Day 1 // How to Draw Eyes

Welcome to day one of People Skills: How to Draw People with Style! In this video, you’ll be getting an understanding of the most basic way to draw an eye (the minimal depiction) and then observing an eye and determine it’s most basic elements.

Style exists anywhere in-between photorealism and the minimal depiction. Finding your style is all about making your own choices about what elements to include in your drawing and how you decide to draw them.

Range of detail

Minimal Depiction

Photo Reference

Basic Elements

Oblong Shape

Pupil

Iris

Reflection

Eyelid fold

Eyelashes

Tear Duct

Details

Retinal veins
Wrinkles
Shading/Shadows

…keep looking for more!

Homework

Draw at least 50 different eyes. Try to fill up an entire page with eyes. First, observe a bunch of eyes! Do a Google image search or look at some real-life peepers. Experiment with shape, scale, value, and more. Use as many or as few of the basic elements as you’d like. If you run out of ideas, do a Pinterest search for “character eyes” to get ideas.

Example

Keep researching, observing and learning! I’ve made a Pinterest board full of additional resources to help you continue your eye-drawing journey.

This lesson is a part of a month-long series that will get you you familiar with the basics of drawing humans, and help you develop your own people-drawing style. To learn more, check out the People Skills Intro, or continue on to the next lesson below.