It is essential that you learn how to draw characters with different head angles, especially if you are creating a manga. Creating a manga is similar to directing a movie: The characters are not always viewed from the front or the side, and viewers will become very bored if that is the case. The key to mastering this skill is knowing your guidelines and how to use them to draw the same character in all angles.
For a given character in front view, sketch the corresponding guidelines. We have already studied the front view guidelines in previous demos. The idea here is placing these guidelines in the same level and extending them to the three-quarter view (where we see all but one-quarter of the face). This way will maximize your chance of getting similar faces in different views.
Sketch the eyes in their correct space between the two horizontal guidelines. The nose must lie on the center line. The eyes become tricky with different angles but the more you practice this method, the faster you acquire the skills. The eye on the far side emphasizes the head’s angle, which helps to portray distance. The shadow on the neck changes depending on the light source and the angle of the head.
It is best to start with the front hair and then try to visualize the change as you turn your character’s head. You may also get references from real-life models and observe how their hair changes when the angle changes.
Erase the guidelines you have drawn, and develop the eyes of your character. Then ask yourself if the three-quarter view resembles the same character. If yes, you have finished a crucial part of your character profile. If it still looks off, try to simplify the eyes or hair to get a closer resemblance.
You may apply shading or color your design. In a character profile, you usually leave it in black and white with just the front view in color, but there is no hard rule when it comes to coloring.