How Do I Draw Old Faces?

Drawing the elderly can take more time because of skin imperfections.

Drawing people's faces is something that anyone can do with a pencil and paper. However, most people shy away from this type of art because of the level of difficulty that is commonly associated with drawing a face. The people who are brave enough to draw young faces will sometimes not want to draw older faces because of added nuances and difficulty. Fortunately, drawing the young or the elderly has about the same level of difficulty, and as long as you know how to shade you should have success.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Paper
• Eraser

Instructions

1. When you first attempt to draw a face, use a picture instead of a real-life model. You might need to put your drawing down and return to it later on. Also, subjects can sometimes fatigue. A photo is always available.

2. Sketch the basics. Start with the face's shape and then draw an oval for one of the eyes.

3. Use the side of your pencil to measure the length of the eye. This measurement will be used much more for the rest of the face. The length of one eye will be equal to the length of the space between the eyes. Using this method, draw in the second eye.

4. Draw a line between the two eyes. From this line, use the length of the eye measured in Step 3 and measure toward the chin. Mark this spot. It will be the tip of the nose. One more eye-length away will mark the spot where the lips part, and one more eye-length will mark the bottom of the chin. Now your face will be completely proportional. Erase the line you drew between the two eyes.

5. Study your reference carefully. Look at how the nose is shaped. You should notice that the nose is not a solid line, but contains shadows that create its outline. The base of the nose may have a solid line, but only at its tip. Use the side of your pencil lead and carefully mark the shadow with light, quick strokes. Press harder on the pencil to create a darker area. Draw the bridge of the nose the same way.

6. Draw a horizontal line to represent the section between the upper and lower lip. Then, using the shading technique described in Step 2, finish the lips. Notice that the upper part of the lip may be a little darker than the lower part. If the lips look wet and reflect light, leave the reflection white by not shading it in at all.

7. Add detail to the eyes by using this shading technique. Draw in the eyeball, the pupil and the iris. Erase the lines under the eyes and instead, carefully add shadow as discussed in previous steps. (Having a solid line under the eyes gives the appearance of wearing eyeliner.)

8. Study the skin of the person in your reference. If there are wrinkles, look at how they're shaped. Recognize that wrinkles are not lines. They are shaded areas creating the illusion of a solid line. Start with any one of the wrinkles and, with your pencil on its side, shade it in. Mark the high fold of the wrinkles with lighter, less shaded areas, and the lower, deeper skin with dark areas.

9. Continue around the face, shading in the wrinkles. Draw darker circles or small spots for freckles and sunspots. If you make a mistake, use your eraser.

Tips & Warnings

• When shading in the lips, use quick, vertical strokes to give it a more realistic look (the skin on the lips has vertical creases).

References

• "Secrets to Drawing Realistic Faces"; Carrie Stuart Parks, Barbara Bradley; 2003