The pinnacle of artistic skill is the depiction of a person. Probably because his body has too complex a structure compared to other creatures. It's not easy to draw his appearance. Of course, for most people, the problem is the correct transfer of body proportions, as well as the symmetry of the pattern. But if you delve into the details, the most complex part of the human image is the face. They say that it only seems to us that the human head is symmetrical; in fact, everything is not so. Our eyes are not the same size. One eyebrow may be slightly higher than the other, and the nose is not as symmetrical as it seems. Although it is difficult to notice with the naked eye. In order to learn how to depict a human face, real masters recommend practicing working on its individual elements. This lesson will focus on how to draw a nose.
The importance of each element
There is an opinion that the main attractive detail of the face is the eyes. But this is not entirely true. No matter how beautiful and expressive the eyes may be, a large aquiline nose or a small, inconspicuous nose can easily ruin the overall picture. That is why it is very important to correctly convey all the features. Whatever the face, beautiful or not, nature created it harmonious. And all its parts fit one another. Therefore, if you draw from life, it is extremely important to convey all the details as accurately as possible. And how to draw a person’s nose remains an important point.
Step-by-step technique
Nature created each person unique, and it is impossible to find two completely identical people on the entire Earth. Each of us is original. It is impossible to establish exact rules on how to draw a woman’s or a man’s nose. But there are a number of tips that, if you adhere to, will help you quickly learn how to depict this part of the face.
First of all, draw two strictly perpendicular lines. These will serve as guides during the process. The horizontal line must intersect the vertical line at the bottom. For those who, before drawing a nose, were interested in the anatomy of the human face, it will not be a secret that the main features of this part are the wings and the bridge of the nose. Starting the actual work, you need to outline the contours of these elements. At the moment we are working on the image of an abstract nose, so it must have the correct shape and strict proportions. If you make accurate notes from the very beginning, then further work will not be difficult. We outline all the smooth lines of the nose and give it the desired shape. When the main outline is set, remove all additional strokes using the eraser. Be prepared that you won’t be able to draw the perfect nose on the first try, and you’ll have to erase and re-draw the lines several times. At first glance, everything is simple. But any little thing can spoil the design, and the nose will turn out to be too small or aquiline. So be careful. To give your nose volume, you need to apply shadows. To do this we use a soft pencil. So we have determined how to draw a nose correctly.
Of course, this is just a test drawing, but get used to the purity of the image. This means don't put too much pressure on the pencil or rub marks with the eraser. In addition, it is better to take high-quality paper. Make sure it is not glossy. This type of paper is difficult to draw on and almost impossible to tint. And the pencil should not be too hard. Otherwise, all the lines will be light and too thin. These unwritten truths need to be remembered not only to learn how to draw a nose with a pencil - they will be useful when depicting any object.
The million dollar question
Many beginners wonder when it’s time to draw the nose: after the eyes or together with the mouth, or do you need to sketch all parts of the face at the same time and then smoothly shape them? There is no right answer. But it’s better not to draw it at the end, otherwise there is a high probability of distorting the entire face. Professionals recommend drawing the nose and eyes at the same time. Moreover, by their location they serve as landmarks for each other. And mistakes in these parts of the face are too difficult to correct.
Now you know not only how to draw a person's nose, but also when. But the key to success is most often the possession of information and the development of skills.
How to draw an anime nose
Anime style has its own rules for depicting a nose, and it cannot be said that they are much simpler than in realistic drawing. Basically, the shape of this part of the face can convey the age or gender of the character. Thus, older people usually have their noses drawn in more detail than younger people. The guys are drawn with its sharp shape. And girls get a small, neat nose. Of course, shadows and highlights play an important role. For detailed drawing, use the same type of auxiliary lines: two perpendiculars. Sometimes only the nostrils are depicted. Remember that if something doesn’t work out, then start drawing with ordinary geometric shapes and straight lines, and then smoothly give them shape. There is no need to rush and neglect additional touches. The idea that they will bother you is wrong. Their main goal is to give you the necessary guidance. It's the same as writing on a squared page or on a blank album sheet. There is a difference? The checkerboard will allow you to make the inscription even. Likewise, auxiliary lines are intended to ensure that the drawing is correct.
Don't forget to apply shadows. They add volume and realism to the drawing. In addition, they are depicted based on the light source, and not as they please. Often a woman's nose is made slightly noticeable. And sometimes they don’t draw at all. Guys' noses have more defined contours. And if they are not drawn, then at least a shadow is used. Remember that the image of the nose changes with every turn of the head.
Nose and character
There is a science of physiognomy. She studies different nose shapes and their relationship to a person's character. This science can be useful for those who create their own characters and draw comics. Changing the shape of the nose can also be an indicator of certain emotions. Often you want to portray a cheerful person, but you end up with an angry or sad character. Therefore, to the knowledge of how to draw a nose, it would be good to add some information about facial expressions and physiognomy. So much for the relationship between art and psychology.
When creating a portrait, it is important to accurately depict all facial features. The nose occupies a central position on the face, so it immediately attracts all attention to itself. With all the variety of shapes and sizes, there are several rules that will help to depict it correctly.
Before you start drawing, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the anatomy of the nose and its components. The narrowest place of the nose is in the area of the nasal bone, that is, in the bridge of the nose. The nasal bone of an adult is distinguished by the presence of a convexity, sometimes quite noticeable (hump). Children do not have such a bulge. The widest part is where the wings are located. If you look closely at the shape, you will notice that any nose is a bit like a pear. Pay attention to the differences in the structure of the nose in men and women, in adults and children. Most often, men's noses are more massive, while women's noses are softer. Women's facial features, and therefore their noses, are smoother, often with pronounced roundness due to the presence of a larger amount of subcutaneous fat compared to men. The shape of the wings of a child’s nose is practically no different from the nose of an adult. But the child’s nasal bone is just beginning to form, so children’s noses are not only smaller, but also noticeably shorter and slightly curved upward, that is, they snub.
Portrait is one of the most difficult tasks in drawing. But the nose is the simplest part of the face, since it is the only static and practically motionless organ. Therefore, it is better to start training with him.
When drawing a human face, it is very important to correctly and proportionately depict all its parts: eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, ears. The integral perception of the future portrait depends on this skill. The nose is the most important part of the face. Often it is drawn disproportionately long or short, sometimes thick, sometimes thin. But there are certain rules for drawing this part of the human face step by step. You need to learn how to draw it correctly in profile and full face, that is, from the side and straight on. If you want to learn how to draw a nose step by step using a simple pencil, then follow our tips.
Method 1. Here we will draw the nose—the “straight” view. First you need to draw auxiliary lines. They are shown in blue. These lines are constructed in such a way that their shape resembles a flower vase. The upper part of the lines is narrowed, then widens downward and connects there in the form of an angle.
Then, limiting ourselves to these lines, we will draw the features of the nose itself. In the middle, we begin to draw one side of the nose from the bridge of the nose with a small hump; at the bottom there is a slight expansion where we have the tip of the nose, from which the nostrils extend. On the other hand, there is also an expansion.
In the third picture we make two features above the bridge of the nose, which usually turn into the brow ridges. And at the bottom we frame the tip of the nose on both sides with widened nostrils.
Then we will show shadows on the bridge of the nose on both sides with strokes. At the bottom we will mark the tip of the nose with another line. Then we erase the auxiliary lines, leaving only the main features of the drawing. The result is a nose from the front.
Method 2. Here you need to draw the nose from the side. To begin with, as usual, we make lines to help our future drawing. These are the blue lines. They are drawn using a ruler. Next, we begin to outline them, making the outline of the nose: the line of the nose with a hump, the tip of the nose and a small line under it. The third picture shows that you also need to make a small line above and a curl indicating the nostril.
Then, using the helper lines, we use strokes to show the features of the nose, make shadow areas and also add a curl line at the bottom, where the nostril is. Erase all unnecessary lines. We leave the actual drawing of the nose, which should be the final result.
First of all, I want to say that I usually draw noses differently. For me this is a normal process and I don’t even think about how it’s done. I usually draw, change, redraw several noses until I choose one I like. Besides, I never draw lines, I just imagine them. I'm just trying to explain how it can be done differently.
Step 1 – Placement and Angle
One way or another, let's start by drawing the main features of the face - the most important thing is to decide such nuances as the light source, and what kind of nose you want to draw. Don't try too hard, leave the drawing raw. Usually when I draw the nose, I draw out the rest of the facial features at the same time, but for now I'll leave them as they are.
Step 2 – decide on the shape
On a separate layer draw an oval dot exactly between the eyes. . Then follow the slightly curved line down and draw a triangle like in the picture. Adjust the triangle to the shape and angle of your face. If it is not shown in profile, or in full face, it will be slightly smaller on the side of the face, and as if turned away from us. As shown in the picture below.
Draw two slightly curved lines from the top point. The end of one line should touch the point directly opposite the vertex of the triangle, the end of the other should touch its left corner. . When you did this, you sort of separated the top of the nose. The most common mistake here is to draw this part very flat, as if the nose is made of pieces of plastic glued together. The borders should be smooth and there won't be any rough dark lines left when we're done. Never leave dark lines unless you are drawing some kind of drawing.
Step 3 – developing the form
The next thing you need to do is understand that the tip of the nose should not be sharp and flat as in the sketch. It should be rounded. Moreover, the shadow under the nose will by and large not look like a triangle. Therefore, you need to soften its shape, outline it like a wave on top, as in the picture (you don’t need to draw a red line, you just need to give the upper border of the triangle the shape of such a wave). When you have done this, flip the image horizontally to check that everything is done correctly.
Now fill in the point you drew before. It's better to make this area brighter than the entire nose. Also, soften the dark lines a little with a lighter color, and draw a semicircle from the right corner of your former triangle to the middle of the right line, as in the picture. .
Now you have already drawn the bridge of the nose and the upper part of the nostril. (usually this part is not so noticeable, but we will work on it later).
Now you need to draw the side of the nose. To prevent this area from looking flat, draw a line from the top of the dark line at a slightly downward angle, and then straight down to the triangle, as shown in the example. Do not draw red lines!! Only black ones.
Step 4 – create a nose from lines.
Now we need to sketch the area that we outlined in the previous step. Don't be afraid to sketch in the outline of the nostril or other lines - paint this area with a lightly shaded shade. In this picture the shadow is not too obvious - I advise you to make the shadow soft. As you can see in the picture, I did not completely paint over the outline of the nostril; they are visible, but only slightly.
Enlarge the image and paint over the dark lines. You also need to work on the triangle. The right nostril should follow the shape of the top line of the triangle. Also make a smooth transition from dark to light. . Don't change anything except the area of the triangle and the area you painted.
Continue doing the same until you have completely filled in the dark lines. And instead of a sketch, you will get a completely realistic nose. Instead of defining the boundaries of our nose by lines, we define them by changes in color and shadow. You will also see the second nostril, it will look like a shadow on the side of the nose farthest from us.
Step 5 – Light and Shadow
In the previous step, our nose still looks a little flat. To fix this, carefully distribute light and shadows throughout the nose in light tones. Define the highlight on the tip of the nose - but don't make it too noticeable, then define the line of the nostril and the angle of the tip of the nose, not with lines, but with colors. I chose the color for the highlights from the area on the bridge of the nose - since it is surrounded by shaded areas , it should be brighter.
At this stage, the appearance of the tip of the nose is determined - depending on where you marked the highlight on it, the shape of the nose will change. It's very interesting to watch. Try changing its position until you find a place where the shape of the nose is exactly what you want.
An enlarged picture of our changes shows a nose with a fairly clear shape and outline. The difference between the color and brightness of the cheeks and nose allows you to see where the nose “rises” from the face.
When people learn to draw, they initially try to reproduce the contours of an object, instead of its volume. This tendency is especially evident in portraits. But in drawing such parts of the face as the nose, it is very important to understand that this shape is three-dimensional, it is not just a contour. Of course, there are different types of drawing - linear, tonal... Therefore, an artist can draw a portrait with one line, without shading and without volume. However, at the learning stage, beginners need to learn that the nose, eyes, and lips are not a contour line, but a volumetric shape with chiaroscuro.
To do this, I drew a diagram that will help you understand the shape of the nose. If you simplify the drawing to geometric shapes, the nose will look like a triangle. And this shape is convex, voluminous. That is, the nose will consist of three faces - two lateral and one central, which is called the dorsum of the nose. Depending on the direction of the light, one of these faces will be in the light, and the other two will be in shadow or partial shade. Keeping this in mind, you can quite easily “blind” the voluminous shape of your nose. After the three edges are outlined, you need to draw the tip and wings of the nose (see what these names mean at the end of the article). To do this, you can outline three circles, since both the wings of the nose and the tip of the nose look like “balls”. After this, you can refine the drawing, moving away from geometry to real outlines.
In addition to the schematic image, I also completed a full step-by-step classic drawing of the nose. The illustration shows three main stages. On the first stage, construction is carried out. On the second, light shading of shadows is laid. At the third stage of drawing the nose, all the halftones and details are worked out. But whatever the stage of the drawing, the shading in the portrait needs to be “laid out” as if in brush strokes. Those. the strokes should form planes. In the second stage of my drawing, it is clear that these planes or faces are quite large and generalized. At the third stage, these planes become smaller, due to which the details are drawn in more detail. That is, the drawing is, as it were, “molded” with small planes or edges. It is similar to the work of a sculptor who uses his fingers to shape the clay into the desired shape. If you hatch too smoothly, the drawing will be less realistic and look like a plastic mask. Therefore, beginning artists need to pay special attention to this advice, since this is rarely discussed, especially in drawing tutorials on the Internet.
To learn how to draw a portrait, of course, it is not enough just to correctly convey the shape, sculpt the volume, etc. In a portrait you need to be able to reflect the character of a person. And character is reflected, among other things, in the individual shape of the nose. Yes Yes. Each person has their own unique nose. But this “variety of noses” can be divided into types. For example, a nose can be straight, hump-shaped, curved, etc. To visualize these features, I drew ten different types of noses. This drawing will help in conveying the individual characteristics of a person in a portrait.
Well, at the end of this lesson, I will also list the main names in the plastic anatomy of the nose, which can be traced according to the given diagram:
- bridge of the nose;
- bridge of the nose;
- tip of the nose;
- wings of the nose;
- nostrils;
- partition.
