1. How to Draw a Face
FRONT VIEW

2. Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo once wrote, “Know the proportions in human beings and other animals and learn the forms of all things on the earth. The more you know, the better you will paint.”

3. Leo’s Notebook
Leonardo was constantly taking notes about the world around him. He filled many notebooks with sketches of animals, people, and nature.
He took many measurements and was always trying to find a perfect balance so that his art had proportion.

4. Another Drawing from Leo’s Notebook:

5. What is Proportion? Simply…
Proportion means that you make the parts fit well with each other.
More Specifically…
Proportion in art is the relationship between two or more elements.
When we talk about proportion in art works we are using comparing the size of one object in the artwork to the size of another related object in the artwork. You can also compare:
height, width and depth of the objects
size of one area to the size of another area
amount of space between two or more elements
Proportion is usually not even noticed until something is out of proportion. For example, if a person has a head larger than their entire body, then we would say that they were out of proportion.
Good Proportion
Out of Proportion

6. Other works with excellent Proportion:

7. The Self-Portrait:
Here’s a drawing Leonardo drew of himself as an old man.
A picture that an artist makes of him/herself is called a self-portrait.

8. Face Mapping
Face Mapping is a technique used to set up the proportion of the features on a face.

9. By drawing lines that act as guides, you can figure out where parts go and how large they should be.
This will help make your face look more realistic.
With some practice, maybe you’ll be the next Leonardo da Vinci!

10. Let’s Begin…

11. Draw an Oval in the center of your paper

12. Using a ruler, split the oval in half horizontally and vertically
These are called lines of symmetry because your face is symmetrical. This means that the features on your right are the same as your features on the left. The top and bottom are a different story.
Make sure to draw lightly. These lines will get erased.

13. Draw a line between the midline and the top of the oval.
Draw a line between the midline and bottom of the oval

14. Draw a line between the bottom line and the chin
Each of these lines represents where something on your face will be drawn. Watch carefully as each section is revealed.
Hair Line
Middle of the eyes
Bottom of the nose
Bottom of the bottom lip

15. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
The Camera
The Human Eye
Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eyes
What shape are eyes?

16. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
The Camera
The Human Eye
Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Pupil = Black part of your eye, located in the center of your iris, allows light into your eye so you can see
Parts of the eye
Tear Duct = Little pink bump where your tears come out
Eyeball = White part of your eye
Iris = Colored part of your eye

17. DRAWING THE EYES
Did you know that the eyes are actually located in the center of the head, contrary to popular belief?
Don’t forget to draw your eyebrows right above your eyes!
Your eyebrows are more than thin lines. Make sure to take the extra time to draw the hairs. Which direction do they grow?
You could also fit five eyes in the width of your head.

18. See what I mean?

19. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eyes
Looking at your eyes in a mirror draw your iris, pupil, eyelid, and any other lines or qualities that make your eye unique.
Iris
Colored Part
Circle
Usually hidden on the top or bottom by the eyelid
Pupil
Black
Center of Iris

20. HOW DO WE DRAW A NOSE?

21. Drawing the Nose
Notice the placement of the nose. The bottom of the nose rests on the third line down

22. Drawing the lips Draw your top and bottom lips to create your mouth.
Think of your upper lip as two small circles side by side.
Think of your bottom lip as one bigger oval.
How do the lip muscles look? Think about how they function together and why it is the shape that it is.

23. Notice that the bottom of the bottom lip touches the bottom line.
Drawing the Mouth
Also notice that the mouth stretches from the middle of one eye to the middle of the other eye.
Notice that the bottom of the bottom lip touches the bottom line.

24. Drawing the Ears
Notice that the ears stretch from the middle of the eyes to the bottom of the nose

25. Notice that the hairline starts at the top green line
Drawing the Hair
Notice that the hairline starts at the top green line

26. Drawing the Neck Notice that the neck stretches from ear to ear.
Some neck widths will vary depending on
the person

27. Erase all of your mapping lines.
Finishing Up
Erase all of your mapping lines.
You can now add extra details like strands of hair, eye lashes or any other unique marks.
Make sure that your chin and jaw lines don’t remain a perfect oval. “Flesh out” the chin by looking at your own as an example.
You can also use value to make facial features appear three dimensional