Hard at work: Focus on the mouth

Henry Gates

Jennifer & Jessica Palazola with Erica Casucci

Jaclyn Lowe

Both my G Block and C Block drawing classes are still hard at work creating their self-portraits from life. Today's focus was on drawing the mouth. There are some simple guidelines to follow in creating a general shape for your mouth. After the general shape and proportion is there, you will need to go back in a really look at the shape of the lips that you are drawing. Look at the "peaks" of your lip and how your philtrum is formed.

To Start:
Remember the upper lip is made up of three parts and the lower lip of 2 parts (as shown in figure below)
Create a horitzonal  line with a smaller vertical  line in the center.
Using the vertical line, creat a circle in the center of the vertical line (be sure the vertical line cuts the circle in half)
On either side of the circle create an oval that rests on your hoizontal guidlines, touching the circle.
(these are your 3 parts)
Your lower lip will be two symmetrical ovals that meet on your vertical guideline and touch the top oval.
Now, go back up to your small circle created in the first step and make a halo on the top of the circle.
Erase any marks over the halo.
Now, outline the outside shape of your lips, and begin to shade in your lips with the lead of your guidelines.
Go back in and now redefine your lines by looking at the shape of your lips.
Following these steps will give you a jumping off point.