SIMPLIFYING THE PROFILE To draw an adult head in profile, start by blocking in the cranial mass with a large circle. Add two curved lines that meet at a point to establish the face and chin. Place the ear just behind the vertical centerline.
Beginning artists often study profile views first, as this angle tends to simplify the drawing process. For example, in a profile view, you don’t have to worry about aligning symmetrical features. But the rules of proportion still apply when drawing profile views, as well as the more complex three-quarter views.
SIMPLIFYING THE PROFILE To draw an adult head in profile, start by blocking in the cranial mass with a large circle. Add two curved lines that meet at a point to establish the face and chin. Place the ear just behind the vertical centerline.
PLACING THE FEATURES Use the large cranial circle as a guideline for placing the features. The nose, lips, and chin fall outside the circle, whereas the eyes and ear remain inside. The slanted, broken lines indicate the parallel slant of the nose and ear.
DRAWING A THREE-QUARTER VIEW In a three-quarter view, the vertical centerline shifts into view. More of the left side of the subject’s head is visible, but you still see only the left ear. As the head turns, the guidelines also curve, following the shape of the head.
DISTORTING THE FEATURES When the head turns, the eye closest to the viewer (in this case the left eye) appears larger than the other eye. This is a technique called “foreshortening,” in which elements of a drawing are distorted to create the illusion of three-dimensional space; objects closer to the viewer appear larger than objects that are farther away.