Drawing Portraits.

The first and most obvious detail of the human figure is the head. There are obvious differences between people's faces,especially between those males and females.

1. Differences in the Face Shape:

Generally, men have longer and larger faces than women, male portrait with a square head has sharp corners as do the jawline and the neck line. Whereas the female portrait has rounded curves wherever appropriate, to soften her features. The cranium is rounded, as are the cheeks and the neckline is curved rather than straightened.

2. Differences in the Eyebrows:

Eyebrows play a big role. It's not impossible to draw a beautiful male or female portrait by giving a woman thick eyebrows or a man thin eyebrows. Man tends to have thicker eyebrows as opposed to a woman but you would give the eyebrows soft curves rather than sharp corners.

3. Differences in the Eyes:

For the eyes, the main thing that can make a female portrait more feminine, is by giving her long lashes that helping to give the impression of the eyes being bigger. For a male portrait on the other hand, keeping the lashes very short will help draw the eyes appear more masculine. For more feminine eyes, draw rounded curves eyes and for more masculine eyes, draw sharper corners and use straight lines.

4. Differences in the Nose:

For a woman, the main thing to focus the details along the nostril shape and the tip of the nose, along with the nostrils, leaving the definition and depth of the bridge to a minimum.

This is the opposite with males when wanting to add a more masculine feel to the portrait. Use angular shapes and sharp edges create a more carved look.

6. Differences in the Mouth and Lips:

The mouth could really help make a portrait more masculine or feminine.

It is very effective is to give the male in the portrait a very thin upper lip. Another thing would be to give him a wide mouth. For woman, it doesn't matter if the lips are full, wide, small, thin, etc, giving the upper lip as much detail makes a mouth appear more feminine in a portrait.

7. Differences in the Chin and Jaw:

For more masculine look, aim to draw a very strong jawline and square chin, whereas to make a face appear more feminine, you'd want to aim for soft curves and rounded edges, avoiding sharp corners and straight lines.

Shown here is the basic proportions of the head from the front.

5. Differences in the Cheekbones and Cheeks:

For a man the line of where the bottom edge of the cheekbone is very sharp cutoff. With a woman on the other hand, keep the cheeks rounded and soft.

From the front portrait in proportion.

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