Everybody secretly wants to be an artist! Drawing, in particular, seems to be the easiest way of expressing your creative side. But, of course, all those intricate lines can be intimidating. Don’t worry, though – following this guide, you’ll learn how to draw the back of a head!
Start with the basics. Make sure your paper is tilted away from you – it’s easier to make the lines look uniform. Then, drawing from the top of the head, trace a vertical line that comes to a point at the nape of the neck.
Next, it’s time to add in the details. To draw the neck and jawline, start at the nape of the neck, and draw a letter ‘V’ shape. From the end of this line, simply draw a rounded line that curves around the back of the head.
Take your time with this step – you’re essentially sketching an outline, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Using an eraser or a thicker pencil will help you rub away any lines that don’t look quite right.
Now, to really add a sense of realism to your artwork, add some shadowing. To do this, you’ll need to use a softer-tipped pencil, or use more pressure to make the lines darker.
This technique is quite easy to execute – all you need to do is slightly focus on where shadows would be casted. At the back of the head, you’ll notice that the shadow will be subtly darker due to the shape of the head.
To give your picture a sense of completeness, use a pen to outline the entire drawing. This WILL take some extra time and attention, but it’ll give the finished product a more professional look.
Once you’ve finished outlining, erase any leftover pencil lines and get ready to colour! Use any colour you’d like, as long as it looks nice and natural. For example, flesh tones work well, or you could mix hues of pinks and purples.
Finishing up – there’s just one last thing you need to do! To really give your drawing depth, try using some sort of blending tool. This could be a sponge, a Q-tip, or even a finger – just blending the colour of the face until it looks blurry and soft.
And… here’s your final product! All it took was a couple tools and a bit of practice, but now you’ve infinitely increased your creative repertoire. The back of a head may not seem like a challenging subject, but incorporating your own unique flair into the process will make your artwork stand out!
