Struggling with portraits can feel frustrating, especially when faces never turn out the way you imagine.
But every artist starts somewhere.
These 10 face drawing ideas will help you see faces in a new way, build your confidence, and enjoy sketching again—one idea at a time.
01. Lines of Time
A pencil drawing of an old woman’s face with deep wrinkles and soft eyes. It shows emotion and life experience. This study helps you learn how to draw aged skin, shadows, and texture with patience and detail.
02. Profile Practice
A clean side-view sketch of a woman’s face using simple lines and guides. It’s great for practicing proportions and facial angles. The artist used smooth lines to build shape and balance before adding any shading.
03. Angle Study
A structured pencil outline of a woman’s face from a three-quarter view. It teaches how to map facial planes and features step by step. Ideal for learning head angles and understanding where shadows will fall.
04. Soft Shadows
A gentle sketch of a face with closed eyes, drawn lightly with charcoal. It focuses on softness and calm feeling. This is a good exercise for beginners to study smooth shading and natural light.
05. Expressive Lines
A rough sketch of a woman’s face with strong lines and smudged shading. It looks unfinished but full of energy. This helps you loosen your drawing style and see how expression comes from bold strokes.
06. Vintage Portrait
A pencil portrait of a woman with curly hair and a classic look. The sketch has charm and old-style beauty. It’s a fun way to practice hair texture and early portrait techniques.
07. Innocent Eyes
A front-view sketch of a young child’s face with big, bright eyes. Simple lines and cross-hatching bring out emotion. This drawing helps artists practice facial symmetry and gentle expression.
08. Minimal Line Art
A single-line face drawing made with one continuous stroke. It’s simple yet creative. This idea is perfect for learning shape flow and how much emotion a few lines can show.
09. Color Pop Portrait
A colorful male face sketch made with bright pencils. The light tones and outlines make it playful and modern. Great for exploring color and learning how to blend style with structure.
10. Blue-Eyed Focus
A soft pencil portrait with colored eyes. The shading and highlights make the eyes stand out beautifully. It teaches how small color details can make a simple pencil sketch more expressive.
