Q&A for How to Draw Realistic People

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  • Question
    When I draw a person I always draw the body too small for the head. How do I fix this?
    Community Answer
    Pan out the body first, in pencil very lightly, so that you can rub anything out and resize it as needed.
  • Question
    How can I erase the guide lines without erasing the face?
    Community Answer
    Erase slowly and lightly. If you accidentally erase the face, you'll still be able to see it, it will just be faded. You can easily redraw it.
  • Question
    Once I learn how to draw, can I sell my drawings, or would they be just for fun?
    Community Answer
    You can always sell your artwork. Consider learning how to draw portraits or caricatures of people, and then sketching people at craft fairs, etc. You can sell your sketches and drawings there as well.
  • Question
    How can I use a photograph of a person to make a drawing look like that person?
    Community Answer
    Remember to choose good lighting. Overcast and late day sun can be good, direct sun can make features look harsh and make the person squint. Also, mix up the pose a bit. Looking directly at the camera and sitting up can be boring, so try to use different angles and poses.
  • Question
    Where can I get a video with the person drawing more slowly?
    Community Answer
    Click the gear icon on the video. One option is for speed. Choose a slower option, like 0.50 or 0.25, to see the video more slowly.
  • Question
    Why does my drawing always come out wonkier than the one on screen?
    Community Answer
    Because it takes years of consistent practice to get really good at drawing. The more you practice, the better your drawings will look.
  • Question
    How do I draw the same face except with realistic smiling lips?
    Community Answer
    Practice stenciling out the lips alone and use shading, too. Then, once you think you're good enough, try putting it with the face.
  • Question
    I keep trying and trying, but I can't do it. How can I do it well?
    Community Answer
    You have to keep practicing! It can take years of practice to be able to draw realistically. You will get better if you keep working at it.
  • Question
    Do you have instructions for how to accurately draw people you are looking at?
    Community Answer
    These instructions are an example. You may change the size of any part, add wrinkles, change hair and color it all however you want. Basically these instructions are about drawing people accurately.
  • Question
    If you are not good at drawling, what helps you get better?
    Community Answer
    Practice, practice, practice. That's the main thing that will help you improve. Watching videos on how to draw things also helps, and can help you get inspiration. The more you practice, the better you become.
  • Question
    How can I learn to draw?
    Community Answer
    Focus, time, and patience. Find something you'd like to focus on, perhaps: animals, objects, cartoon people/pets, etc. Begin with basic references or templates: learn how to make a base and go from there.
  • Question
    How do I add hats and hoods?
    Community Answer
    Look up a picture of a hat or hood. Then, sketch out the hat/hood lightly while looking at the image you found. Drawing them from your memory wouldn't be as effective.
  • Question
    Can I use markers or crayons?
    Community Answer
    You can use either medium. If you want a more professional look, go with markers. If you want a more rough and textured look to it, use crayons or colored pencils. Of course, you could just use whatever you are more comfortable with.
  • Question
    How do I transform a girl into a boy?
    Misha Tabba
    Community Answer
    Just make the hair a bit different and change the body shape a bit. Draw light sketches so you can always erase and try again.
  • Question
    How do I draw perfectly with a pen without making a mistake?
    Padfoot
    Community Answer
    This is not possible unless you're extremely skilled at drawing. I'd suggest doing the lines lightly in pencil, then going over them in pen once you get them right.
  • Question
    If I wanted to draw a full person, would I need to draw the hair first and then draw the body?
    Community Answer
    It's better (in my opinion) to draw the head first, then move on to the neck and body. Usually experienced artists draw the body lightly to make sure the proportion is right. If you can pull it off, then feel free to do the hair first. It may be more difficult, though. Start wherever you think is right.
  • Question
    Why do I hate my art when everyone else says they love it?
    Emma Levy
    Community Answer
    Either they are just saying that to make you feel good, or you have spent so much time looking at it that you've lost the ability to truly judge its quality.
  • Question
    How do I draw a person's face exactly by looking at that person?
    Heiday
    Community Answer
    If you're just looking at the person rather than using a photograph, that'll be a bit more difficult. Make sure they are still and you have good lighting. If you're using a photograph of the person, try using the grid method to be sure that your proportions are correct, and make sure to practice a ton!
  • Question
    Can I draw this with a pen?
    Community Answer
    You can try to draw it with pencil first, then trace over with pen and erase the pencil lines.
  • Question
    Should I sketch first?
    Community Answer
    Sketch lightly to plan out your base lines, etc. Once you do that, you can outline by pressing harder, or you can use a pen for darker lines.
  • Question
    I don't have any dark versions of the colors I used. What can I do?
    Padfoot
    Community Answer
    A simple solution to that problem is to use the same colors, but press harder with the tool. With a colored pencil, pressing harder and going over the line multiple times usually works. This also works with markers. Placing another sheet of paper under the artwork also helps to keep the ink from bleeding through to the next sheet in a sketchbook.
  • Question
    Am I able to draw the face without all the lines?
    Padfoot
    Community Answer
    Once you practice drawing faces with the guidelines, you will be able to place the parts of the face without using the lines to figure out their placements.
  • Question
    How do I make it look like somebody I know? This is a gift.
    Community Answer
    Get a picture of the person you are drawing for a reference. Beyond that, practicing is the best way to get it right.
  • Question
    How long would it take to make the drawings look realistic?
    Community Answer
    The drawing on this tutorial would take about 10-20 minutes, depending on skill level. An actual realistic drawing would take an hour minimum.
  • Question
    How do I get everything accurate?
    Community Answer
    What I would do is start slowly. For example, make a sketch of what you want it to look like and then erase any unwanted lines. Fix it up and it will be perfect in no time. Practice makes perfect!
  • Question
    How do I add teeth?
    Community Answer
    Make sure you've drawn a space between the bottom lip and the top lip, then draw small, half oval shapes wherever you want the teeth to be.
  • Question
    What size should the circle be?
    Angel Renae Beck
    Community Answer
    It should be a medium sized circle if you are drawing a person. If it is an adult's head, it should be bigger than a little kid's head. If you're drawing a teenager's head it should be smaller than an adult's but bigger than a little kid's.
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