How to Draw Eyes (In 3 Easy Steps)

Drawing eyes can certainly be challenging, but it’s one of the most rewarding features of the face to draw. There’s just something so captivating about a detailed eye drawing. 

So we put together this simple step-by-step guide for how to draw eyes. We’ve also included how to draw anime eyes and how to draw cartoon eyes. 

Simply put, to draw eyes, you first have to figure out their most basic shape. Most eyes are drawn based on the shape of an almond but different eyes have different shapes. Some are more rounded than others, some are hooded, and some are upturned.

Drawing eyes and other facial features is also a great way to build up basic drawing skills for beginners since they deal with art fundamentals such as shape, proportion, and lighting.

Tools You May Need to Draw Eyes

• Reference photo
• Hb, 2b, 4b pencils
• Eraser
• Blending stump
• Paper
• Tools for measuring (Optional)

As simple as drawing eyes may sound, you’ll still need the proper tools to get started. It only takes the basics, a reference photo so you’ll know what you’re doing, three pencils with different grades to help with sketching and shading, erasers, blending stump, and obviously, paper.

For the eye drawing I did in this post I used a reference photo, HB pencil, 4B pencil, blending stump, and kneaded eraser

You can choose to have a ruler as well to make measurement easier and more accurate, but you can also just eyeball it. Pun intended.

How to Draw Eyes Simple Guide

Tips for How to Draw Eyes for Beginners

-Find a detailed eye picture for reference
-Start with a light and loose outline (since you may re-do or alter as you proceed)
-Continually step back and move physically away from your drawing to see if the proportions match your reference image
-Constantly check size of pupil/iris and compare it to angle of eyelids and distance from the corners of the eye

-Don’t worry if your eye drawing doesn’t look good in the beginning (this is called the ugly duckling phase). Generally, drawings only start to look good once you begin adding in more details, shading, and highlights

-Take your time and have fun…believe it or not this eye drawing I did for this post took me ~35 minutes

An eye doesn’t necessarily follow standard shapes and sizes so constantly check angle of eye lids and eye shape against each other

It may even help to physically trace your pencil against the reference image in order to get the feeling and angle of a specific line such as the eye lid lines.

*Tip for getting the shape right: Focus on eye lid line, top of lid, pupil, bottom of lid, and the corners of the eye

Step 1: Draw an Outline Based on your Reference Photo

Using a lighter pencil (usually an HB pencil) draw an outline based on the major shapes and lines of the eye such as:

• Pupil
• Eyelid
• Eye lid fold

This will likely be the hardest part of drawing an eye. Again, this is a rough outline that you will usually rework to get closer and closer in accuracy to your reference image.

During this step is where you work to get the correct size, shape, and proportions of the eye.

You don’t want to rush this step and then realize when you are putting in your details later that your proportions are off.

Step 2: Add in light details

Once you are happy with your eye shape and dimensions you can then move onto the next step to begin adding some light details.

During this step you will still use your HB pencils and try to mark the shapes and areas where you will be later adding in your darker shading or your highlights.

You will see in my drawing above that I have mapped out where I am going to draw the eyelashes and add my darker shades as well as where I will place the main highlight wihin the pupil.

Often times if you jump right into adding your darkest darks it may cause issues later if you need to erase them since they likely won’t be easy to completely erase.

Step 3: Add Shading

Now is the time where you can go back over and begin adding your shading to make your eye drawing really pop.

Since you have it all mapped out during the last step with an HB pencil you can now go back over it with a darker pencil like a 4B pencil and begin adding those darker shades and smaller details.

For the highlights (such as that on the pupil), do not draw anything in that area – simply let the highlight be represented by the blank whiteness of your paper

Zack

Zack is the creator and main author of LateNightPortrait. As a late starter himself, he believes that anyone, regardless of age, can create something special through practicing art. He spends most evenings drawing portraits and figures while listening to music. When not drawing or painting he can be found going for walks with his wife and attempting (and often failing) to train his dog.