Draw tear-stained eyes. How to draw eyes with a pencil step by step

It has long been said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. That they radiate warmth, love and tenderness. Or they can talk about pain and hatred. How to convey this on paper using a simple pencil? How to draw a human eye? No portrait will work if you cannot correctly draw human eyes, convey the feelings and thoughts that shine in them. This short lesson will show you how to draw eyes correctly step by step.

Step 1. Preparation. Before you start drawing, choose what technique and what you will use to draw. In this lesson we will draw with simple pencils of different hardness - B, 3B, 8B. This makes it possible to achieve greater depth and realism. It is best to use thick drawing paper that has a smooth surface; the strokes on it are more expressive and of higher quality. Watercolor paper has a grainy texture, which is not very suitable for pencil drawing. In addition to pencils and paper, we will need a pencil sharpener, a rubbing cloth and a pen-shaped eraser.

Step 2. Let's start with the outline of the eye. Let's figure out how to draw a realistic eye with a pencil. To do this, we use a mirror to see our eye and draw it from life. We draw the sketch with very thin lines, trying to press as little as possible on the pencil. This will allow us to easily erase everything unnecessary. If you press it hard, dirt and pressed lines will remain on the paper - our work will have a very untidy appearance. In order for the drawing to be of high quality, the pencils must be sharpened throughout the entire work.

Step 3. First, let's draw the pupil, for this we use the softest pencil - it will give saturation to the dark pupil without much effort. Then, using a pencil of the greatest hardness, shade the iris of the eye. It always has a darker color at the edges, so we carefully apply shading along the outer contours and on top with a softer pencil. This will give the eye more depth.

Step 4. To make the surface of the iris look more impressive, gently rub the strokes using a soft cloth. Then we shade the dark part again with a 3B pencil and carefully rub it again. We repeat this procedure until we are satisfied with the result.

Step 5. To make the iris look more realistic, you need to add small uneven radial strokes to its surface. They have a wave-like appearance and are directed from the center of the gas to its edges. Such strokes need to fill the entire surface of the iris.

Step 6. How to draw realistic eyes without touching the eyeball? This is impossible. After all, it has a spherical shape, which means it cannot remain just white. Therefore, we carefully apply shading to its edges. In this case, the closer to the outer edge, the strokes should be a little darker.

Step 7. Now let's draw the tear duct. We add depth to the darkest places with shading. You need to try to convey its moisture.

Step 8. Draw the lower and upper eyelids. Using shading we give them volume. We emphasize the fold of the upper eyelid with more intense shading. On the lower eyelid, highlight the lighter areas with an eraser.

Step 9. Now let's add eyelashes. The upper eyelashes are beautifully curved upward. To make them look more realistic, you need to draw the eyelash from the bottom line of the upper eyelid, go a little onto the eyeball and, turning the line, insert it upward. We finish the eyelash just above the crease. The growth line of the lower eyelashes is located at a short distance from the beginning of the lower eyelid. We draw them according to the same principle as the top ones, but make them much shorter. It is advisable to draw the eyelashes in slightly different directions, which will give them a more natural look.

And when entering special institutions related to the profession of a painter, these skills are required.

And of course, the eyes are considered the most important element of a portrait, because the overall atmosphere of the picture depends on how you depict them.

Through a glance you can guess a person’s mood, his character. It reflects what we think and care about, what intentions we have. That is why, if you want to start working with images of people, you need to pay great attention to the eyes.

Despite the fact that the images of any subject and object are better, the larger you are, knowledge of the structure and anatomy will help simplify the task.

In this article we will look at how to learn how to draw eyes step by step quickly and beautifully.

Structure: how to draw eyes correctly?

So, as mentioned earlier, in order to draw beautifully step by step, it is necessary to follow all anatomical subtleties, maintain proportions.

The eye is a small sphere placed in the eye socket and covered by eyelids, which, in turn, are framed by eyelashes. The space between the eyelids is called the palpebral fissure. You should also pay attention to the third fold above the eye, located on the upper eyelid.

The part that is visible to us if the eyelids are raised is the tunica albuginea, which merges into the slightly convex and transparent cornea. But under the stratum corneum there is the iris. Iris has an interesting structure: it consists of muscles, and this is where all the pigment contained in the eye is located.

As everyone knows, the hole located in the middle of the iris is called pupil. Since muscle fibers tend to constrict, the pupil can change its size depending on how much light hits it. Therefore, be extremely careful, because if you depict a character’s face flooded with light or, on the contrary, he is in pitch darkness, the size of the pupil will vary.

The depression in the corner is called the lake of tears, which is designed to keep your eye moist when you blink. Its inner part is always rounded, and its outer part has a sharper end. You should also pay attention to how the eyelid is placed and how it fits around the eyeball. The extent to which it hangs over the eye can add a significant number of years to a person.

How to draw a person's eyes?

Drawing an eye with a pencil is not so difficult. To start drawing, The following tools are needed:

Now let's get to work. How to draw eyes correctly? Remember that no one in life will ever be able to do this job efficiently and correctly the first time, so be patient and don’t give up! The more training and practice you have, the faster and better you will get every time.

  • Very easy and make a sketch without unnecessary pressure eyeball, which is a regular circle.
  • Then we outline it for centuries, covering about one third of the eyeball with the upper eyelid and the same amount with the lower eyelid. The upper eyelid, or rather its area, should be slightly concave.
  • Notice that the outer corner of the eyelid is slightly raised in relation to the inner one (the one closer to the nose).
  • Add to the drawing lacrimal sac.
  • Now let's move on to creating the iris and pupil. Do not place the iris exactly in the middle of the eye, because this will make the gaze appear aggressive. And also do not lower it too low to the middle eyelid. This part of the eye should be slightly covered by the upper eyelid.
  • Adding highlights. This should be done for a reason, but based on which side the light falls from. Don't make the highlights too big, as this can reduce the expressiveness of the eye.
  • Let's move on to shaping. We start shading from the most pigmented, and, therefore, quite dark area of ​​the eye - the iris. It is important to know that the top part is the darkest, the sides are a little lighter, and the bottom part is the lightest.
  • When shading, it is important to draw the “rays” that come from the pupil. There is no need to highlight them with a pencil too much: there should be a lot of them, but they should not be very noticeable.
  • The highlights can be left unshaded if you have already drawn them, or you can create them using the tip of the eraser after finishing shading the entire iris.
  • To give more liveliness to the eyes, again, using an eraser, draw a few light rays.
  • It is important not to repeat the mistake that many make by leaving the whites completely white. This does not happen in nature, and therefore the drawing will turn out unrealistic. That's why add a little gray shadow on the corners, as well as near the border with the upper and lower eyelids.
  • Let's start giving shape to the eyelids. The crease of the upper eyelid is the darkest place. After drawing it, lightly blend it to the lighter areas.
  • Let's move on to the eyelashes. They can be very different: short, long, fluffy and not so much. This is all at your discretion. However, do not forget that each eyelash differs from the other in size and in nature they are not absolutely identical. The eyelash row begins from the very corner of the upper eyelid and ends closer to its border with the lower one.

How to draw eyes the same?

So, we figured out how to draw one eye. But many artists who have done an excellent job of drawing all the small details have a problem with depicting the second one just as well. It should not be askew, it should not be larger or smaller, the corners, the irises - everything should be the same. The task is undoubtedly difficult, but quite doable. We recommend drawing two eyes at the same time.

In this tutorial we will look at natural eye drawing basics in profile, sideways and closed. Then we'll learn draw anime eyes characters from different angles, and also consider the given examples of different eye styles.


Eyes are the mirror of the soul...

After all, they are the ones who make all people unique, showing our inner world. And in order to draw them correctly, we will look at the basics.



Consider a photograph of an eye (front view).

This is the real eye of a middle-aged man.

The eye has an almond shape, along the edge of which there are eyelashes of varying lengths, and folds and wrinkles around the eyes emphasize the contours of the eyeball.



In the drawing I indicated in which direction, from the edge of the eye, the eyelashes go. Please note that the eyelashes are curved and of different lengths. I also indicated how long the eyelashes are located around the eye (B-large eyelashes, M-small). Eyelashes are usually taller in the center of the eye and smaller towards the ends of the eye, but long eyelashes can also be drawn at one end (which is further from the nose).


Let's look at a photograph of an eye (side view).

Now the basic shape of the eye is triangular rather than almond shaped.

Eyelashes are curved and of different lengths. In the side view, the location of the lengths of the eyelashes around the eye is more clearly visible (B-large eyelashes, M-small eyelashes).





Half of the lower part of the almond shape is clearly visible near the eye, along the edge of which there are eyelashes of different lengths. Wrinkles at the top of the eye emphasize the contours of the eyeball.

Eyelashes are longer in the center and smaller towards the ends of the eye (B-large eyelashes, M-small).



Anime characters eyes


Let's take a look at the basic eye shapes.

The shape of the eyes expresses the character's personality. And also keep in mind that large eyes with large pupils are mainly suitable for girls and children, narrow eyes with small pupils for guys, men and women, and single-line eyes for older people.



When drawing anime eyes, always start with the shape of the eyelashes. Having decided on the shape, draw two straight lines that intersect at one point and touch the edges of the upper eyelash shape. This way we will define the contours of the eyeball. Then we complicate the eyelashes and draw the pupil.




If you want to draw a rounded eye shape, consider the following example.

At the base of these eyes, I always draw a circle first. Then I decide on the shape of the eyelashes and complicate them. After that, I make sure to erase the auxiliary circle. Now I’m finishing the pupil.




Examples of eyes (front view) with different shapes for your reference.





Examples of eyes (side view) with different shapes for your reference.



There are mainly two types of closed eyelashes: up-curling and down-curling eyelashes.

When the eyelashes bend upward, the emotion of happiness, joy and laughter is conveyed.

Eyelashes with a downward curve are drawn when they kiss, sleep, think, or are in a calm state.


Examples of closed eyes (front view) with different shapes for reference.




Examples of closed eyes (side view) with different shapes for your reference.



You can also see how the eyes change when drawing emotions by going to the lesson How to draw emotions.

This concludes the lesson! I hope it helps you in your creativity!

We all love to draw something when we're bored. One draws squares at a meeting, the other draws beautiful flowers while waiting for a phone call. And there are real peephole fanatics. Large and small, children's and women's, beautiful and simple, from two lines and one circle - almost all the pieces of paper on their table are drawn with such eyes. Without any tests or fortune tellers, it is immediately clear that we have a visual person in front of us.

“The eyes are the mirror of the soul” - any visual person will confidently support this phrase. We, people with a visual vector, are sure that by looking at the eyes you can learn absolutely EVERYTHING about a person. “Smart” psychological sites claim that strict people are born with blue eyes, romantic people are born with green eyes, and, of course, witches are born with black eyes. Life contradicts this, the real world shows that the good people we meet have different eye colors, just like the evil ones. And although we so want to believe that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, in reality everything is completely different. Or rather, so, but only partly - the rule applies only to visual people. With everyone else, you can’t tell absolutely anything from their eyes.

There is nothing wrong with the obsessive desire to draw eyes. In life, we, the audience, are very emotional. We constantly want to communicate with people, look into their eyes, experience feelings. But this is not always possible - you have to do something on your own, without people. Then the hand automatically reaches for a pencil or pen - and an eye, or a pair of eyes, appears. On paper. Drawn, not alive, but as a replacement, it will do.

If we type the word “eye” into a search engine and switch to picture mode, we will enjoy a huge number of eyes, of different types and sizes. Photographed, drawn and even fantastic.

Viewers are ready to watch some of them for more than one minute - as if under hypnosis, we are enchanted by this beauty.

Of course, I would like to learn how to draw beautiful eyes myself. Ideally, in a huge variety. When we feel sad in our souls - sad or tear-stained eyes, when we are in love - eyes full of feelings, etc.

But not everyone did well in art classes at school, so they are often upset that they don’t have eyes that convey emotions. Or at least just beautiful.

In this article we will not teach you how to draw eyes like those in the graffiti below, but a couple of simple tips will allow you not just to draw eyes and be afraid that someone will see them, but to proudly display your drawings for everyone to see. So below you will find a simple tutorial.

How to learn to draw eyes

Like any real artist, start with the main thing - think about what you will draw with and on what. To give yourself real pleasure, buy yourself a couple of sheets of good specialty paper and a professional pencil (best in a specialty store for artists). You can also buy colored paper and crayons or charcoal for later work, when you learn to draw beautifully.

It is best to start practicing drawing beautiful eyes by copying them from photographs or illustrations. Take any fashion magazine and find a portrait of a girl, for example, where the face takes up almost the entire page. Spare some paper and cut out an eye from a magazine. Place a piece of the picture directly on the sheet where you will draw. This will allow you to maintain the ideal proportion. And although this will be just a redrawing, at the end of the work you will be surprised at how talented you are at drawing eyes.

So, observing the proportions, easily outline the contours of the eye.

Then proceed to the outlines of the cornea. Remember, in order for the eye to turn out alive, not a single detail should be neglected. Be sure to carefully examine the drawing and determine where the highlights are on the pupil - mark them immediately, at the moment of drawing the pupil.

Start redrawing smaller details. Many people don’t realize that drawing beautifully requires being very, very attentive to details. Do not put off this moment for later, look closely at the picture, look at the main details and carefully transfer them to your drawing.

Gradually you will catch more and more details. Many beginners are surprised that a simple lead pencil has so many shades, from light gray to black, and yet this is exactly the case. When drawing, do not experiment and do not deviate from the original - one stroke is wrong and the drawing will disappoint you.

Every artist who paints a portrait of someone must be able to draw the person's eyes. At first glance, it seems that there is nothing complicated about this. However, to make the drawing realistic, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances and small details. How to draw a person’s eyes beautifully with a pencil?

Structure of the human eye

The human eye consists of several external structural elements, each of which performs a specific function:

  • upper eyelid;
  • lower eyelid;
  • upper eyelashes;
  • lower eyelashes;
  • iris and iris;
  • eyeball (sclera);
  • pupil;
  • teardropper

To draw a person’s eye with a pencil, you need to take into account all the folds with smooth lines, shadows and much more, as well as choose the right location for the eyebrow. Otherwise, the drawing will seem implausible.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing Human Eyes

Drawing a person's eyes with a pencil requires several stages. Step by step, line by line, the whole image is formed from structural elements. The step-by-step process of drawing a human eye can be seen in the picture.

Step 1

First you need to draw the shape of the eye. To do this, it should be enclosed within a figure with corners. You immediately need to draw the folds that are visible above the upper and lower eyelids. You can also draw the shape of the eye from two perpendicular lines crossed with each other. The horizontal line should be longer than the vertical one. Then the four points are smoothly connected. A teardrop is indicated in the inner corner, without which the eye will turn out unnatural. External and internal corners can be drawn both at the same and at different levels. Additional lines need to be erased.

Step 2

It is necessary to draw the iris, which should be round in shape. It is important to take into account that the third part of it is hidden by the upper eyelid. Inside the iris, strictly in the center, you need to draw a pupil and paint it dark.

Step 3

Then you can start drawing the upper eyelid, behind which part of the iris with the pupil is hidden. To do this, the method of drawing lines in the form of strokes is used. The main thing is not to overdo it so that the eyelid has the optimal thickness and is darkened in the crease area. After this, you should draw the lower eyelid, which is highlighted from the inner corner of the eye.

Step 4

At the next stage, you need to draw a highlight near the iris on the pupil. It is depicted as a small circle. Opposite the glare, a spot of diffused light is formed, which is also located near the pupil, only on the other side. This is a reflex that needs to be drawn with smooth lines.

Step 5

The next step is to depict the eyebrows and brow ridges, which provide protection to the eye from external irritants. The eyebrow is always placed above the organ of vision and pushed slightly forward. It is recommended to first draw a test line, and then draw hairs from it. The eyebrows are thicker at the base than at the temple. The hairs can be placed in one direction or intersect.

The upper eyelid is higher than the lower one. In the photo below you can see all directions. They must be followed, otherwise you won’t be able to draw a realistic eye.

Step 6

The eyes must be framed with eyelashes. They can be drawn in advance, but you will still have to adjust them in the final stages. Like everything else, eyelashes should look realistic, and not like in children's drawings, where they resemble daisy petals. In the photo below you can see the correct design. The upper eyelashes are always longer than the lower ones, thick at the base and thinner towards the end. To do this, as each eyelash is drawn according to its growth, the pressure of the pencil must be reduced.

Step 7

The last step is necessary in order to remove auxiliary lines, remove unnecessary strokes, make certain places darker or lighter or darker. That is, bring your drawing to perfection.

Video: how to draw a person’s eyes with a pencil step by step

The video presents a lesson for beginners that will help you draw a person’s eyes with a pencil, taking into account each line. Having clearly familiarized yourself with the general recommendations, even an inexperienced artist will be able to draw a person’s face.