Usually people who do not have special art education do not dare to depict human faces. It is understandable, for this you need to know the anatomy, structure of the skull, types of facial muscles and much more. Such students are more interested in how to learn how to draw flowers, still lifes or landscapes, they seem to be more accessible ... However, in order to make the drawing look like a specific person, academic knowledge in the field of painting is not necessary. This sketch may not become a masterpiece, but it will retain the memory of some meeting.
It is especially valuable to know how to learn to draw portraits, in this age of electronic digital cameras and cameras mounted in mobile phones. Still, a cartoon or sketch made with one’s own hand carries much more positive energy than any picture (with whatever resolution it may be taken), because art animates emotions, and technology does not always succeed.
Learning to draw a portrait is actually not so difficult (unless the task is to create a highly artistic work).
First you need to imagine some ideal face that most people would consider beautiful. So, the shape is oval. You can compare this form with the face of the person depicted and make corrections.
Now you need to determine the lines of the eyes, ears and lower part of the nose. If the person whom they draw does not agree to pose, then it remains to use his photograph or his own memory. You need to imagine how low the mouth is, how high the eyes are, and, based on this, draw horizontal lines inside the oval of the face.
Artists who already know how to learn to draw portraits recommend that all beginners pay more attention to the eyes: the similarity achieved depends on them to a large extent. With all the diversity of people living on earth, they are conditionally divided into a relatively small number of types. The most common type of eye is almond-shaped, but there are others (it’s important to understand what kind of eyes they have). It should be determined with the inclination of the outer and inner edges of the eyes.
Now the nose. It is already at the top and wider below. The line of the lower edge in the figure already exists, it remains only to convey the features of its shape. For beginners, only learning how to learn how to draw portraits, it is better not to try to depict this facial features in too much detail.
The mouth is depicted in three main lines. The upper edge resembles the letter “M” stretched out on the sides. The bottom line is an arc curved to the bottom. Between them, the mouth itself is a small winding line. Novice artists unfamiliar with anatomy should not draw teeth.
Eyebrow and hair lines work out, as a rule, best of all the rest. Outlining the shape of the hairstyle is a relatively simple matter.
The image of the ears also usually does not cause difficulties, unless, of course, we dwell on their structure, which requires certain knowledge.
There remains a neck and clothes (or rather, a collar or neckline). This is already quite simple, however, such details give the whole sketch a completeness.
After finishing work, it’s nice to take a break, and then (for example, the next day) yourself to evaluate how much what happened turns out to be a good way of conveying the outward resemblance and, possibly, the character of the painted person. Small details (such as moles, for example) may be important.
And finally, a few tips for those thinking about how to learn how to draw portraits:
- A pencil is best used soft.
- Do not be afraid to make a mistake, it can be fixed with the eraser.
- You need to draw what is seen, and not what you want.
- If you have the ability, continue to study hard.
And further! Any criticism should be treated with angelic patience, especially if the drawing is commented on by a professional artist.