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Faces are a hard thing for some artists to draw correctly. Artists have a hard time achieving a likeness to the person or model they are sketching. Some would argue that the face is the hardest to master. With a few basic techniques you will begin to understand that you can master the human face and that it is quite possible.

When drawing faces, there are several mistakes that artists often make. The first is to draw a circle or an oval and then stick a nose in the middle of it. Beginning artists often make this mistake. You will see as you come to observe people that your eyes are actually closer to the middle of your face than your nose. If you are drawing a model, you can use the measuring and proportion technique that artists term thumb on pencil. This will help you check your proportions. You will see that proportions on peoples faces differ and are as individual as their personalities. For instance, eyes generally line up with the top of the ears but we have all seen people whose ears seem to be a little higher or lower on the head than others. Realizing these differences can help you achieve the likeness of the person you are drawing.

General proportions for artists drawing heads and faces are found everywhere. They are good to use as a guideline but are just that, a guideline. When you are drawing faces, the smallest details can make or break the likeness of the portrait and can change the whole outlook of the drawing. The mouth, eyes, and nose are some of the areas to look for those subtle differences and what makes a person an individual. Does the mouth edge tip up or down? Is the nose straight, an uppy? How are the crow feet by the eyes? Practice, practice, practice. This old adage says a lot.

If you are having a problem with a particular part of the face, don't be afraid to practice it over and over again. This may seem mundane but it will really help you achieve a likeness. Sometimes artists will try and exaggerate particular characteristics of a person's face, such as their eyes. Be careful not to do this or you'll end up with something that looks nothing like the person you are drawing. Unless you are drawing caricatures, stay away from this.

Lastly, a quick note on hair. Make sure that you treat hair as a mass. Never ever draw each individual strand. This is a beginner's mistake that often ruins a drawing quicker than anything. Hair can really change the outcome of the drawing so pay particular care to this feature.

Copyright 2006 Todd Harris