The Secrets to Drawing: Facial Proportions

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Lesson Description

A look at basic facial proportions from the front and profile views. Concepts covered include general locations of facial features and placement relationships.

Lesson Materials

Graphite, white drawing paper.

Lesson Resources

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Course Curriculum

Lesson 1: Introduction (5:03)Lesson 2: Line (14:25)Lesson 3: Shape (8:19)Lesson 4: Form (13:00)Lesson 5: Value (11:59)Lesson 6: Space (6:13)Lesson 7: One Point Perspective (12:58)Lesson 8: Two Point Perspective (12:13)Lesson 9: Three Point Perspective (10:27)Lesson 10: Basic Drawing Techniques (15:03)Lesson 11: Drawing From Life (9:01)Lesson 12: Drawing From Photos (15:25)Lesson 13: Composition (12:20)Lesson 14: Graphite (9:00)Lesson 15: Charcoal (10:32)Lesson 16: Ink (9:00)Lesson 17: Color (14:28)Lesson 18: Colored Pencils (11:56) Lesson 19: Oil Pastels (11:51)Lesson 20: Soft Pastels (11:21)Lesson 21: Facial Proportions (13:56)Lesson 22: The Eye (14:05)Lesson 23: The Nose and Mouth (12:24)Lesson 24: The Ear (4:51)Lesson 25: Hair (14:02)Lesson 26: Figure Drawing (20:00)Lesson 27: Foreshortening (12:54)Lesson 28: Conclusion (2:58)

Lesson Discussion

  3. I’m really happy with my first attempt. My drawings look a little ‘cartoonish’ though. I’m sure they will become more realistic overtime.

  6. Fab lesson as always Matt, it was great to know generally where the facial features lie, this course ends great for me because for all I want to do animal portraits, which I’ve practiced a few and of course the dog portrait I did for my friend which you gave a good critique for, I do want to do people portraits too, so these last lessons run into me starting your portrait course 🙂👍👍.
    And to be honest it will be a nice change to do people 😉
    I’m actually on a dog portrait again, this also for a gift which is nearly finished and I’m pleased with it so might send it in for another critique 🙂.
    Cheers Matt 🙂

  7. Hello Matt sorry but I can’t draw the proportions of the profile view. Please help me. The problem is that I cannot find the approximate location of the bottom of the chin. Doing that in the wrong way, then the whole proportions are wrong. My profile face is too long . Do I have to divide the size of the profile view in half? Do the 2 halves have the same size? Thanks for your reply

  8. I am not sure how to word my comment. There are 360 degrees and i can infer at least 360 positions to draw the same head. But what is the actual number of positions for surely some angles a change is hardly negligible?

  9. this will not help my students I need or we need a breakdown of the proportions using GUIDE LINES. not yelling just emphasizing. if i followed this, my kids would fail

    • Hi Krista, I’m not sure I understand your comment. This approach does use guidelines. It discusses the relationships of the placement of the facial features using measurements and lines. If this approach is too general for you and your students, you may also check out the course “Portrait Drawing The Smart Way” http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/portrait-drawing-the-smart-way/ You are a member, so you have access to it. It covers drawing the face in great detail. There are several different approaches covered as well. You may take a close look at Module 4 specifically. It is a slightly different approach but uses quite a number of guidelines.

  10. Hi Matt. I have two questions. First, on drawing the frontal face, I am not clear how you measured where the chin line goes. Is there a general rule, or do you go strictly by observation?
    Secondly, regarding the profile drawing, If I start with a “circle” for the cranium, my head will not come out right. When I observed your video for the second time closely, it seemed that you moved the line representing the back of the head way back, making your circle more like an oval or an egg, which gave it much better proportions. Wouldn’t it be better to start with an “egg shape” then, rather than a circle when you do a profile?
    Thanks very much.

  13. Hi Matt, have just joined. Am enjoying your lessons! If I am drawing a portrait and want realistic proportions and features of a particular face so it looks like the person, is it better to use a grid? As I’ve only checked out this set of videos so far I’m not sure if you’ve spoken about this anywhere. If you have please could you tell me which of your lessons covers this? I realise that in time and with practice I will, hopefully, be able to draw and observe a face accurately but as I’m so new to portrait drawing, I want to start the right way. Thanks:)

  14. Hi Matt, If I am drawing a portrait and want realistic proportions and features of a particular face so it looks like the person, is it better to use a grid? As I’ve only checked out this set of videos so far I’m not sure if you’ve spoken about this anywhere. If you have please could you tell me which of your lessons covers this? I realise that in time and with practice I will, hopefully, be able to draw and observe a face accurately but as I’m so new to portrait drawing, I want to start the right way. Thanks:)

  15. On facial proportions, How do you determine the length of the line drawn from top of head( your circle) to
    the bottom of the chin? Many people have asked this question.
    Please advise proper approach.
    Without the proper
    line to determine length of the face, the drawing ends up too elongated or too short, disproportionate.

    While you are doing drawing lessons, can you also show the photo you are working on to help us better understand
    the final outcome and draw along with you

    Thanks for all the drawing tips.Love the program. I am improving dramatically

  20. Hi Matt. Thank you so much for your videos. All of a sudden everything that I’ve been reading about is starting to make sense. I’m nearly 64 and from an early age I decided I couldn’t draw. Now I want to live long enough to prove myself wrong. In the meantime it’s absolutely wonderful watching you create magic on paper. Thanks again.

  21. Hi Matt:

    You mention in the video that the nose is generally halfway between the eyes and the chin, but the text on the video reads “The nose is generally halfway between the eyes and the mouth”.

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