Being able to draw a face is considered to be an outright talent by many. This kind of talent is also possessed by a lot of artists. However, the ability to realistically draw a face would be a different subject matter at hand. If you want to learn to draw faces, doing it the realistic method would be the best way to do it.
Map And Plan
Although it may seem complex, drawing faces is quite simple. Just as with any kind of art, there are some basic guidelines that you can follow and use. One of these would be mapping. For you to have a realistic output, you should be able to map the face correctly. This is imperative, before you even add on finer details.
You should not just out rightly copy the face of your model as if it were some outline on a kid’s coloring book. Certain preliminary steps are needed if you want your drawing to have form, structure, depth and a convincing aura.
The Egg
You can start mapping out by using the egg technique. Do this by drawing an oval that has the shape of an egg. Try to find its center and draw a line downwards to it. Take note of this line. It would be a very important landmark for you throughout your drawing process. It would serve as your midpoint so that you can measure nose width, eye separation, eyebrow separation, etc. Since this is a sketch, try do draw lightly with your pencil.
After vertically separating the upper half of the egg into two, separate it again so that you would have 3 equal parts. Do this by placing 2 horizontal lines on your egg’s body. These three areas would demarcate important aspects of the face. Try your best to make them evenly proportioned.
The top part of your egg would become the top portion of your subject’s hairline. The lowest portion of that area would also become your subject’s eyebrows. Next, the middle portion would be the part of the face starting from the eyebrows down to the most bottom part of the nose. Lastly, the third area is allotted for the nose bottom, lips and edge of the chin.
Notes On Measurement
There are also some basic guidelines for measurement and facial feature proportions. For instance, 2 of the said egg segments turned sideways would give you the sideway measurement starting from one cheek to another. You should also take into consideration the measurement of the eyes. Make sure that the size of one eye would be equal to the space in between both eyes. You should also check and see if your drawing’s nose wings are lined up with each eye’s corner.
Now, focus on the bottom segment of your egg. If you divide this into half, by the use of a horizontal line, you would get the line that serves to be the bottom of your subject’s bottom lip. If you have drawn the lips already, take a look at its corners. Make sure they are aligned with each eye’s pupil.
As for the ears, they should also be visible even if it’s a front view image you are drawing. This is because they aren’t simply sitting flat on your head’s side. As a guide, you can simply look for the midline of the middle segment of your egg.
However, be careful that you do not overdo the size of the ears. They should only stick out approximately as far as the egg’s main center line up to the nose wing.
One of the most famous and favourite form of drawings would be cartoons. These are very fun to watch or read. If you want to learn to draw cartoons, here are the basic things you should know for you to be able to start out creating your own.
Choose Your Medium: Still Or Moving?
The medium that you would be using is very important. This would have an effect on the overall impact and look of your work. What is it that you want to do? Do you want to go for single cartoons or cartoon strips like the ones you get to see on the comic page of your newspaper or do you want to have a full scale movie? Picking one would affect how you start. However, for beginners, it would be best to save the movie later!
Who’s Your Main Character?
Pick out a main character. Is it a male or female? Is it human or an animal, or maybe a vegetable perhaps? What are its main features? Usually, cartoons have exaggerated features and roughly ignore other ones.
Start Off By Sketching
If you have seen a movie storyboard, you'll know that it’s just a rough outline and overview of what would be happening on a certain scene. It doesn’t have full blown details on it. If you want to draw a strip, it would be better for you to plan out what would be happening in each of your frames. Get the summary of what you want your final cartoon to look like.
Develop Your Main Character
Doing this would take some time. It's way better to at least draw something than be agonized over the exact placement of each line. Try to see early Mickey Mouse cartoons or even early episodes of the Simpsons. Try to compare these to the present and you’ll see that the characters have evolved over the years.
Add Some Drama: Use Emotions!
Don’t forget to add emotions to your main character. May it be a cheeky grin or raised eyebrows, whatever variation you put on his/her features can help in giving him/her more character, life and personality. Unless you intend your main character to be totally expressionless and still, it’s rewarding to give it emotions. If they are scared or angry, you could emphasize this using the next step.
Add Some Life: Use Color!
Assuming that you would be displaying strip on your Web site or you would be printing it off from your colored printer, it is best that you add color to your work. This would give people variety to look at. It also helps give more life to your cartoon. Remember, since cartoons are not always depicting reality, having a non-realistic colored character is all right, take the Pink Panther for instance.
Add Some Depth: Use Shading
Adding a few strokes of shading would go a long way for cartoons. Your readers’ minds would fill out the blanks. Thus, you do not really have to draw each strand of hair, if your character has a hairy leg. Just place enough strands and some hints. Their imagination would do its job and join the dots. In fact, this is extremely effective and would allow your readers to develop their imaginations.
Add Environment: Use A Background
Like shading, this doesn't require too much detail. Placing a pyramid shaped outline if your character is in Egypt would do fine. You do not have to draw the Sphinx, unless your storyline requires it.
Let Them Speak: Add Some Caption
The final touch in giving your character life is by letting is speak. It doesn’t matter if it’s an animal or human. They do speak. Decide whether you are going to put the lines on a speech bubble or simply below the cartoon box.
This website uses cookies that are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. By accepting this OR scrolling this page OR continuing to browse, you agree to our Privacy Policy