The front view of a face is usually the easiest to draw. The challenge is drawing symmetrical features that mirror each other. By mapping guidelines, you can easily place the features in the correct position. You can also measure the eyes, which can be tricky to duplicate, to make sure they are they same size.
blending stump (optional)
kneaded eraser (optional)
drawing/sketching paper
pencil
Hardest to softest, pencil lead grades include 8H | 7H | 6H | 5H | 4H | 3H | 2H | H | F | HB | B | 2B | 3B | 4B | 5B | 6B | 7B | 8B | 9B.
For sharp, crisp lines, a pencil with a higher H value lead is a good choice. Higher Hs are typically better for drafting purposes, and higher Bs are good for shading. Keep in mind that softer B pencils leave more lead on the paper and smudge much more easily than harder leads.
Some drawing pencils come with the shade of the graphite painted onto the pencil so it’s easy to grab the right one without having to read those tiny letters and numbers. If your pencils aren’t color coded, you may want to invest in an inexpensive pencil case to keep them in order so you can easily grab the right one.
Lightly sketch a circle and then an oval over the top of it so it’s centrally aligned. Use short, sketchy strokes rather than trying to draw a perfect circle with one line. You’re just establishing the head shape, and it will be altered as your sketch progresses.
Lightly sketch lines down the center of the face both horizontally and vertically (1). These are the midlines, your basic points of reference for drawing a face. You don’t need to measure. Just use your eyes to judge the halfway points.
Sketch lines from the horizontal midline down to the bottom of the oval midway from the vertical midline on each side of the face (2). These eye lines show where to place the centers of the eyes. Sketch another line halfway between the line just drawn and the vertical midline (3). This line shows you the approximate width of the nostrils and the inside corner of the eyelids.
Sketch a horizontal line midway between the horizontal midline and the chin (4). This is the nose line. The nostrils and ball of the nose will rest on this line with the bottom of the nose dipping below it.
Sketch a horizontal line midway between the nose line and the chin (5). This will be the mouth line; the bottom of the lower lip will rest on this line.
Add small circles at the intersection of the horizontal midline and the eye lines. These will be the irises. Add slightly curved lines on top of the small circles, starting from the nostril line and extending an equal distance on the other side of the irises, to form the upper eyelids. The size should allow for roughly five of the same sized eyes across the face.
Add the ball of the nose and the nostrils to the nose line, staying between the inner eye lines.
Sketch the midline of the lips from one vertical eye line to the other, slightly above the lip line. Sketch the lower lip so it rests on the lip line.
Sketch the necklines starting from where the circle and oval intersect at the bottom of the circle.
Add eyebrows above the eyes. Add a crease line to the upper eyelid, then add the bottom eyelid. Draw a short line coming down from each nostril to form the philtrum (the vertical groove on the upper lip under the nose). Draw the upper lip wit the bow of the lip peaking at each side of the philtrum.
Draw a hint of ears showing between the eye midline and the nose midline.
The math for dividing the face into sections is easy. You are always dividing in half. You don’t have to measure, just eyeball it.
Add crosshatching lightly with your pencil to define the shadow placement on the face. Make these marks by holding the pencil loosely and moving quickly around the face in one direction and then crossing over those lines in another direction. You may want to practice on a piece of paper to get the feel for it if you haven’t done this before. (See Lights and Darks in this chapter for shading placement information.)
If you want a more finished look, use a blending stump in a small circular motion to blend out the crosshatching. Move the blending stump around the face, adding light touches of graphite with just what has been transferred to the stump.
If you get too dark and want to lighten things up, pounce with a kneaded eraser, lifting graphite from the drawing. When the eraser gets dirty, knead it a few times to clean it. You can also lift the guideline marks if desired.