How To Draw Realistic Lips

In this tutorial I will teach you how to draw lips, using a simple triangle shape. The entire process consists of 10 simple steps. You can create different types of lips, making small changes in step 1.

Step 1. Draw an elongated isosceles triangle. Receding from its top down a bit, draw an arc (a curved line, resembling the letter U). Draw a straight horizontal line about halfway between the arc and the base of the triangle. The longer the horizontal line, the wider will be the lips. With the shorter line the lips will look plusher.

Step 2. Create a contour of the upper lip, combining extreme points of the horizontal line with the arc at the top of the triangle, the resulting figure should resemble the bow of Cupid.

Step 3. Create a lower lip - draw a smooth curved line, the deepest point of which does not extend beyond the boundary of the triangle. Following the horizontal line, draw the outline of the half-open mouth.

Step 4. Erase the triangle and determine where the light source is located. In this picture it is located at the top right. I outline the contours of the most illuminated sections of the lips and then by a soft lead pencil struck a light tone to a less lighted sections, and also added a shadow to the left of the lower lip.

Step 5. Continue to put the tone on both lips, leaving the sections that you have identified in Step 4, the lightest. Note the shadow under the lower lip - its dark shadow is slowly getting lighter from the left to the right, thereby indicating the direction of the light at the top right. On the outer contour of the lower lip, leave the light sections on the border with the falling shadow.

Step 6. With the help of a pencil with a thin slate (I use a mechanical pencil 0,5 HB) draw the lines of wrinkles and cracks. Do not press the pencil too hard, otherwise it will be more difficult for you to achieve the desired effect.

Step 7. Using the wand for shading, rub the tone on the lower lip. Do not touch the brightest sections that you have set earlier. So lips will look more voluminous and natural. You will notice that the lines of wrinkles and cracks in the process of shading will gradually fade and blend in with the tone. Do not overdo it, so they should not disappear completely.

Step 8. Erase the lightest sections of the lower lip, gently pressing it to the paper. By accurate movements using the eraser lighten the most illuminated places to create the effect of shiny lips.

Step 9. Repeat the steps 7-8 for the upper lip.

Step 10. Using a soft graphite pencil 6B, make darker the following sections: outside lip contours, the shadow under the lower lip, the corners of the lips, as well as cracks and wrinkles.