Drawing a 3/4 face may seem like a daunting task, but with enough practice, patience, and confidence, anyone can create a stunning portrait. It just takes a bit of know-how and a willingness to experiment and make mistakes.
First, decide which angle to render the face. To draw the face from a 3/4 view, keep the face slightly angled, then draw the eyes, nose and mouth in their relative positions. Sketch the shape of the jaw line, the cheeks, and the ears. As you draw, it’s important to make sure the distances and proportions are correct. This might take some trial and error, but it will ensure the final result is accurate.
Next, begin adding the details to your drawing. Use the lightest value to shade the face. This will give the portrait a natural look. Choose a medium value to add definition to the face. Pay special attention to the eyes and mouth. Give depth to the eyes by adding strokes and use a darker value to add shadowing. Add the lips and nose, paying attention to the minor details like nostrils and lip size.
When shading the face, use cross-contour lines to indicate the structure of the face. These lines should go in the direction of the facial features. If your subject has cheekbones, apply medium-toned hatching along the sides. Finally, go over the drawing with the darkest value to finish the drawing.
If you want to add any extra details, now is the time. To make it look realistic, draw in the individual hairs of the eyebrows and eyelashes. This can be done by taking a light pencil and stroking it onto the paper very lightly. You can also add makeup and accessories to bring the portrait to life. Additionally, drawing in visible freckles, pimples, wrinkles, veins, and moles can give your drawing an even more realistic look and feel.
Once you’ve finished adding details, go back over the whole drawing with darker or lighter values as needed. Erase any mistakes and sharpen any lines that appear too smudgy. Finally, step back, take a deep breath and take a good look at your masterpiece. You can be proud of your work, as you’ve just created a unique, eye-catching 3/4 face!
To sharpen your skills, practice drawing faces from different angles. Use different references such as photos, videos and even live models. To get started, provide yourself with a variety of pencils, erasers, paper and shading tools. As you practice, take care to carefully note the differences between each face and experiment with different techniques. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – each one will bring you one step closer to your goal.
Remember, drawing a 3/4 face is a skill that requires both knowledge and practice, so try to be patient with yourself and have fun. After all, drawing is an art form, so use your own personal style to create your own unique portrait!
For a more detailed look at the face’s features, start with the ears. Start by lightly sketching the entire shape of the ear, then add subtle details like the bumps, curves, and contours. Use shadowing and shading to give the ear a more realistic look.
For the eyes, consider the size and shape, as well as where the eyelids would meet. Then add in the eyebrows and eyelashes, taking care to make them look natural. You can also add texture to the eyelids and brows by lightly pressing on the paper with your pencil. Finally, add the irises and pupils, making sure to shade and detail them correctly.
For the nose, draw the bridge and the nostrils, then shade the bottom in the shape of the nose. A common mistake is to draw the nose too flat, so make sure you create a slight curve in the nose. Use shadowing and shading to give the nose more depth.
Finally, work on the lips. To make them appear more realistic, avoid drawing an outline around the entire lip and instead draw each half separately. Create a crease in the center to add texture, and make sure to shade the inside of the lips correctly.
