How to Help Your Kids with Drawing Faces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start with an oval

   The easiest way to start drawing a face is with an oval. This will be the main part of the head. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect – faces come in all shapes and sizes, so your oval doesn’t have to be perfect either.
   
   Tip: Try drawing very lightly with your pencil so you can erase any extra lines later.

2. Use guidelines

   Next, draw a vertical line straight down the middle of the oval. Then, draw a horizontal line across the middle.
   
   These guidelines will help you place the features of the face evenly. When it comes to portrait drawing, many people place the eyes too high up on the forehead. By following your guidelines, you’ll be able to avoid this common mistake.

3. Place the eyes

   Eyes are placed on the horizontal line, about halfway down the face. To make them look balanced, draw two ovals or circles—one on each side of the vertical line. Leave some space between them, about the width of another eye. 
   
   Tip: The eyes are the most expressive part of the face, so feel free to play around with their size and shape to give your character personality. 
   
   And don’t forget about the eyebrows! Try observing your own expressions in a mirror to see how your eyebrows change when act out different emotions.

4. Add the nose

   The nose is usually placed right below the horizontal line, in the center of the face. Start by drawing a small curved line or a soft triangle for the nose tip, keeping it simple. You can add two tiny curves on either side for the nostrils.
   
   Tip: Don’t worry too much about details here! A simple line or shape is enough for a basic nose.

5. Draw the mouth

   The mouth goes between the nose and the bottom of the circle. Draw a small, curved line or smile under the nose. You can adjust the curve depending on the expression you want—upward for a happy face, flat for a neutral face, or even downward for a frown.

6. Add the ears

   Ears are placed on each side of the head, lining up with the eyes. Draw two small, curved lines (almost like tiny C’s) on either side of the circle.

7. Have fun with hair

   Now it’s time to get creative with hair! You can add any hairstyle you like, whether it’s long, short, curly, or straight. Draw the hairline above the eyes and let the hair flow outside the edges of the circle. Feel free to have fun with this step!

8. Finish up with final details

   You’re almost done! Go back over your drawing to add any extra details like eyelashes, freckles, or a fun background. Erase the guidelines you no longer need and add color as desired.

9. Practice!

   Drawing faces is a skill that gets better the more you practice, so keep experimenting! Try drawing different expressions by changing the mouth and eyebrows. You can also play around with face shapes, eye sizes, and hairstyles to create unique characters.