How to Sketch Portrait Faces

The true likeness of a person can be achieved by fine-tuning your drawing.

Faces are more complicated to draw than they seem. It is only when you attempt to draw one that you realize this. It can take many attempts to visibly achieve a person's likeness. The features that make a face distinctive are subtle and must be drawn carefully. It is good to establish some rules regarding the actual proportions of the human face. Because every individual is slightly different, these rules must be adjusted accordingly. Once the correct proportions are established, those adjustments can be made.

Things You'll Need

• Drawing paper
• Graphite pencil
• Eraser
• Reference photos

Instructions

1. Select the image of the face you wish to draw, unless you have a live model. Make sure there is good light in your drawing area and have easy access to the reference image to check your progress as you work. Place a live model at a distance that will make the head about the same size as the portrait you will be sketching.

2. Scale you portrait by determining the proportion as it relates to your image. Double or triple the size of the face you see on the image, for example, by doubling or tripling the measurements you take from the image as you draw them onto paper. Remember to multiply each measurement you take by the same factor to preserve proper proportions.

3. Draw a rectangle that surrounds the head you wish to draw. Make its width about two-thirds its height. Divide it into eight equal squares by drawing a line through the middle and four evenly spaced horizontal lines across. The upper quarter defines the top of the head down to the bottom of the hairline. The second quarter down includes the forehead, eyebrows and the eyes, which are located along the bottom line, which is the middle of the rectangle.

4. Use the next line one-quarter of the way up from the bottom to locate the area between the tip of the nose and the upper lip. Divide the lowest quarter in half with another vertical line, which will give you the position of the bottom of the mouth. Draw the chin in the bottom section of the rectangle.

5. Center the features using the vertical center line as a guide by placing them at equal distances on either side. The center line indicates the position of the upper ears where they attach to the head. Complete drawing the features now that you know where they should be placed. Remember that there might be slight differences with each individual.

6. Erase your guidelines and continue to detail the face, hair, eyes, ears, nose and mouth region. Make sure the eyes look focused, and carefully outline the lips and contours of the mouth. Shade dark areas and include details such as wrinkles and other facial features. Use a cloth to blend the shading, and use the eraser to clean any smudges.

References

• Arty Factory: Proportions of a Head