How to Draw a Cartoon Face

In this guide, we will tell you how to draw a cartoon face. This will be a pretty simple drawing tutorial for those who want to draw portraits but need a more suitable starting point.

The sequence in this step-by-step guide will be similar to our more detailed tutorial on drawing a face. But unlike that tutorial, the steps here are greatly simplified so that even an inexperienced artist can construct a cartoon face.

How to draw a cartoon face step by step

Step 1: Sketch the face shape

First, draw the cartoon face as an elongated oval. Place this shape in the center of the sheet if you are drawing a portrait. Use light lines so you can correct the uneven outline.

Step 2: Mark the facial features

This is a very important step. Here, we will mark the location of the character’s facial features. The appearance of the person you are drawing depends on these marks. Use short strokes to indicate the nose, eyes, hair, and mouth.

Step 3: Draw the cartoon eyes

Start detailing the face by drawing the cartoon eyes. First, look at the marked lines from the previous step and imagine the eye shape you would like to draw. After that, sketch the outer contours of the eyes and pupils.

Step 4: Add the simplified eyebrows

Now outline the rounded eyebrows. Their shape can be thick, thin, straight, or curved. You can choose their shape and placement, but keep in mind that eyebrows play an important role in facial expressions and the direction of the gaze.

Step 5: Outline the cartoon nose

Now draw two smooth lines connecting the right eyebrow to the mark for the tip of the nose. Avoid making the nose too large or giving the lines overly sharp bends. Unlike a realistic nose, a cartoon nose is usually simplified and contains only the most important contours.

Step 6: Draw the smiling mouth

Just below the nose, draw a small line for the mouth. We decided to portray a person with a smile, so we drew the mouth as a short diagonal line. Cartoon mouths are often very simple.

Step 7: Add ears and jawline

Sketch the ears and refine the lower part of the face. The upper edges of the ears align with the tops of the eyes, while the lower edges align with the top of the nose tip. Inside the ears, you can add a few simple inner lines, but avoid too much detail since you are drawing a cartoon face, not a realistic one.

Step 8: Draw the character’s hair

Now you can use your imagination. Draw a hairstyle made of rounded smooth outlines or choose any other hairstyle you like. You can skip this step if you want to draw a bald character.

Step 9: Clean the cartoon final drawing

Erase the extra lines and check the whole face. Correct any remaining mistakes. Correct any uneven shapes, and make the final contours darker. You can also add some light shadows to make the sketch more detailed. Avoid making the drawing too detailed, or it may lose its cartoon look.

So what can you do to improve your cartoon face drawing skills?

To start, try drawing different facial features. For example, draw cartoon mustaches, beards, glasses, or other details.

Next, try adding shadows to the cartoon face. To learn how to do this, visit our article on drawing light and shadow.

All these actions will help consolidate the knowledge gained in this tutorial. Once you understand the full sequence of steps, you can draw cartoon heads and facial features without difficulty.