How to Master Drawing Faces from Different Angles For Beginners | Portrait Drawing Tutorial, by findpea drawing on YouTube. 30 min 41 s.
- Video length
- 30 min 41 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Start with a light circle for the cranium. Add the jaw and chin lines so the head shape matches your reference angle. Keep the pencil pressure very light.
Draw a vertical centre line down the face and a horizontal line across the brow. Use these guides to place the eyes, nose and mouth before any detail.
Block in the nose with simple planes: bridge, tip and nostril wings. Check its width against the distance between the eyes.
Sketch the mouth as a curved line for the lip seam, then add the upper and lower lip shapes. Match the curve to the head angle.
Draw the eyes as almond shapes with a circle for the iris. Place the pupils and add the upper lid line. Keep both eyes level on your guide line.
Deepen the shadows around the eyes, under the nose, along the jaw and in the hairline. Build tone slowly with a 2B pencil.
Draw the hair as large shapes first, then add strands. Follow the direction the hair grows from the parting.
Step back from your drawing and compare it with the reference. Fix any feature that sits too high, too low or too wide.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep your first lines light so you can erase and adjust proportions without smudging.
Check your work in a mirror; flipped, mistakes in symmetry become obvious.
Measure features against each other, such as eye width versus nose width, instead of guessing.
Questions
Do I need the Loomis method to draw faces?
No, but it helps. The Loomis method uses a circle and guide lines to place features, which makes different angles easier to judge.
How long should I practise each day?
Short daily sessions of 20 to 30 minutes beat one long weekly session. Draw the same reference several times to see progress.
What pencil should a beginner use?
An HB pencil for light outlines and a 2B for shadows covers most portrait work. Keep both sharp.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
