illustration which I hope is straight foreword enough, but just in case I also wrote out the directions for each step.

Drawing the Human Face:

1.     Draw a Circle

2.     Divide the circle into 5 eyes along the top and side, then add two more eyes to the bottom of the side. Draw a straight line across from the bottom of the two eyes you just added. Draw an oval attaching the circle to this line. At which point you should have an upside down egg shape.

3.     Draw a box around your egg and draw two diagonal lines attaching each corner of the box to it’s opposing end. You should now have an X across the box, the point at which the two lines meet is the center of your egg. Draw a straight line down the box through the intersection of this X and one across as well.

4.     Draw two eyes across the horizontal line, both of which should be one eye apart at the middle

5.     Draw a slight U shape at the bottom of your original circle that is the same width as the space between the two eyes.  This is the nose.

6.     About half way between the nose and the bottom of the chin draw a line for the mouth.

7.     On the sides of the egg draw two C shaped ears, the top of which should be at the same point as the eyes and the bottom should be at the base of the nose

8.     Go back over the egg shape and refine the head.  Where the circle overlaps the chin is where the cheek bones should be. From there the chin should slope inward slightly and then round back out about the jaw. Finally it should angle in slightly at the chin.

9.     Go back to the eyes and refine their shape. They should not be perfectly round but more almond shaped. The pupil should be partially covered by the upper eye lide, and just barely touching along the bottom lid.

10. Draw in the nostrils of the nose, generally the tip of the nose overlaps the and then folds back around the nostril. A light line can be used to gesture the ridge the of nose.

11. Refine the lips. Generally the top lip is thinner than the bottom lip.

12. Add  in the hair, remember to leave room for the forehead and consider how hair does not directly match the shape of the skull and should be bigger.

Extras:

Aging:  To make the face more aged add in lines where the skin folds naturally, such as from the nostrils to the corner of the mouth, or along bags under the eyes.  The lines that show the shape of the face should droop downward.

Parting the Hair: When drawing the hair consider how the way it is parted can influence the direction and overall flow of the air.