Drawing the face unit
Drawing Faces
Developing persistence in skill building.
Watch this introductory video before you begin working
Purpose: The human face can be very expressive, but it can also be very difficult to draw. We will use the subject matter of the face to encourage persistence in developing drawing skills.
Goals for this unit
Develop skill in observation
Learn several different ways to improve your drawing
Learn how to draw a realistic face
Essential Standard: VA:Cr2.1.7a
Demonstrate persistence in developing skills with various materials, methods, and approaches in creating works of art or design.
Assignment 1: pre-instruction face
Before you begin any instruction, draw a realistic human face to the best of your ability. Draw the face looking straight forward with a neutral expression. You should spend about 10 - 20 minutes on this task. (this is your “before” drawing)
Assignment 1: Take a clear, well lit photo of your “before” face, and upload to Gclassroom
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Time for instruction. In this unit, you'll find four parts.
There are "rules" for drawing the face, called the canon. First we'll learn those rules.
We'll practice line drawings of the face using the canon.
We'll break down the face into the parts and pieces and learn how to draw each piece
We'll bring together what we've learned and draw a realistic looking face!
Assignment 2: visual literacy--how to read a graph. Take notes re: the canon.
Key vocabulary:
Canon: “canon” is another word for the rules for drawing the face
Visual literacy: being able to read something that you see, like a graph or diagram
Template: another word for a pattern
1. Watch the following video
2. Think about how you can “read” the information given in a graph or diagram to understand a larger concept
3. Think about how the canon uses proportion by comparing the parts of the face to each other
4. Be sure to take notes so you can use those notes to help you draw. You will turn your notes in for this assignment.
5. After the video, you should be able to answer this question:
How can knowing the canon for the face help you to place facial features more accurately?
Assignment 2: upload photo or doc of your notes from the video to Gclassroom
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Assignment 3: Using the canon to draw a face and head
1. Watch the following video
2. Notice how the canon is used to create a contour line (outline) drawing of the face with the correct proportions.
3. Time to practice! On a sheet of drawing paper, draw an outline drawing of the face.
DRAW LIGHTLY until you are accurate!
Practice until your parts and pieces are in the right place.
Use your peer editor to help you revise until you get it right.
Check in with Mrs. Kiwiet if you need help
Check in!
self assess and peer critique
Are the eyes halfway down the head?
Can you fit five eyes across the face?
Can you fit an eye between your two eyes?
Is the tip of the nose halfway between the eyes and the chin?
Do the ears attach to the head at the level of the eyes?
Do the earlobes end roughly where the tip of the nose ends?
Assignment 3: upload drawing of face and head to Gclassroom
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Assignment 4: optional
If you understand the canon, but don’t feel like your facial features are the correct shape or in the right place, watch the following video on muscle memory. This video will help you to place the features in the correct place.
You will need to use the outline (contour line) drawing of the face below to practice the muscle memory exercise.
Go over the outline in the manner described in the video. Turn in a photo of your work showing that you traced the sheet. This is an optional assignment.
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Assignment 5: drawing the eye in simple outlines
Key vocabulary:
Iris: colored part of the eye
Pupil: hole that lets light into your eye
Tear duct: in the inner corner of the eye, where tears come from
1. Watch the following video
2. Listen for hints re: how to draw your eyes in the right size and the right shape.
3. The first video will help you create contour line eyes.
4. Take notes so you know what to draw!
5. Time to practice! Draw 5 different contour line eyes.
Use a reference photo!
Make sure at least one has the correct size and shape of the eye, iris, and pupil.
Check in!
self assess and peer critique
Is the iris rounded?
Is the top of the iris slightly covered by the eyelid?
Is the pupil in the center of the iris and the iris in the center of the eyeball?
Have you included the tear duct in the inner corner?
Have you erased your guidelines?
Assignment 5: upload drawing of 5 contour line eyes
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Assignment 6: adding value and details to the eye
1. Watch the following video
2. Things to think about:
Why do we shade the eyeball?
How to shade the eyeball
In what direction should you apply your pencil when rendering the iris?
3. Time to practice! Using the contour line eyes you have drawn, practice making your eye “come to life” by adding
appropriate shading and detail. Keep practicing until you have at least one eye that is well done. You may watch the
following optional video to help you
Check in!
self assess and peer critique
Have someone critique your eyes!
Do all of the lines/shading in the iris radiate out from the pupil like a star?
Do you have lighter and darker areas in the iris that are not obvious lines?
Have you darkened the area around the outside of the iris?
Did you reserve a white space for the highlight on the cornea?
Are the outer parts of the whites of your eyes shaded?
Assignment 6: upload drawing of detailed eye
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Assignment 7: Drawing a nose
1. Watch the following video
2. Things to think about:
The size of the nostrils
How to draw the “nose holes”
How to use lights and darks to shape the nose
optional video for shading the nose
3. Time to practice! Noses are challenging.
You may need to draw several before you have one that looks just right.
Have someone critique your nose!
Assignment 7: upload drawing of the nose
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Assignment 8: Drawing the lips/mouth
1. Watch the following video
2. Things to think about:
Shape of the lips
Where the lights and darks are
Where the “wrinkles” are
3. Time to practice!
Have someone critique your lips!
variation on the lips (optional video)
Assignment 8: upload drawing of lips/mouth
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Assignment 9: How to draw an ear
1. Watch the video
2. Practice
3. Have someone do a peer critique
Assignment 9: upload drawing of ear
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Assignment 10: How to pull the face together with your shading
1. Watch the video
2. Practice pulling together a complete face using the parts, pieces, and shading
3. Have someone do a peer critique
Assignment 10: upload shading of full face
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How to draw hair (optional--watch if you are going to put hair on your person)
Adding a neck and shoulders
How to draw two eyes alike
For additional videos on the face and head, please follow this link