Hi Friends! Today I want to show you all how to draw faces! In this part we will focus on coloring in your face drawings. To learn the steps of drawing a basic face, check out part one on the blog here: https://www.rongrongdevoe.com/blog/how-to-draw-faces-part-1

Watch the video below for a 20 minute tutorial and read on for a list of steps on how to color your face illustration. All you need is colored pencils or markers and your sketch of a face from part one.

This is a skill that intimidates many people in the beginning of their art journey so I am here to help remedy that! All you need is a pencil, paper, markers or colored pencils, and an eraser!

The first thing to do is to lighten your pencil lines from your original drawings with an eraser. You don’t need the lines to be profound as they are just guides for your color. Erase to the point where only you can see the lines.

First Rule for Coloring:

• Wherever you touch color, whether its hair or face or clothing, start with the lighter color. Build the color light -> medium -> dark. (If you want to see specific colors I use, watch the video)

Tips for Coloring the Hair:

I like to start with the hair when coloring.

1. Always use long strokes while coloring. It gives your art a smoother look.

2. Do the left and right side together (Don’t finish the hair, eyes, or anything on one side before doing the other. This can make them look unmatched.)

3. Make sure to fill in the hair from behind the head / neck.

4. Once your have the base lightest color on, move onto the medium color. Use this for shadows (hair behind the head). This adds more levels to your work and makes your drawings look more vivid. With the medium you should also darken the roots and can add a few longer dark streaks in the hair.

5. Finally add the darkest color. Close to the neck is the darkest. I have learned this from observing family and friends in real life - so I recommend really looking at your family and friends and what their hair and features look like to learn for your art. Also darken the part on the top of the hair.

Steps for Coloring the Face:

1. I tend to use two shades on the face. Like before, start with the lightest color and use long strokes. If the color feels too light a 2nd layer of the same color can help.

2. Apply a medium shade for shadows under the eyebrows, on the side of the nose, under the hair, under the nose, under the lips, the side of the mouth, under the chin on the neck, on the collar bones, and the shadow between skin and clothes.

3. Now onto eyes which are the most important to portraits. First pick your color, then use a fine brush pen to outline the eyes. When outlining the eyes, follow the pencil lines from earlier and use long strokes. Then you can add some eyelashes. Don’t forget to draw eyebrows!

4. Use the same brush pen to outline the nose and lips.

5. For the lips, pick your lip color then use a black brush pen to outline the middle of the lips. Then add just a tad bit of line under the lip. Never outline the upper or full lips as it looks more cartoonish.

6. Refine the face with your brush pen. Do this slow and steady because you can’t change it after the fact if you aren’t drawing digital.

7. Outline the hair wherever the hair and face connects. Add some natural strands of hair so it doesn’t come across stiff and too perfect. Now you can outline the shoulders and start working on the clothes.

8. To add a bit more depth you can use a white gel pen to add highlights to the eyes and lips.

Drawing and coloring faces is really all about practice. To keep improving your illustration skills, sign up for my course Fashion Illustration 101. In the course you will learn how to draw inspiring fashion illustrations and even make money from your art! It’s time to invest in your passions, learn more at: rongrongdevoe.com/fashion-illustration-course

Book Recommendations:

• Steal Like an Artist - Austin Kleon

  • This book talks about how to combine your creativity with others and add your own spin on it. It covers why there are no new ideas and how to become a better artist buy standing on the shoulders of the greats.

• Show Your Work - Austin Kleon

  • This book goes over how to get out of your own way with judging yourself and instead put your work out there to the world.

• Art Inc. - Lisa Congdon

  • This is the essential guide to building your career as an artist. It goes over practical ways to monetize your art.

Hi Friends! Today I am going to show you how to draw faces! This is an essential skill that sometimes can be a bit intimidating for beginners! Proportions can be difficult but once you master them you can draw all kinds of people.

Watch the video below for a 20 minute tutorial and read on for a list of steps on how to draw a face. All you need is a pencil and paper!

In part one we are sketching the face and in part two I will teach you how to color in your illustration.

Before we get started I want to let you know the paper I am using is Strathmore Bristol Paper - Smooth Surface.

Steps to make the head shape:

1. Think about the size you want the head to be first. Then sketch out a line for the top and bottom of the head, then left and right of the head.

2. Divide the square shape you have in half first vertically then in half horizontally.

3. Connect your four lines together, thinking of it as an almond shape. The top half of your circle will be wider (the forehead section), and the bottom half will be narrower (the chin section).

4. Now that you have a rough shape of the head, sketch out the neck relative to the size of your head. Remember to make it not too thin and not too wide. To see an example check out the video above.

5. Now divide the top half of the head into 3 parts horizontally, repeat this in the bottom half. You should have 6 sections total.

Steps to add the detail of the face:

1. The top line you have made inside your head shape is going to be the hairline. Remember hair has thickness so as you sketch out the hair add volume above the head. Its okay if it is a rough sketch at first! Just focus on getting the shape of the hair you want.

2. The second line is going to be where you draw the eyebrows. I like to make an angled shape for the eyebrows.

3. The center line is going to be the eyes. This is a VERY IMPORTANT SECTION. I like to think of eyes as a sideways leaf shape. Then I add another layer above for the eyelid. Finally add the shape of the eyeball and big lashes to make the eyes pop! Tip: Draw both eyes before moving on to make sure they look even.

4. The next line down is the nose. This is not something I emphasize in my faces, I just add a hint of a nose. The eyes are always my main focus with my faces.

5. The final line (one up from the chin) is going to be the bottom of the lips. To make a smile tilt the lines of the mouth slightly up.

Remember: You can edit as you go through your sketch! It does not need to be perfect.

Next Steps and Tips:

1. Erase your extra guidelines once you are happy with your face layout. (I use a kneaded eraser because it leaves no crumbs on the paper when you use it).

2. Usually I draw hair that covers ears, but if you are not they fall around the center line (where the eyes are).

3. Now is the time to go back through and perfect the lines, adding a bit more detail.

4. Hair: I like to draw more strands at the roots and draw some going down the hair. Also add more strands towards the front of the head.

5. I draw a collarbone at the end of the neck because it is a sign of femininity. I think it adds some elegance to my girls.

6. Emphasize: Emphasize the eyes and add more energy here. You can draw any makeup definition just like real life! I like to add eyeliner to my faces with a darker upperline on the eye. I also add a darker line to the middle of the lips to show separation between the top and bottom lips.

Once you have a basic face you can change the details, you just need to learn the proportions of a face! It’s really all about practice. To keep improving your illustration skills, sign up for my course Fashion Illustration 101. In the course you will learn how to draw inspiring fashion illustrations and even make money from your art! It’s time to invest in your passions, learn more at: rongrongdevoe.com/fashion-illustration-course

If you’ve ever wondered if you can draw fashion illustrations like me, I’ve got news for you - you can, and I’ll show you how. This video gives you an easy to follow, step by step tutorial on creating your stylish illustrations using simple techniques that anyone can master. Best of all, I’ll even share my secrets on building a career as a fashion illustrator that gives you the flexibility and income to do what you love.

Enjoy!

If you are ready to learn how to draw fashion illustration in-depth and making it to a thriving business?

Join my online master course!

Course open for enrollment in the Spring!