Free eGuide to Drawing the Human Face

I am happy to be writing this blog post so close to the holiday gift-giving season because I think it will serve you well in the next couple of weeks! This is the last article in the series of Craftsy-sponsored posts on TPK. {As you know, Craftsy is a website with a wealth of information and classes on everything from cooking to drawing to crocheting.} Today, we’re taking advantage of their free e-Guide, Drawing the Human Face.

Honestly, the human face is one of the hardest things to draw if you’re new to illustration. That’s because we see faces like we want to see them. For example, if I’m not careful, I tend to put too much emphasis on the eyes because that’s the feature that always stands out to me the most. Proportions are so important, though — as demonstrated by the portraits below of my friend Marina. The drawing on the left is from 2010, when I hadn’t quite figured out proportions yet. The drawing on the right {created from the same reference photo, if you can believe it} is from 2012, after I got the hang of drawing features correctly. It makes a world of difference; the image on the right is a dead-ringer!

The free Craftsy guide does a good job of explaining proportions, which is wonderful for those of us who don’t have a natural proclivity for accuracy! For example, the guide explains that a face is generally five eyes wide, and the line that marks the tops of the ears is {usually} just above the eyes.

The great thing about portraits is people love them and they make a heartwarming gift. Portraits have always been sought after, and in an age where photos are easily attainable, portraits make a big impression. This is why knowing how to draw the human face {and, effectively, being able to create a portrait} can really benefit you this holiday season! For example, last Christmas, my friend’s mom commissioned me to create this amazing recipe binder {with the help of Zazzle.com} as a gift for my friend, Hannah. It features a photo of Hannah when she was a little girl, “helping” her mom cook! Hannah’s mom filled the inside with heirloom recipes, making the gift even more special.

I, too, love receiving portraits; my {very talented} friend Zakkiya is making one of Hernán and me, and I cannot wait to receive it and frame it. The appeal is this: it’s handmade, beautiful, and timeless. Portraits are something that transcend time, and get passed down through generations. Not that we should follow Henry VIII’s example on a lot of things, but, you gotta hand it to him: the guy knew the importance of a portrait, and his image has lasted for centuries through this one.

It’s strange to say, but one of my favorite parts about drawing a portrait is getting to know the person you’re drawing the portrait of. You won’t know the feeling until you do it, but there’s something about putting their facial features on paper that gives you a glimpse into their humanity. You start to notice things you’ve never noticed before — a small freckle here, a fleck in the eye there. It’s just a nice experience.

So, in these next few weeks, I suggest that you download the free eGuide Drawing the Human Face, and implement what you learn there. Find some nice photos on Facebook of your family members, transform them into portraits, and give them away as gifts. If you’re not quite there yet, you can at least use your newfound abilities to sketch people in the airport as you’re waiting to travel for the holidays. Quick, candid portraits make for fantastic sketchbook material!

Thanks again for reading! We’ll talk again on Wednesday; in the meantime, enjoy working with your new knowledge on drawing faces!

Warmest wishes,