How to draw realistic eyes with this how-to video and step-by-step drawing instructions. Very simple for beginners and even for kids
Please see the drawing tutorial in the video below
You can refer to the simple step-by-step drawing guide below
Step 1
Make sure you have a good reference photo.
A good reference photo is essential when drawing a realistic eye. It helps you determine the correct shape and size of your eyes, as well as the location of features and reflections.
Step 2
Sketch a light contour of the eye.
Start your drawing by lightly sketching an outline of the eye. It always helps me draw little markers to the left and right where the drawing will start and end — and I always resize my reference image to the exact size I want to draw, so I can be sure to draw the scale correctly.
Step 3
Outline other features of the eye such as the eyelids.
After the center of the eye was drawn, I added the rest of the outline, including the tear ducts, eyelids, and eye circles.
Step 4
Pencil in the darkest areas.
After that, I like to use a charcoal pencil and just dab the exclamation points on the areas that I want to highlight the most: in the crease, the shadow under the eyelid, the pupil, and around the iris.
Make sure you only do this carefully, as it is very difficult to erase after you put the coals down.
Draw the darkest shadows in the skin around the eyes, as well as in the iris, using charcoal
Step 5
Cover the white shadow of the eye.
Then I polish the whites of the eyes. This part of the eye is never completely white; Eyes have shadow and dimension to them.
For this particular eye, the area next to the lacrimal gland is slightly darker and the opposite corner of the eye is even darker when they are looking down a bit and there is a shadow cast by the eyelashes.
Step 6
Shade the tear ducts.
Then I cover the tear duct. It’s usually quite dark, but it’s very reflective, which we’ll illustrate when we add white highlights at the end. I also started adding details to the iris, which is usually darkest around the pupil and around the circumference of the iris.
Step 7
Draw in the iris.
To fill in the iris, I draw different types of lines (like spokes) extending from the pupil — some squiggly, some extending all the way to the edge of the iris, and some starting and stopping at the iris. random places.
I filled most of the space with those lines and added some black points. There’s really no “recipe” for this — all eyes are unique and a little unusual and that’s what makes them so fun and engaging to draw.
Step 8
Shade the skin.
Then I apply a skin base. Start the light with the HB pencil.
Add dimension to the skin around the eyes with light shading
Next, I’m going to create some shadows using the 4B pencil — creating depth for the crease, shadows at the edges, and the eye circles.
Reduces dark circles and wrinkles around the eyelids
Here, I have blended the shadow with a brush. You can also use paper towels or sponges.
Blending shadows and skin tones with a brush
Then I set the top and bottom water lines with a slightly darker shadow and blend.
Step 9
Draw eyelashes.
For the eyelashes, I use a 4B pencil. To create lashes, start at the base and “strip” the brow pencil off the page as you draw so that the lashes are thinnest at the tip and thickest at the base.
Draw realistic eyelashes by swiping the pencil
Direction is also important — eyelashes don’t all go in the same direction; some are random but for the most part, they follow a pattern. In this case, the upper lashes curl up towards the left and as you go towards the edge of the eye will begin to curl up towards the right.
Step 10
Add texture and skin highlights.
Then I want to create some textures and highlights of the skin using the Tombow Mono Zero eraser. I add highlighter to the eyelid area and tear glands where the light naturally hits.
Add skin highlights with the eraser tool
And finally, I added the most prominent highlights using a white Posca paint pen. This step often takes the drawing from “normal” to very realistic.
I focused on the eyelids and tear ducts and added a reflection on the iris. I use a squeezing technique around the tear duct and on the skin to resemble the skin and its small and reflective bumps.
Create highlights around the eyes for more realism