How to Draw Eyes: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this tutorial on how to draw eyes, you’ll learn techniques using a straightforward workflow. Learning how to draw eyes is often the starting point of many artists. The main reason is they are a central focal point of any character drawing. 

Before beginning, be sure to get a reference image — a quick internet search is all you need when practicing. The reference image is critical in learning how to draw a realistic eye because eyes have many nuances to them.

Step 1: Drawing the eye’s basic shape

In this tutorial, you will draw a left eye, starting first with a rough stage and later moving on to a clean-up stage. First off, begin by roughly drawing the outer shape of the eye. See this as drawing four different lines — first, the top inner eye line, and then the top outer eye line. Next is the bottom outer eye line (corner of the eye), followed by the bottom inner eye line. The bottom inner eye line differs somewhat from the other curved lines. You’ll notice that it curves a bit upward as it moves toward the tear duct area, so keep this in mind.

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Scott Harris | CharacterArtSchool.com