are you interested in practicing your drawing skills? more specifically, are you learning how to draw portraits & people? Well, the right place is right here!
This article will used diagrammatic representations to describe how to draw the human face from imagination.
I am using Lauicella’s publication (‘Morpho; anatomy for artists’) as a reference to help me write this article – it really is an amazing book if you want to learn how to draw faces- I highly recommend investing! The little pocket reference is dived into sections which have inspired the layout of this article-
basic shapes
proportions
skeletal landmarks
musculature
fat & skin folds
A blank page can be daunting. You can make things easier for yourself by starting out with drawing the basic shapes you can see – the ovoid shape of the head (with it’s tip at the forehead), squareness of the jaw & area of the face (Lauricella describe this area as similar to the shape of roofing tile).
At this stage it can also be helpful to draw the horizontal & vertical midline – this helps you conceptualise the angle and orientation in which the head is positioned.
Once you have the basic shapes & orientation of your portrait, you’re ready to map out the facial features- the brows, eyes, nose, mouth & chin. There are many methods to achieving this.
As you read this, please remember that these rules are not for every face! There’s no such thing one-size-fits-all when it comes to faces- the number of variations of normal proportions is unfathomable.
Before we talk about the classic renaissance method, it’s important to distinguish the face from the head, as did Da Vinci in the renaissance period.
Start with positioning the eyes half-way up the head.
And then divide the face into three (starting at the hairline & ending at the point of the chin). The upper segment is the length of the forehead, the middle segment the length of the nose, & the lower segment includes the mouth & chin. You can draw the lower lip half-way up the lower segment.
Finally, place the ear level with the nose. Da Vinci lined the base of the nose with the lower cheek bone & ear lobe.
This is simply a different method for figuring out the proportions of the face & deciding where to place the facial features. It is not necessarily better or worse than the classical method – it really is up to you to decide which you prefer!
First draw the brow line, eye line, nose, mouth & chin line, horizontally across the face.
The space between the eyes is equal to the width of an eye, with the outer limits mapping out the edges of the nose. The edges of the mouth are directly below the middle of the eyes.
Remember, these are all guidelines… variations of “normal” proportions are limitless!
The shapes of the skull form the basic elements of morphological analysis of a human face, & will serve as reference for drawing portraits in a myriad of perspectives. Let’s familiarise ourselves with the human skull, which can be divided into three main segments- the cranial box (the ovoid space within which the brain is protected), the facial bones & the mandible (lower jaw).
On a finished portrait sketch or painting or bones you maybe be able to see are the orbital frame (eye sockets), zygomatic arch (cheekbones), eyebrow ridge & mandible (jaw). If your subject includes the top of the torso, you may also be able to see outlines of the hyoid bone, thyroid cartilages, thyroid glands, trachea & clavicles (collar bones). .
Whilst many shapes in our drawings are androgynous, gender differences emerge when we look at the skeletal & muscular features of the face. Compared to a female skeleton, male bones are more robust and with more defined muscle insertions. The jawline is generally larger & more square & there are defined eyebrow ridges resulting in a receding forehead. The lighter bones & thinner musculature in females is associated with a rounder jaw, non-existent eyebrow ridges and thus a more vertical angle of the forehead. As a result the nose becomes an extension of the forehead, conversely in males the root of the nose is more prominent where it connects to the eyebrow ridge & angled forehead. These gender variations are generalised & of course to not equate to black & white differences between real faces. Some women may have an eyebrow ridge for example, & some men may have a rounder mandible.
xx
When we think about folds of skin or fat we must think of the tension lines of the face. What we are seeing (& drawing) is actually the effect muscle contraction has had on the skin overtime.
Even professional artists refer to drawing aids in order to achieve correct proportions & feature details in their work. The books below are all available on amazon & make for extremely useful drawing references to have in your studio. I paid for them all myself, with my own money, have read them cover to cover & I would certainly buy them again!
‘Morpho Anatomy for Artists; Face, Head & Neck’
by Michel Lauricella.
This little pocket reference offers a myriad of portrait drawing techniques, tips & tricks, across the lifespan- from babies to adolescents, adults & geriatric faces. The book is flooded with diagrams, which I love!
‘Morpho Anatomy for Artists; Hands & Feet’
by Michel Lauricella.
Hands & feet were obviously not of concern for this article on drawing faces. In saying that, I often incorporate hands into my portraits, & this book has been an absolute game changer.
‘The Artist’s Complete Guide to Facial Expression’
by Gary Faigin.
this little skull is the perfect reference for drawing faces. Small & easy to set aside on your desk right next to your drawing space. I highly recommended this for any artist wanting to better understand human anatomy (specifically, skull structure) & practice drawing faces. Having some anatomical knowledge can seriously improve your portrait drawing skills, so it’s definitely worth familiarising yourself with these boney landmarks.
This skull model can fit on your hand, but you can get a life size skull model if you prefer
as with a lot of things, drawing is best learned by doing – so grab a pencil, pen, whatever it is you prefer, & start doodling.
Starting your own artist journal can be a super helpful way to learn how to draw portraits, especially if you’re a beginner artist.
& having a cute little book to refer to is just a bonus!
xxx
☼ MORPHO; face, head & neck
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☼ how can I learn to draw the human face?
☼ how do I get the proportions right when drawing a human face?
☼ what is the classic technique for drawing faces?
☼ what is the loomis technique for drawing faces?
☼ what skeletal/boney landmarks do I need to consider when drawing a human face?
☼ what does a human skull look like?
☼ what muscles do I need to consider when drawing a human face?
☼ how do I draw fat & skin folds on the human face?
☼ should portrait artists learn anatomy?
☼ will learning anatomy help me draw human faces?
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hi, i’m sarah, an australian artist head-over-heels with watercolour & creative practice- it truely is good for your soul.
i am completely self-taught in all the mediums i use & i am here to share everything i know with you!
i write about all things creativity, watercolour, gouache, hand-made ceramics & my own artistic process. I have degrees in human psychology & veterinary medicine- so you might find some sporadic related facts in my writing.
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