Q&A for How to Draw a Realistic Eye

Large eyes with large pupils tend to look soft and kind. Changing the shape of the eyebrows also changes the expression of the eyes.

Draw the eyes bigger, more expressive, and vibrant. Consider adding more shine/highlights to them, and making them rounder. Eyebrows are important as well; use them to your advantage.

Draw both eyes step by step together. For example, if you draw a part on one eye, do the same step afterwards on the other eye.

A thicker, coarse paper for better blending would be good, but if you want a cleaner look, go for a thinner paper.

No, if you start with the pupils, you may have proportion issues.

Look in the mirror or take a picture, then you could try to get the shape right and add details.

Flick your pen/pencil up in a curved motion starting at the top outline of the eye.

You could do whatever eye shape you desire. You can even use pictures as references.

There is an article on How to Draw Anime Eyes . And you are always free to just look at and copy any pictures of eyes that you like.

It doesn't matter. For a softer look and easier blending, I'd recommend a 2B Pencil or even up to 9B. If you prefer a cleaner look and don't really plan on blending a lot, you could go for an HB. If you want something in between, you should use a B pencil.

They are very similar to human eyes. Reduce the eyelashes so there are almost none. It also depends on the animal.

Make sure that you put the pupil in the direct center of the eye. If you want to make it look like it's staring at you wherever you go, like the Mona Lisa, draw the eyeball slightly above the bottom of the eye.

Study photo references and anatomy for both types of eyes.

Lightly shade using the side of your pencil. To smudge, just lightly rub your finger over it.

When drawing the eye, make the lids a little bit scrunched up. When you're done, add tears to the corners and bottoms of the eyes.

Draw them in stages, moving back and forth evenly; do not finish the first one before you start the other.

Drawing two eyes equally is very hard to do. You can try to use a ruler or other measuring tool to ensure that they are evenly spaced, and the same size.

It depends on how hard you press down. I suggest pressing very little and blending, and if the shading is too light, repeat on top of the current shading.

Start by using light strokes to outline the lashes and where you want them to be placed. If you like the way your lashes look initially, outline them with darker, thicker strokes, keeping in mind that the top eyelid usually has more lashes. The bolder the eyelashes, the more attention they'll draw, but make sure they still look realistic.

No, as it may look odd, but if so, draw a closed eye.

You can use a normal pencil: With a pencil, draw lightly where you want your shady, blendy part to be. Then use your index finger to rub over it, which will make it look blended and hazy.

The most important thing is to take it step by step. Don't rush yourself and do not finish one eye before you do the other. Practicing will help, don't expect to get it right on the first try.

Add shading with light strokes of your pencil and reflections using a white colored pencil. Think about where the light source is and how it would hit the eye.

You can use a mechanical pencil or, if you have oil pastels, you can rub it after applying with tissue or thin paper.

You can just take your finger and rub it against the pencil shading. You can also use a q-tip if you don't want to get your finger dirty.

Don't blend them too much. Make them look curled, and use different sides of your pencil to create darker or lighter curls of the eyelash.

Yes. Most drawings like this are done with just a pencil. If you want the eye to look as realistic as possible, it's best to copy in detail an actual photograph of an eye.

If you use a pencil, you can use your finger and rub it in a line until you are satisfied with the result. If you are using a colored pencil, you can use the white pencil for this.