How to Draw a Face That Actually Looks Like a Face

Learn simple techniques to help your family draw realistic-looking faces with proper proportions and features.

  1. Start with the basic head shape. Draw an oval shape that's slightly wider at the top than the bottom - like an upside-down egg. This gives you the foundation for your face. Make sure it's tall enough to fit all the features you'll add later. Don't worry about making it perfect; real faces aren't perfectly symmetrical either.
  2. Place the eyes correctly. Draw a light horizontal line halfway down your oval - this is your eye line. The eyes go ON this line, not above or below it. Space the eyes about one eye-width apart from each other. Draw two simple almond shapes for now. Remember that eyes are much lower on the face than most people think - they're right in the middle of the head.
  3. Add the nose between the right spots. Draw another light line halfway between the eye line and the bottom of the oval. The bottom of the nose sits on this line. For beginners, draw the nose as a simple triangle or just two small circles for nostrils. The width of the nose should roughly line up with the inner corners of the eyes.
  4. Position the mouth properly. The mouth sits about one-third of the way between the nose line and the bottom of the chin. Draw a light horizontal line here. Start with a simple curved line for a closed mouth, or a slightly open oval for an open mouth. The corners of the mouth typically line up somewhere between the center and outer edge of each eye.
  5. Add ears at eye level. Ears are often forgotten, but they help make faces look complete. The tops of the ears line up with the eyebrows, and the bottoms line up with the bottom of the nose. Draw them as simple C-shapes on the sides of the head. They're usually about as long as the nose.
  6. Include basic hair and neck. Hair adds volume around and on top of the head - it doesn't just sit flat on the skull. Draw the hairline and let the hair puff out a bit. Don't forget the neck! It's wider than most people think, usually about as wide as the face from ear to ear. Add simple curved lines from the jaw down to finish your drawing.