How to draw a realistic girl portrait with pencil

Learn a simple pencil method for sketching a girl's face, from the basic head shape to eyes, nose, lips and shading. It suits beginners who want a clear order to follow. You only need a pencil, paper and an eraser.

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Video length
1 min 8 s
Time to do it
45 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Steps
8

What you need

Steps

  1. Draw a light oval for the head. Mark a vertical centre line and a horizontal line halfway down for the eye level.

  2. Sketch the jaw and chin with soft curves. Keep the lines light so you can adjust them later.

  3. Place the eyes on the horizontal line, leaving one eye width between them. Draw almond shapes with a circle for the iris.

  4. Mark the nose halfway between the eyes and the chin. Draw a small curve for the tip and two short lines for the nostrils.

  5. Draw the lips below the nose, with the mouth line about a third of the way down to the chin. Add a soft curve for the upper lip.

  6. Add the eyebrows above the eyes and sketch the hairline. Draw hair in loose strands that follow the head shape.

  7. Shade the pupils, the upper eyelids and the shadow under the nose and lips with a 2B pencil.

  8. Blend the shadows with a stump or cotton bud. Add darker strokes in the hair and around the jaw to finish.

Tips and common mistakes

Keep every early line light so mistakes are easy to erase.

Shade in one direction and build up layers instead of pressing hard.

Check the face in a mirror to spot lopsided features.

Draw the eyes, nose and mouth before adding fine hair strands.

Questions

Do I need special pencils?

No. A normal HB pencil works, but a 2B pencil makes darker shading easier.

How long should I practise each day?

Short daily sessions of 15 to 20 minutes help more than one long session.

Why does my portrait look flat?

Add shadows under the chin, nose and hairline. Contrast between light and dark gives depth.

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.

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