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We'll draw this profile |
 If
you measure the full distance of the profile you have
drawn, from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the
chin, and take that measurement and put it horizontally
starting at the bridge of the nose, the other end of the
measurement should give you a rough idea of where the
back of the head will fall. Measure that on your subject
to verify it. Then measure it out on your drawing and
make a mark where you measured. Because of your
subject's hair, you'll have to guess at the shape of the
skull. Lightly draw a curve representing the top of the
skull that connects the forehead line to the back of the
head mark you made.
If
you measure the space between the back of the head and
the ear measuring at at the bottom of the ear, you can
find another point and continue the contour of the back of the head. This
point at the back of the head, by the way, is about at
the point where the neck meets the skull.
Now
you should have the head almost done, only the neck
isn't drawn. Continue the back of the head contour line
along and draw the back of the neck of your subject.
Where you left off with the jaw line, continue that line
down and finish the front of the neck.
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Some measurements you should
look for in profiles |
Before
you draw in the hair, you should tighten up any
measuring you need to do. For example, measure the width
of the eye you drew and gauge it against the height of
the ear you drew. Compare these measurements with your
subject. If the measurements are off a little, try and
correct them by re-sizing and re-drawing the ear or eye.
Measure from the lower lip to the bottom of the chin and
gauge it against the lower lip to the bottom of the
nose. Does a vertical line connect the tip of the brow
with the tip of the chin? What about the top of the
forehead and the point where the jaw turns to neck? Is
this exactly vertical? Doing measurements like this will
tighten up your proportions and negative spaces. Getting
likeness in a drawing is all about getting the right
proportions and negative spaces. To review proportions
and negative spaces browse the
DRAWING BASICS section of this site.
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How to draw a profile - step
by step |
You've
got a bald profile head. Now, if your subject is bald,
you're just about done, but if not, you have to draw the
hair. You have to find the hairline. Do this by
measuring your subject horizontally starting at the bridge of the
nose and going across until you get to the hairline.
Make a dot marking that point. Now slide up the forehead
a bit and take another measurement at the line of the
forehead to the hairline and make another dot. Then,
right on your forehead contour line, mark off right were
the hairline meets the forehead. Using these three
points you can connect the dots and draw a contour of
the hairline. If your subject has long hair that goes
over and below the ear just add more dots you can
connect, doing the same horizontal measurement starting
at some point on the profile contour. Now just guess as
far as placement, and draw the outside contour of the
hair all around the skull.
Finally,
erase any construction lines (like the lopsided egg),
add any missing details like the few lines to make up
the inside of the ear and the line indicating the mouth
in between the lips. Draw the nose lobe and the nostril.
Does the nostril look a little like a sideways teardrop?
Draw it that way, then. That's about it for a simple
profile! Not so simple? It will get easier the more you
practice! |
