How to Draw a Face from the Side

Finished side-view face drawing with refined features and realistic shading

In this tutorial, we will show you how to draw a face from the side. This tutorial is part of our series on drawing a face from different angles.

To learn how to draw a face from the side, you first need to familiarize yourself with the proportions of the head. This will help you depict the face more accurately and give it a more realistic appearance.

If you already know the basic proportions of the head and have your art supplies ready, let’s begin this tutorial on how to draw a face from the side.

How to draw a face from the side step by step

Step 1: Sketch the head shape

Start by sketching the basic shape of the head. As we have mentioned before, the head is somewhat similar to an inverted egg. Lightly draw this inverted egg shape, then add the outlines of the neck.

Sketching the side-view head shape with a simple neck outline

Step 2: Add facial guidelines

Sketch the guidelines that will help you place the facial features. First, draw the eye line through the center of the head. Then mark the positions of the nose, mouth, and hairline with short horizontal lines. Finally, indicate the inner and outer edges of the eye.

Marking facial guidelines and eye placement on the side-view head

Step 3: Outline the nose

Begin adding the facial features. Carefully draw the forehead and outline the brow ridge. Next, sketch the bridge of the nose and the nose itself. We covered this process in our tutorial on drawing a nose from the side.

Drawing the forehead, brow ridge, and side-view nose contours

Step 4: Add the nose and lips

Draw the wing of the nose with a couple of smooth lines. Next, sketch the outline of the lips. When drawing a face, constantly compare the different parts with one another. This will help you avoid mistakes and keep the facial features consistent.

Drawing the nose wing and outlining the lips in side view

Step 5: Refine the lips and chin

Draw the outlines of the lips. In our tutorial on drawing lips from the side, we explained this process in more detail. Next, continue the outline of the lips downward to draw the chin.

Refining the side-view lips and drawing the chin outline

Step 6: Mark the hairline and eyebrow

Return to the top of the head and sketch the hairline using the previously drawn guidelines. Outline the visible eyebrow with a couple of simple lines. When drawing a face from the side, it is easy to make placement errors. To prevent this, look at your work in a mirror from time to time.

Adding the side-view face hairline and visible eyebrow

Step 7: Draw the eyelids and folds

Draw the eye by outlining the upper eyelid first, followed by the lower eyelid. Make the upper eyelid slightly darker than the lower one. Then sketch the folds around the eye to give the face drawing a more realistic and convincing appearance.

Drawing the side-view eye with eyelids and surrounding folds

Step 8: Add the pupil and eyebrow

Draw the pupil, keeping its upper and lower edges slightly covered by the eyelids. Then return to the eyebrow and create its hair texture with many short lines. Eyes and eyebrows can have many different shapes, so these details do not need to match exactly.

Adding the pupil and short eyebrow hairs to the side-view face

Step 9: Outline the hairstyle

Start by outlining the hairstyle, then create the hair strands with smooth, flowing lines. Keep the hair more voluminous at the top than at the bottom. You can also choose a different hairstyle or add details such as a beard.

Sketching the hairstyle and flowing hair strands on the side-view face

Step 10: Sketch the ear shape

Draw the outline of the ear. The top of the ear should align with the eyebrow, and the bottom should line up with the tip of the nose. For a more detailed explanation, visit our tutorial on drawing an ear.

Drawing the outer ear on the side-view face

Step 11: Draw the ear details

Refine the ear by drawing the upper cartilage first, followed by the lower cartilage. Keep the ear contours smooth and clean to create a natural appearance.

Refining the ear with inner cartilage details

Step 12: Refine the hair and neck

Add texture to the hairstyle with long, smooth strokes running from the roots to the tips. Then refine the contours of the jaw and indicate the neck muscles.

Adding hair texture and refining the jaw and neck

Step 13: Clean the face drawing

Erase all unnecessary guidelines from the face drawing. Increase the sense of depth by making the closer lines darker than the more distant ones. Carefully inspect your work and correct any remaining inaccuracies.

Cleaning the side-view face drawing and refining the final outlines

Step 15: Draw shading on the face profile

If you are satisfied with your face drawing, begin adding shadows. Use smooth, even hatching, starting with the darkest areas and gradually transitioning to the lighter ones. Darken the pupils while leaving small highlights.

Finished side-view face drawing with realistic shading and refined facial features

If you want to continue improving your portrait drawing skills, try drawing a face from other angles, such as the front view or a three-quarter view.

You can also deepen your understanding of facial structure by studying facial anatomy. In that article, we explain the facial muscles and the anatomical features that are most important for artists.

The knowledge gained from this article will help you better understand the structure of the human face and reproduce it more accurately in your drawings.