Making Faces Out of Shapes: A Cartoon Drawing Exercise

Object Drawing Lessons

Cartoon faces become easier to draw when you treat them as combinations of simple shapes. In this exercise, you will construct faces from circles, squares, and triangles, then change expressions by adjusting eyes, brows, and mouths. The goal is not realism or a single correct style; it is controlled variation. You will use a shape-breakdown grid to plan head and feature shapes, an expression panel to test changes, and blank grids to build your own faces. All measurements are hypothetical examples; measure your own paper and tools if you need exact sizes. Work in pencil first, then ink or color when the shapes are clear.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Build the head from three basic shapes

Start with one large shape for the head: a circle, a square, or a triangle. A circle gives a soft, friendly base; a square gives a blocky, sturdy look; a triangle gives a pointed, angular feel. These are starting points, not rules. You can round a square or flatten a circle and still keep the basic shape idea.

Next, place two smaller shapes for eyes inside the head shape. Eyes can be circles, squares, or triangles, and they can be the same shape or different shapes. Keep the spacing simple: equal gaps between the eyes and the sides of the head help the face read clearly. Then add a mouth shape and a nose shape if you want one. A small triangle or oval often works for a nose; a wide oval, a crescent, or a small rectangle can work for a mouth.

Use a shape-breakdown grid to plan these choices before drawing. The grid is a set of boxes where you sketch the head shape in one box, the eye shapes in another, and the mouth shape in a third. This separates decisions and makes variation easier to see.

1. Draw one large circle, square, or triangle for the head in the first grid box.
2. Draw two eye shapes in the second box; choose circles, squares, or triangles.
3. Draw one mouth shape and one optional nose shape in the third box.
4. Combine the shapes into a single face in a blank grid box.
5. Label the head shape, eye shape, and mouth shape beside the drawing.

Vary expressions with eyes, brows, and mouths

Expression comes from small changes, not from redrawing the whole face. Keep the head shape the same and change only the eyes, brows, and mouth. This lets you compare expressions fairly. For example, a circle head with circle eyes and a wide oval mouth reads as neutral or slightly surprised; the same head with angled brows and a downward crescent mouth reads as worried or sad.

Brows are powerful. A flat brow reads as calm; an angled brow toward the center reads as angry or focused; a raised curved brow reads as surprised. Mouths can be a straight line, an upward crescent, a downward crescent, a small oval, or a wide rectangle. Eyes can be open circles, narrow rectangles, or triangles. Combine one brow change with one mouth change to see how the expression shifts.

Use an expression-variation panel: a row of small boxes where you copy the same head and change only one feature per box. This is a controlled experiment. If you change everything at once, you cannot tell which change caused the expression.

1. Copy the same head shape into four small boxes.
2. In box one, use flat brows and a straight mouth.
3. In box two, angle the brows toward the center and keep the mouth straight.
4. In box three, raise the brows and use a small oval mouth.
5. In box four, lower the brows and use a downward crescent mouth.
6. Compare the four faces and name the expression each one suggests.

Use a convention for x-height and letter styles

When you label shapes or write short notes on your drawing, use a simple handwriting convention so your labels are readable. Define x-height as the distance from the baseline to the midline of lowercase letters. This is a working convention for this exercise, not a universal standard. Letter styles vary, so accept any clear, consistent handwriting that stays within the lines you set.

For example, you might decide that lowercase letters in labels are about 5 mm from baseline to midline on your paper. This is a hypothetical example; measure your own paper and choose a size that fits. Uppercase letters can be taller. The point is to keep labels legible and separate from the drawing so the shapes remain clear.

The rubric below allows valid alternatives. A label written in a different but readable style is acceptable if the x-height convention is stated and followed consistently. Do not penalize a student for choosing a different letter style if the labels are clear and the convention is applied.

1. State your x-height convention in a corner of the page, for example baseline to midline equals 5 mm.
2. Write labels in lowercase where possible, keeping them within the stated x-height.
3. Keep labels outside the face drawing so they do not cover shapes.
4. Check that another person can read the labels without guessing.

Combine shapes into a finished cartoon face

A finished cartoon face in this exercise uses at least one head shape, two eye shapes, one mouth shape, and optional brows and nose. The shapes should be recognizable and the expression should be readable without explanation. You can add simple hair or ears as extra shapes, but keep the focus on the face and expression.

Work from large to small: head first, then eyes, then brows, then mouth, then nose and extras. This order prevents small features from crowding the head shape. If a feature looks wrong, redraw that shape in the grid rather than erasing repeatedly. The grid is for planning; the final drawing can be cleaner.

Use consistent units when you measure. If you measure the head width in millimeters, measure eye spacing in millimeters too. Do not mix centimeters and millimeters in the same note. Simple arithmetic helps: suppose the head is 60 mm wide, each eye is 10 mm wide, and the gap between the eyes is 10 mm. The two eyes plus the center gap total 10 + 10 + 10 = 30 mm, leaving 60 - 30 = 30 mm for the two side margins, or 15 mm per side. These numbers are hypothetical examples; measure your own drawing.

1. Choose a head shape and draw it large enough for features.
2. Place two eye shapes with equal gaps.
3. Add brows that match the intended expression.
4. Add a mouth shape and an optional nose shape.
5. Add simple hair or ears only if they support the face.
6. Check that the expression is readable and the shapes are clear.

Worked example

Build a cartoon face using a square head, circle eyes, angled brows toward the center, and a straight mouth. Describe the shapes and the expression.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Changing the head shape and all features at once when testing expressions. Keep the head shape the same and change only one feature per variation box so you can see which change affects the expression.
• Making eyes too large or too close to the edge of the head. Use equal gaps and keep eyes inside the head shape; measure with simple units if needed.
• Using labels that are hard to read or that cover the drawing. State an x-height convention, keep labels outside the face, and use clear lettering.
• Treating one shape combination as the only correct answer. Accept valid alternatives: different head shapes, eye shapes, and mouth shapes can all work if the expression is clear and the shapes are recognizable.

Self-check rubric

• The face uses at least one head shape, two eye shapes, and one mouth shape from circles, squares, or triangles.
• The expression is readable and supported by at least one brow or mouth change.
• The shape-breakdown grid or planning notes show separate decisions for head, eyes, and mouth.
• Labels are readable and follow a stated x-height convention; valid alternative letter styles are accepted.
• Measurements, if used, are in consistent units and simple arithmetic is correct.
• The drawing avoids realistic portraiture, anime style, and full-body figures; the focus stays on cartoon faces from shapes.

Questions and answers