HOW TO DRAW DOJO
I want to teach you how to draw a face step by step! This tutorial will focus more on a stylized version of the human head. If you are interested in a realistic version—please let me know in the comments section below! And without further ado, let us begin learning how to draw the face step by step!
Before we begin, I want you to visit three other tutorials on this site that focus on specific facial features. These tutorials will teach you how to draw the eyes, lips, and noses. Also, they will help you better understand the key facial features of the human head. And to make this lesson easy, we will draw a women's face.
Before we draw anything, we need to look up some reference images of women's faces. This research will help you be more familiar with the human head, especially if you haven't had much experience drawing faces. You can also add the mentioned facial tutorials as part of your research. Once you have gathered your reference images, you can start preparing for the next step. Below is a link to my Pinterest inspiration board—feel free to check it out!
If you haven't had much drawing experience, I recommend you partake in a warm-up sketch session. You can fill a page of random doodles of faces and facial features. This exercise will help you loosen up your drawing hand and build confidence in yourself. Because drawing on a blank canvas can sometimes be daunting. These warm-up sketches are a way to overcome that fear. I recommend at least 10 or 15 minutes of random doodles. You can also take a prolonged warm-up sketch session. Remember to have fun and don't worry about if your sketches don't look right!
How to draw a face step by step is a tutorial accessible to traditional and digital artists. All you need is a drawing tool such as a pencil and a blank sheet of paper. You can also follow these steps using your favorite drawing app.
I created this tutorial using Procreate—if you use this app. You can download my brushes and follow along with me! Don't have Procreate, don't worry—these instructions are simple and should work on any application with layers. On that note, let us draw a face!
For digital users, I would recommend using blue for your sketch layout. And if you downloaded my Procreate brushes, use the "Sketch Brush" for this entire lesson.
The first step is to draw an oval and add a couple of center lines. Add one vertically and horizontally. When both lines intersect, they form a crosshair. Keep your marks faint if you are drawing with a pencil.
Next, sketch the basic facial features such as the eyes, nose, lips, and eyebrows.
Once you have the basic head shape and facial features sketched out, start adding more detail. Draw in the iris, ears, hair, and other characteristics of your women's face.
For digital users only, drop the layer opacity of your sketch layer to about 30% or less. Pencil and paper users, make sure your sketch drawing is light.
If following this tutorial with a drawing application, create a second layer and place it on top of your sketch drawing. On this layer, you want to refine the detail of your women's face. Take your time on this step.
For traditional users, press down on your pencil to create darker marks. Use these types of lines to clean up your sketch drawing.
The last step is to add shadow to your women's face. Some helpful tips are to shade in the iris and underneath the eyebrows. Shading in the neck shadow is also a great detail to render for a human's head. Make sure you vary the pressure of your pen to achieve a range of tonalities! Use the diagram as a guide so you can understand these drawing concepts.
Below is a diagram of what your layers panel should look like, only three layers in Procreate (not including the background.)
If you made it this far, congratulations—you have completed drawing a woman's face with my step-by-step instructions. I hope you learned something from this tutorial. The next step from here is to keep practicing what you've learned. Remember, repetition is crucial if you want to progress as an artist.
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Do you have questions about this lesson? Contact me directly or leave a comment below!
