The Drawing a Pair of Eyes: The Key to Capturing the Soul

Image by Google Gemini

HOW TO DRAW A PAIR OF EYES

Drawing realistic eyes requires moving beyond simple shapes and embracing depth and structure. The process begins with a light structural sketch, framing the eyes as almonds gently resting in the skull's sockets, ensuring they are separated by the distance of one eye. Next, define the orbital volume by drawing the upper and lower eyelids, which are thick layers of skin, not mere lines.

The iris and pupil should be perfectly circular, with the upper lid slightly covering the iris. This is where detail brings life: use radiating lines within the iris, and apply the darkest tone (pure black) to the pupil. For the whites of the eyes, remember they are never pure white; shade them lightly with grey to indicate the curvature of the eyeball.

Finally, introduce shadows and highlights. Deepen the tones beneath the upper lid and near the tear duct to give the eye dimension. Use sharp, curved lines for the eyelashes, ensuring they fan outwards realistically. A small, bright highlight reflecting light is the last, crucial step, instantly adding moisture and soul to the finished piece.

Here's a colored pencil drawing of a pair of eyes, and I'll explain how to draw them step-by-step below.

To make it easier to follow, all the images showing the steps are combined into one plate here: Here's how you can draw a pair of eyes using colored pencils:

Image by Google Gemini

Step 1: Sketch the Basic Shape Start by lightly sketching the general shape of the eyes and eyebrows. 

Think of the eyes as almond shapes. Don't press too hard, as these lines will be erased or covered later.

Step 2: Define the Irises and Pupils. Draw the circles for the irises within the eye shapes. Remember that a portion of the iris is usually covered by the upper eyelid. 

Then, draw smaller, darker circles in the center for the pupils.

Step 3: Outline the Eyelids and Tear Ducts Refine the lines for the upper and lower eyelids. Add a small curve in the inner corner of each eye for the tear duct. You can also start sketching the crease of the eyelid above the eye.

Step 4: Begin Shading with Base Colors. Start applying very light base colors. For the whites of the eyes, use a very light grey or even a touch of pale blue, as they are rarely pure white. For the irises, lay down the lightest shade of the eye color you've chosen. Begin to lightly shade the skin around the eyes with a flesh tone.

Image drawn with the help of Google Gemini

Step 5: Add Depth to the Irises and Pupils Gradually build up the color in the irises. Use darker shades of your chosen eye color, drawing radiating lines from the pupil outwards to create the texture of the iris. 

Make the pupils as dark as possible with a black colored pencil.

Step 6: Shade the Skin and Eyelids. Continue building up the skin tones around the eyes. Pay attention to the shadows created by the eyelids and the brow bone. Use a combination of flesh tones, light browns, and even a touch of red or purple for realistic skin depth. Blend the colors smoothly.

Step 7: Draw the Eyelashes Using a sharpened dark brown or black colored pencil, draw individual eyelashes. Remember that they curve outwards and are longer on the outer corners. The upper lashes are generally longer and denser than the lower ones. Don't make them too uniform.

Image by Google Gemini

Step 8: Refine the Eyebrows and Highlights.

Fill in the eyebrows with short, hair-like strokes, following the direction of hair growth. Add more layers of color to deepen the shadows and details. 

Finally, use a white colored pencil or a gel pen to add small highlights in the eyes, particularly on the pupils and irises, to give them a lively, reflective quality.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Don't be afraid to experiment with colors and layering.

Here's the same image of the eyes and the step-by-step guide, but this time rendered in graphite pencil:

Image by Google Gemini