How To Draw A Closed Eye Step By Step
Drawing a closed eye is not as hard as it looks. With practice and patience, you can master this skill quickly and create a lifelike portrait in no time. To help you get started, here’s our step-by-step guide to drawing a closed eye.
Step 1: Sketch The Eye
Begin by sketching the shape of the eye, keeping an even intensity when creating the outlines. Start by drawing two curved lines for the top and bottom of the eyelid and a circle for the eyeball. Connect the two together using a curved line for the eyelids and create a small bump for the raised area on the top of the eyelid.
Step 2: Add Darks and Lights
Now it’s time to add the darker shadows and lighter highlights to make the eye more three-dimensional. Starting from the top, add a slight shadow to the eyelids, blending it into the middle of the eye. For the eyeball, draw a soft circle and use different shades of gray to create a round eye, adding brighter white highlights to the middle and darker values around the edges.
Step 3: Shade the Eye
Now that the basic shape of the eye has been established, it’s time to take your drawing to the next level by using light and shadow to create depth. Begin by shading the top of the eyelid with a soft, light gray and then use a slightly darker gray to create a shadow in the crease of the eyelid. Shade the eyelid more intensely towards the outer corners to create the illusion of a downturned eye.
Step 4: Add The Final Details
Now it’s time to add the all-important details to your closed eye. Draw a thin, curved line along the bottom of the eyelid to create the lower lash line and draw several wispy lines to highlight the individual lashes. Finish off the eye by adding a few small highlights in the center of the eyeball and darker shadows in the corners and along the edges.
Step 5: Blend and Erase
Finally, use a blending tool to soften your lines and create a soft, diffused effect and use an eraser to erase the excess lines. Voila! You now have a realistic closed eye drawing.
Creating a Cartoon Eye
Drawing a closed eye for a cartoon character is a bit different than drawing a realistic eye. To create a more stylized look, start by drawing an oval for the eyeball, adding a curved line for the upper eyelid and a cute little triangle for the lower eyelash. Now you can use a few light and dark tones to emphasize the shape of the eye and add a cute catchlight if you like. Finish off the eye by drawing short, wispy lines to create the illusion of lashes and add a few playful details like a smile or blush.
Creating Expressions
It is possible to draw a wide range of expressions by manipulating the shape of the eye. To create a sad look, accentuate the downward look of the eye by creating a couple of horizontal lines in the crease of the eyelid and drawing longer lashes on the bottom. To give the eye a happy expression, draw a few small dots on the upper portion of the eyelid and keep the lashes on the bottom relatively short.
Incorporating The Eye Into A Portrait
Drawing an eye is one thing, but incorporating it into a larger portrait is a whole different ballgame. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks that will help you along the way. To make the eye look more realistic, draw the eyes at an angle in relation to the rest of the face and be sure to add shadows to the face and hair to give the portrait more depth. Also, be sure to use a mix of hard and soft lines to make the portrait more interesting and to make sure the eyes look lifelike.
