Position your mirror directly in front of you at eye level. This position is the easiest to measure and get accurate proportions. [2] X Research source Using a mirror allows you to see what you’re drawing in 3-D, and allows you to adjust your light source as you draw.
Because you’re drawing what you see in the mirror, you should spend more time looking in the mirror than actually drawing.
Use top-lighting or lighting from above to find more shadows for your photograph. Using a photograph gives you a 2-D reference that is easier to use than a mirror. The photo stays in one position, so you can reference the same image many times without adjusting your drawing. Drawing from a mirror is more difficult and can help advanced artists improve their skill. [4] X Research source
The self portrait can become distorted more easily on a flat surface. [5] X Research source
Most head shapes are closer to an oval than a circle, so you can draw an oval if you’d prefer.
Your lines don’t have to perfect, as you will be erasing them later on. Just get them as close to center as possible. [8] X Research source
This line will be your reference for where to draw your chin. If you don’t have a ruler, you can use your pencil. Place your finger on the pencil at the point of the measurement. Use your finger and the edge of the pencil as a reference for the measurement.
Repeat these steps on the other side to complete the jawline. If your jaw is sharper and more defined, use steeper angles to connect the chin line. If your jaw is more rounded, use softer lines. Refer to the mirror for reference on how sharp to make the angles. Don’t forget to keep your lines light so you can flesh out the detail later on. [10] X Research source
This will be your eye line. Feel free to label it for easy reference when you start drawing the eyes. Just make sure you label it lightly so you can go back and erase it.
The first line you drew will be the nose line, and the second line will be the lip line. For easy reference later, lightly label these lines with pencil so you can erase them later on.
These 2 lines will both be hair lines. Label them for easy reference later on.
You will end up with 4 equally spaced tick marks that divide the eye line into 5 equal sections. [12] X Research source
This will ensure your eyes are evenly spaced and identical in size.
For a medium-length nose, draw it above the nose line. For a longer nose, draw it beneath the nose line. For a shorter nose, draw it between the eye and nose line. Keep the boundary lines light so you can go back and erase them later.
If your mouth is an average size, sketch it well inside the boundary lines. Adjust as necessary for larger or smaller mouths. Make sure to draw the boundary lines lightly so you can go back and erase them later. [14] X Research source
Fill in the hairline with thick lines, adding shadows and highlighting as you work. [16] X Research source
If you labeled your eye, lip, nose, and hair lines for easier reference, erase those as well.
Fill in things like lip wrinkles, shadows under the eyes, and shading on the bridge of the nose. Spend time adding wrinkles and sunspots to the skin, jewelry such as earrings or nose rings, details in the eyebrows, and any other minute tweaks you want to add. The more details you add to the portrait, the more realistic it will appear.
To make yourself look younger, make the jawline narrower so your bones look less developed. [17] X Research source
Make sure to add shadowing to the neck area. This will keep it from looking like it’s floating in thin air. [18] X Research source
Drawing a self-portrait is hard work, and framing it is an excellent way to display your accomplishment. [19] X Research source
