How To Draw A Head From Behind

5 tips for drawing a head

At that place's no getting away from it: cartoon a head is a complex process. As with learning how to depict annihilation, it'due south a good idea at first to simplify as much every bit possible, starting with uncomplicated shapes and so slowly adding features.

So if yous want to some tips, grab your best pencils and follow this breakup of my process...

01. Define the outer shape

How to draw a head: define the outer shape — For head shapes, oval, square and combinations of both work well

It's good to start by observing the key landmarks, specially the pinnacle, sides and bottom of the head. Using the landmarks as a guide, I then design something that captures the general shape I see. For head shapes, oval, square and combinations of both work well.

02. Locate the crosshairs

How to draw a head: locate the crosshairs — To identify the crosshairs, look at the centre of the face and the heart of the optics

To place the crosshairs, I look at the eye of the face up and the centre of the eyes. This gives me the authentic tilt and rotation of the caput. Adjacent, I await to the hairline, forehead ridge and bottom of the olfactory organ to assist accurately place the features.

03. Define planes

How to draw a head: define planes — Using planes helps to make drawings feel 3D, and too aids the rendering procedure

Using planes helps to make my drawing feel solid, three-dimensional, and besides aids the rendering process. I brainstorm past get-go breaking upward the head into summit, side and forepart planes. And so I carve into the planes to refine the cartoon every bit appropriate. Once that'due south washed, I begin tackling the features past amalgam them, also in planes.

04. Features and details

How to draw a head: features and details — Use the natural rhythms in the beefcake to help place the features

I complete the drawing stage past refining the features and other pocket-sized details, before going on to refine my original constructions until I reach a likeness. For greater accuracy, I use the natural rhythms in the anatomy to help place the features. This too helps with proportion and adds gesture to the drawing.

05. Light and shade

How to draw a head: light and shade — Begin the lighting and shading process by get-go separating the light from shadow

I begin the lighting and shading process past first separating the calorie-free from shadow. I'll often depict out the shadow design so make full it with a mid-value tone. Then I'll continue the rendering process with half-tones and conclude with the night accents and highlights.

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Chris is obsessed with figure drawing and painting. He loves sharing great information on art, film-making and topics like which pigment castor to apply.