Drawing Realistic Eyes: How Not to Mistake It and Tips to Do Better
Drawing Realistic Eyes: How Not to Mistake It and Tips to Do Better
One of the reasons why finding a way to draw realistic eyes can be hard is because getting them perfectly right may not always be easy, especially if you are not so good with portraiture. However, such eyes can best represent emotion and add a meaning to your paintings. Any beginner or expert will know the difficulty in trying to get those eyes just right. Here are the common mistakes in drawing realistic eyes and some tips to better improve on drawing technique.
1. Neglect of the Proportions The most common mistake a person makes is overlooking the proportions of an eye. All human eyes exist in different sizes and shapes. For you to get the drawing right and realistic, look very carefully at the proportions of the eyes in your reference photograph. You should use plain shapes to lay the basic structure of the eye, containing the iris, pupil, and eyelid. Another useful drawing technique is to draw first an oval for the iris. Then you can add eyelids around it, and you maintain proportion, of course, in relation with the whole face.
2. Creating the Eyelid Form and Fold
Another very common mistake is not paying attention to the form and fold of the eyelid. The fold of the upper eyelid is typically more deep than that of the lower one, and how it covers the eye is a very important point for realism. Study the forms of eyelids in various expressions and try to draw the folds from different angles to observe how this changes the result.
3. You are Missing the Shading and Highlights
Eyes are not flat: instead, they're three dimensional and have shading that makes them look alive. If you miss highlights your eyes can look milky and legless. When drawing identify the source of light and apply reflections accordingly. You can use white gel or white chalk for placing highlights by applying those on the paper after you have done the whole drawing. That little difference sometimes makes all the difference.
4. Flat Tones
Using flat, uniform tones for the iris is one other mistake that can also stop your eyes from being realistic. Real irises have color and texture changes. Study your reference closely, and try to include some amount of smooth color transitions and detail, such as speckles or striations into your iris. Layering different shades creates depth and richness in the eye.
5. Omitting the Skin Surrounding the Eyes
Around the eyes, but not on them, is where shaddows and texture come into play to really make your drawing come alive. Remember to give equal attention to how the eyelids and lashes cast a shadow-they too exist in this world and should be rendered as such for increased realism. Blending with a soft pencil or tool can be useful here as well.
6. Hurried Process
Most at the tail-end, artists hurry in completing the eye drawings which leads to an incomplete or even shoddy process. Take time and do not be afraid to modify to accommodate any errors as you go along. Keep stepping back to view your drawing from far away as it will probably help you pinpoint areas that need extra attention.
Conclusion
Drawing realistic eyes really is a patient, observant, and practice-intensive skill. These tips should keep common mistakes in mind and, through application, bring forth greater skill to produce wonderful captivating eyes that add life to portraits. Remember, even the best artists make mistakes- it is what one learns from them that keeps him improving. Take out your pencil and get to practice-they deserve it!
Drawing Realistic Eyes: How Not to Mistake It and Tips to Do Better
