Drawing a human face may seem difficult, especially if you’re just starting out. But don’t worry—everyone starts somewhere! With the right steps, anyone can learn how to draw faces, even if you’ve never picked up a pencil before.

In this guide, we’ll show you easy and clear steps to draw basic faces. You don’t need special skills or tools—just some paper, a pencil, and your curiosity.

Whether you’re a student, hobby artist, or simply someone who wants to improve their drawing, this blog will help you understand the structure of the face and build your confidence.

Why Learn to Draw Faces?

Faces are one of the most expressive and interesting parts of art. Learning how to draw them can help you:

• Improve observation and sketching skills
• Build a strong foundation in portrait art
• Express emotions and tell visual stories
• Understand human proportions and symmetry

Let’s now explore a step-by-step approach to drawing faces for beginners.

Step 1: Start with a Circle and Guidelines

Begin by drawing a light circle in the center of your page. This will form the top part of the head.

Next, draw a vertical line down the middle of the circle. This line helps you keep the face symmetrical.

Then, draw a horizontal line across the middle of the circle. This will be your eye line—where the eyes will go.

Extend the circle downward with two curved lines to form the sides of the face. Bring those lines together into a point to create the chin.

Now, you have a basic face shape!

Step 2: Divide the Face into Sections

To place the features properly, you’ll need to divide the face using light guidelines:

• Eyes: The eye line should be in the middle of the head. Most people think eyes are higher up, but they’re actually halfway!
• Nose: Divide the lower half (from eye line to chin) in half. This is where the bottom of the nose goes.
• Mouth: Divide the space between the nose line and chin into thirds. The mouth usually sits around the top third of this section.

You now have key reference points for where to place the facial features.

Step 3: Draw the Eyes

Draw two almond-shaped eyes along the eye line. Make sure there’s about one eye’s width of space between them.

Add simple circles inside the eyes for pupils, and draw light eyelids above the eyes. You can also sketch in simple eyebrows just above the eyes.

Step 4: Add the Nose

The nose can be tricky, but for beginners, you can start with a simple approach:

• Draw a small curve or “U” shape at the nose line to mark the bottom of the nose.
• Add two small curves on each side for nostrils.
• You can draw a light vertical line from the center of the eyebrows to the nose to help with alignment.

As you improve, you can try drawing different nose shapes and angles.

Step 5: Draw the Mouth

The mouth sits between the nose and chin. Start by drawing a horizontal line for the mouth opening.

To help with size, the corners of the mouth often line up with the center of each eye.

Draw the top lip as an “M” shape and the bottom lip as a smooth curve underneath. Don’t press too hard with your pencil—soft lines work best!

Step 6: Sketch the Ears

Ears usually sit between the eye line and the nose line.

On each side of the head, draw a “C” shape for the ears. You can keep it simple or add inner ear details as you get more comfortable.

Step 7: Add Hair

Hair gives your character personality. You can:

• Draw short hair by curving lines around the head.
• For long hair, sketch flowing lines that go past the shoulders.
• Use quick, light strokes to keep it soft and natural.

Remember: Hair doesn’t sit flat on the head. It starts above the circle and flows outward.

Step 8: Final Touches

Once you’re happy with your sketch:

• Erase your guide lines gently.
• Darken your final lines.
• Add shading under the eyes, nose, and chin to give depth.
• Try drawing different face shapes, emotions, or hairstyles.

Practice drawing both male and female faces, young and old, with different expressions. This helps improve your understanding of face variety.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Placing Eyes Too High

Remember, eyes are halfway down the head!

• Skipping Guidelines

Even pros use guidelines. Don’t rush this step.

• Drawing Hair as a Helmet

Hair has flow and volume. Let it move!

• Making All Faces Look the Same

Try changing nose width, chin size, or eye shapes to make unique faces.

Practice Tips

1. Draw Faces from Photos: Use pictures to practice different angles and features.
2. Mirror Practice: Use your own face as a reference by looking in the mirror.
3. Use Step-by-Step Tutorials: There are many free guides online, or join an art class.
4. Keep a Face Sketchbook: Dedicate a notebook just for drawing faces and track your progress.
5. Learn from Mistakes: Don’t tear out or throw away “bad” sketches. They help you grow.

Take Your Drawing Further with Art Journey

If you’re based in Singapore and want to improve your face-drawing skills, consider joining a workshop or guided session at Art Journey.

Our friendly instructors make it easy to learn, no matter your age or skill level. Whether you’re a beginner or just want to build confidence, we offer structured lessons to help you improve while having fun.