We have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Effective June 18, 2024 (Some Key Updates: contact information, user rights/opt-out procedures, 3rd party services/integrations, data retention policies...). Please review updated pages.
“You can paint the walls, Darlene. But if you plan to paint it anything other than white, please let me know!”
These were the words of my superintendent when I first moved into this apartment. She wasn’t very happy when she saw I had painted a picture of a hairy man on the wall while she was showing my apartment to a potential tenant at the end of my lease term.
What inspired me to draw this epic portrait was my desire to break free from my own comfort zone. I am so used to drawing at my desk on a small pad of paper. So drawing on the wall was a fun challenge I very much enjoyed. The process though, was not smooth at all! My first try was a complete disaster, as I struggled with the new medium and couldn’t find out how to make it work on the glossy surface of the living room wall.
This portrait was created with Artist’s Oil Color Paint Tube Color: Lamp Black mixed with some sewing machine oil. It was done over the span of a week. So as I reached the end of the week, the oil paint was starting to dry up which made it more difficult for me to work with. To make corrections, I would have to use dish soap to remove the paint.
The technique I used was smearing the paint with a rough washcloth to create gradients instead of mixing black with white to make different shades. I used only black because I had it lying around from previously trying out the dry brush technique on paper; which I discovered on youtube.
I hope I’ll be able to paint another wall portrait like this soon. It was a lot of fun!
Darlene created RFA In 2013 with the goal of sharing simple yet detailed drawing tutorials with other artists on the world wide web. She is a self taught pencil portrait artist and Youtuber.
Many people find drawing noses difficult, especially from the side. Creating basic shapes as a guideline will make the process of drawing noses a lot less difficult.
Here is a list of materials I used for the tutorial below.
To draw the profile of a nose, you want to start out with 2 round circles which are spaced generously apart. (Imagine there is a third circle in between the 2). For the next step, I’ve drawn a triangle to give you guidance on how to draw the bridge/slope of the nose.
Click hereto learn where to place these circles on a face!
Step 2: Draw the bridge, nose tip and philtrum
Draw a curved slope up and around the left circle to form the tip and bridge and a curve below it to form the philtrum or cupid’s bow. The cupid’s bow should not go too far to the left or right. Draw it somewhere in between the 2 circles.
Step 3: Add the nostril
Make a looped shape for the nostril. It should not be too long or too big. Again, try to draw between the 2 circles.
Step 4: Shade the nose
You can erase the circles at this point and start shading. As you can see, the shading technique employed in this tutorial is circular. That will help achieve a more realistic skin texture. In my shading tutorial, I cover a few more shading techniques as well as give tips on how to shade smoothly. Click here to go to my shading tutorial.
Step 5: Highlight prominent areas
Make sure you leave some areas highlighted.
Step 6: Touch ups
Here, I have darkened some areas as well as went over the highlights with the end of a kneaded rubber eraser. The outlines have also been erased slightly. I used the blending stump, to blend around the highlights to make the skin look less harsh.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to draw a nose from the side! If you have any questions or requests, let me know in the comments below!
Share to Unlock
Want to download a FREE PDF version of this tutorial for offline viewing or printing? Please share this page with your friends using the buttons below to unlock the PDF. Thank you!
Alternatively, you can purchase ALL my tutorials in PDF form at once, for a small price. Click here for more info.
Darlene created RFA In 2013 with the goal of sharing simple yet detailed drawing tutorials with other artists on the world wide web. She is a self taught pencil portrait artist and Youtuber.
In this tutorial I will teach you how to draw lips in 10 easy steps using a simple triangle shape. You can create different kinds of lips by making small changes in the first step. I came up with this method one day by somehow associating a pair of lips with a bow and arrow haha.
I always receive messages from readers who have tried this tutorial and say it works great for them. I hope it works for you too! Enjoy!
I will be using the following materials for this tutorial:
Draw a long isosceles triangle. Partway down draw a curve (similar to a “u” shape). Draw a straight horizontal line between the “u” shape and the base of the triangle. The longer you draw the horizontal line, the wider the lips will be. The shorter the line, the more plump they will be.
“But what if I want to draw this on a face, Darlene?” Check out my tutorial on drawing faces to find out where you should place your triangle. It covers proportions and will help you determine how long the triangle should be as well as how wide the lips should extend taking other elements of the face into consideration.
Step 2: Draw a bow
Create the outlines for the top lip by making a shape that looks similar to a cupid’s bow.
Step 3: Draw the bottom lip
Create the bottom lip by drawing a curved line which goes no further than the triangle’s base. Complete the opening of the mouth by using the horizontal line as a guide.
Step 4: Decide on the light direction
After erasing the triangle, determine where the light source is coming from. For this example, the light source is coming from the top right. I’ve outlined the areas I want to highlight as well as added a cast shadow on left side of the bottom lip.
Step 5: Shade the top and bottom lip
Shade both the top and bottom lip leaving the areas mentioned in STEP 4 the lightest. As you can see there is a dark shadow under the bottom lip. It starts to fade on the right side to show that the light source is coming from the upper right.
Step 6: Add lip wrinkles
Create some lip wrinkles using a 0.5mm HB pencil. You don’t want to press too hard or else it will be difficult to achieve the effect in the next step.
Want to find out how to incorporate lip wrinkles in your drawing without making them look unnatural? Try the contour shading technique as mentioned in my shading tutorial :)
Step 7: Blend the bottom lip
Using a blending stump (learn how to use one here), smooth out the shading on the bottom lip. Avoid areas mentioned in STEP 4. Those areas will make the lips appear more plump and round. You will notice that the lip wrinkles slowly start to blend in with the shading. But they shouldn’t disappear!
Step 8: Clean up highlights
Go over the lighter areas with the pointed end of a kneaded eraser and clean up the highlights to create the glare effect.
STEP 9: Repeat
Repeat STEP 7-8 for the top lip.
Step 10: Touch ups
Using a 6b pencil, darken the shadows in areas such as the outer edges of the lips, under the bottom lip, the wrinkles and the corners of the lips.
You can change the size of the lips by moving the horizontal line up (to make the upper lip thin) or down (to make to make the upper lip thicker). Also, adding more glare will make the lips look even more plump.
Have any questions or requests? Let me know in the comments!
Don’t worry if your drawing doesn’t turn out the way you expected on the first try. Keep going at it and you will understand and grasp each step. It will become much easier! Also, don’t forget to experiment with different triangle shapes and positioning of the guides in STEP 2.
Share to Unlock
Want to download a FREE PDF version of this tutorial for offline viewing or printing? Please share this page with your friends using the buttons below to unlock the PDF. Thank you!
Alternatively, you can purchase ALL my tutorials in PDF form at once, for a small price. Click here for more info.
Darlene created RFA In 2013 with the goal of sharing simple yet detailed drawing tutorials with other artists on the world wide web. She is a self taught pencil portrait artist and Youtuber.
Here is a very simple step by step tutorial on how to draw a nose from the front view. Below is a diagram of a nose broken down into 3 separate parts: the bridge, the nostrils and the ball or tip. Breaking things down into sections will make drawing noses a breeze! We will first use simple shapes/forms as guidelines to construct the shape of the nose and to maintain symmetry.
I will be using the following materials for this nose drawing tutorial:
– Mechanical Pencil with 0.5 mm HB lead by Ain (If you’re a beginner, it may be hard to shade with a mechanical pencil. You can use a blunt HB pencil for a smoother shading and blending experience).
– Kneaded Rubber Eraser
– Blending Stump (learn how to use one here)
– Canson Bristol Paper (smooth side)
How to Draw a Nose Step by Step
Step 1: Start with a circle
Draw a circle for the ball of the nose and 2 curved lines on each side for the bridge. Keep the strokes light so they can be erased in later steps.
Step 2: Draw simple guidelines for the nose shape
Draw a horizontal line through the middle of the circle and a diamond-like shape around it for the nostrils.
Step 3: Shade around the nose bridge and tip
Shade around the outer part of the bridge and around the inner part of the circle, making a long “U” shape. You will notice the shading is thicker at the top of the bridge. That is because the bridge of the nose leads into the brow bones. Don’t worry if the guidelines you created earlier didn’t blend in with your shading. We will darken the drawing later.
Shape and contour the bridge and ball of the nose. You can shade around the top of the circle to make the nose look pointer or shade the middle of the circle to give it a flatter look. Use the eraser to dab areas which appear too dark, any lines that show through or areas you want to highlight.
Step 7: Blend your shading
Next, you want to use a blending stump (learn how to use a blending stump here) to gently blend out the skin and give it a softer look. Add some touch-ups and go over your highlighted areas once more with a kneaded eraser. You can try different diamond shapes as well as circles to create more unique nose shapes. Experiment with shading to achieve longer, flatter, or more defined noses and so on. Click here to check out my tutorial on how to draw a nose step by step from the side.
Share to Unlock
Want to download a FREE PDF version of this tutorial for offline viewing or printing? Please share this page with your friends using the buttons below to unlock the PDF. Thank you!
Alternatively, you can purchase ALL my tutorials in PDF form at once, for a small price. Click here for more info.
If you want to know where to place the nose on a face with correct proportions, check out my tutorial on drawing faces!
Hey! This tutorial now comes with a video! If you haven’t watched it yet, click here or press play below! The video is very detailed and contains many additional steps, examples and techniques:
Enjoyed this simple nose drawing tutorial and know someone who will too? Share it with your friends!
Darlene created RFA In 2013 with the goal of sharing simple yet detailed drawing tutorials with other artists on the world wide web. She is a self taught pencil portrait artist and Youtuber.
Hi, welcome to RapidFireArt! My name is Darlene and in this tutorial I’m going to teach you how to draw a realistic eye using easy step by step instructions. This is my first tutorial, so I hope you enjoy it!
UPDATE: For a while now, you guys have requested a tutorial on drawing a pair of eyes. Here it is, along with a super in-depth tutorial as well!
Let’s start off with an HB pencil to sketch the shape of the eye. This outline should not be too dark because you want to prevent it from showing through in the end. We just need the basic shapes outlined at this point. The square shape in the pupil is a glare from a window or similar-shaped light source. You can use other shapes such as circles or ovals as well.
If you’re stuck on drawing a realistic eye shape, iris, or eyebrow, visit the 3 pages below:
Using a 6B pencil, fill in the pupil. Avoid pressing too hard or else it will be hard for you to erase if you need to make corrections later on. You can go over the area again to achieve a darker shade. Make sure the highlights stay clean!
Step 3: Shade the Iris
On a separate sheet of paper, smear some graphite into a small area. Use the blending stump to rub the area until the graphite has transferred to the tip of the blender (learn how to use a blending stump here). You will now use that to fill in the outer area of the pupil. This step does not have to be done perfectly. Sloppy smudging will make it turn out better, as well as give the eye more depth.
Step 4: Draw Spokes
With a 4B pencil draw spokes going outward from the pupil. Overlap some of the spokes to create thicker lines. This will make the eye look more interesting. Leave some areas untouched as they will be filled in later.
If you’re enjoying this article, click here for another realistic eye tutorial!
Step 5: Blend the Iris
Use the blending stump to fill the white space in the iris. Carefully work around the highlight. Don’t press too hard. You should still be able to see the lines coming out of the pupil when done. If most of the lines have disappeared, you have either used the blender with too much force, or have not pressed hard enough when creating the spokes.
Step 6: Add Depth
Use the 6B pencil to create a shadow under the eye lid to give the eye more depth and roundness.
Step 7: Shade the Skin
Shade the eye whites as well as the skin around the eyes. Don’t leave the eyeball white or else it will appear unrealistic and lack depth. For a more detailed tutorial on shading eye whites and how to make eyeballs look round, click here.
Darken the creases using a 4B pencil. Use the kneaded eraser to make the highlights pop, as well as dab areas of the eye that need to be lightened. For example the eye whites, lower lash area, brow bone and the inner corner of the eye near the tear duct.
Want to improve your shading skills? Click here to read my shading tutorial!
Step 8: Draw Eyebrows and Eyelashes
Fill in the eyebrows as well as the eyelashes. Eyelashes should be drawn using curved lines, NOT straight lines. To create the eyebrows, use a thin HB pencil. For the eyelashes, go with something darker, like a 6B. Go over the drawing and darken areas such as the pupil, creases, shadows and clean the highlights to make your drawing POP!
I’ve added some eyelash reflections, some subtle blood vessels as well as darkened the overall drawing. Try to use as many shades as possible when drawing eyes. Most people are afraid to go dark. Look at the picture in step 8 and compare it to the last step. Going dark makes a huge difference! I used to stop at step 8 too, because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to erase if my hard work turned into a complete disaster. This fear left me unsatisfied with all my drawings because they lacked depth. So take it a step further and make use of your softer pencils!
Share to Unlock
Want to download a FREE PDF version of this tutorial for offline viewing or printing? Please share this page with your friends using the buttons below to unlock the PDF. Thank you!
Alternatively, you can purchase ALL my tutorials in PDF form at once, for a small price. Click here for more info.
I hope you enjoyed this simple step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a realistic eye with pencil. If you have any questions or requests, let me know in the comments below!
So tell me… was that an easy eye drawing tutorial? Or does it need some improvement? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated :)
Darlene created RFA In 2013 with the goal of sharing simple yet detailed drawing tutorials with other artists on the world wide web. She is a self taught pencil portrait artist and Youtuber.
RFA uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic, personalize content, and serve targeted ads. By clicking accept, you are helping to support my site and keep drawing tutorials free 🙂. Not a fan of cookies? No worries! Adjust your preferences in the settings! Not consenting may affect some features and functions such as embedded video tutorials.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing (Activating this supports my website via ads, keeping tutorials free)
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Many people find drawing noses difficult, especially from the side. Creating basic shapes as a guideline will make the process of drawing noses a lot less difficult.
Noses from the front
