This simple lesson will teach you how to draw 3/4 face. In 15 easy steps, you’ll learn the basics of drawing this type of portrait.
How to Draw 3/4 Face [15 Steps]
The three-quarter position is suitable for creating a particularly expressive portrait; it reveals the character of the model portrayed most fully. This rotation incorporates elements of the profile and front. Only a small part of the back of the head is visible at this angle, and the near side of the head looks larger than the far side. The normal perception of this way of depicting a person’s head is to some extent hindered by the habit of public consciousness to the more common portraits in profile and full-face.
Stereotypes learned from childhood conflict with this less traditional angle. Partially overcoming this contradiction is helped by knowing its nature, which allows you to neutralize the conflict when creating a three-quarter portrait. But it is much more important to forget about these peculiarities of perception, which have no real basis in reality, and to concentrate completely on the correct transfer of the visual image during the work.
A 3/4 portrait from life takes about an hour, with one or two breaks for the model to rest. This angle is more complicated than the profile, so more time is needed to sketch and determine the correct proportions.
How to Draw 3/4 Face step by step
Total Time: 20 minutes
Step 1 [How to Draw 3/4 Face]
Draw a frame of 3×4 or 9×12 cm proportion. Divide it in half with a vertical and horizontal line. Add another rectangle to the bottom right.
Step 2
Make a marking for the guiding lines as in the figure below.
Step 3 [How to Draw 3/4 Face]
Use light lines to draw 9 auxiliary lines.
Step 4
Add to them another 3.
Step 5 [How to Draw 3/4 Face]
Draw the contour of the head and neck.
Step 6
Draw the nose and ear with guide lines. Also draw a chin line under the ear.
Step 7 [How to Draw 3/4 Face]
Draw auxiliary lines, as in the figure below, to determine the position of the inner corner of the eye. Draw the lower eyelids with a curved line.
Step 8
Determine the position of the mouth according to the diagram below.
Step 9 [How to Draw 3/4 Face]
Light lines draw the contour of the lower lip and mouth. Determine the line of hair growth with the help of guide lines.
Step 10
Draw a few strands of hair from the face to the back of the head.
Step 11
Complete the hair growth line.
Step 12
Draw the eyebrows and outline the eyelids and lips in more detail.
Step 13
Draw a curved chin line.
Step 14
Draw the iris and finish the eyebrows and chignon.
Step 15
Finish drawing the eyes, add makeup.
Supply:
- Your scorebook or sheet of paper;
Tools:
- A simple pencil;
Materials: An eraser; ruler.
In your sketchbook, repeat this step-by-step lesson as many times as you need to memorize the proportions and half-turn face construction by heart, without prompting.
Lighting for a 3/4 portrait
It is important to remember that for all these poses, the position of the drawing light does not depend on the position of the camera. In any case, the drawing source is set relative to the face of the character. The only thing that distinguishes the described poses is the angle of the head.
When you set the light for these portraits, just make sure that the drawing light falls on the face at a 45 degree angle. If the portrait subject changes the head position, move the source in an arc so that the light falls again at a 45° angle. Take a look at the illustration. Notice how the camera stays in place, while the light source moves with the turn of the head, keeping the desired angle. You have the added benefit of noticing that the shot was taken with a short light.
