Facial Outline Drawing: Jaw, Cheek, and Brow Contour Practice

Object Drawing Lessons

Facial outline drawing is the skill of placing the outer contour of a face so that the jaw, cheek, and brow lines relate correctly to one another. This lesson defines a simple, checkable convention: the face is drawn inside a light rectangular frame, and three guide lines are used. The brow line runs horizontally across the upper third of the frame. The cheek line runs from the outer corner of the brow line down toward the jaw corner. The jaw line runs from the jaw corner forward to the chin point. You will trace a guide, then draw freehand in a practice box. Letter styles and facial proportions vary, so the rubric rewards consistent relationships rather than one universal shape.

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

Set up the frame and three guide lines

Draw a light rectangle about 8 cm wide and 10 cm tall. Mark the top edge as the crown line and the bottom edge as the chin line. Divide the height into thirds with two faint horizontal lines. The upper third line is the brow line. The lower third line is the jaw line level.

Place a jaw corner point on each side of the frame, about one fifth of the width in from the side edges, at the lower third line. Place a chin point at the bottom center. The cheek line connects each brow-line outer point to the jaw corner on the same side. These lines are guides, not final edges.

1. Draw the 8 cm by 10 cm frame lightly.
2. Mark the brow line at the upper third and the jaw level at the lower third.
3. Mark left and right jaw corners and the chin point.
4. Draw the two cheek guide lines from brow outer points to jaw corners.
5. Draw the jaw guide lines from jaw corners to the chin point.

Trace the contour overlay

A tracing overlay is a transparent sheet placed over the guide. Trace only the outer contour: the brow curve, the cheek curve, and the jaw curve. Keep the pencil at a consistent angle and use short overlapping strokes rather than one long sweep.

The overlay is a check, not a crutch. After tracing once, remove it and draw the same contour freehand in the practice box beside the guide. Compare the freehand contour to the traced one by holding both at arm's length.

1. Place the overlay on the guide and align the frame corners.
2. Trace the brow contour from the center outward on each side.
3. Trace the cheek contour downward to each jaw corner.
4. Trace the jaw contour forward to the chin point.
5. Remove the overlay and redraw the contour freehand in the practice box.

Check contour relationships with simple arithmetic

Use a ruler to measure the frame in millimetres. For a hypothetical example, suppose the frame is 80 mm wide and 100 mm tall. The brow line is then at 33 mm from the top, and the jaw level is at 67 mm from the top. The jaw corners sit 16 mm in from each side edge, so the jaw width is 80 minus 32, or 48 mm.

Check that the chin point is within 2 mm of the bottom center. Check that each cheek guide line ends within 2 mm of its jaw corner. These tolerances are hypothetical examples for practice; measure your actual paper and pencil marks rather than assuming a standard.

1. Measure frame width and height in millimetres.
2. Calculate the brow line as one third of the height from the top.
3. Calculate the jaw level as two thirds of the height from the top.
4. Measure jaw corner inset and subtract twice that from the width.
5. Record differences between guide and freehand marks.

Build a freehand contour practice box

Draw a second rectangle of the same size beside the guide. Do not draw guide lines inside it. Draw the facial outline contour freehand, using the guide only as a reference at the side. Start with the brow contour, then the cheek, then the jaw.

Repeat three times. On each repeat, change one variable: pencil angle, stroke length, or drawing speed. Keep the frame and the three key points consistent so the comparison stays fair.

1. Draw an empty practice box the same size as the guide.
2. Draw the brow contour first, then cheek, then jaw.
3. Mark the three key points lightly before drawing curves.
4. Repeat three times, changing one variable each time.
5. Compare each attempt to the traced overlay.

Worked example

A frame is 80 mm wide and 100 mm tall. The jaw corners are 16 mm in from each side at the jaw level. Calculate the brow line position from the top, the jaw level position from the top, and the jaw width. Then state one check for the chin point.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Drawing the jaw as a single straight line from corner to chin. Use a slight curve that changes direction near the chin point, and check that both jaw lines meet the chin within 2 mm.
• Letting the cheek line cross the brow line instead of meeting it at the outer point. Mark the brow outer point first, then start the cheek line there and end at the jaw corner.
• Making the freehand contour much wider than the frame. Measure the jaw width in the guide, then measure the freehand jaw width and compare the two numbers.
• Tracing the overlay with long sweeping strokes that drift off the guide. Use short overlapping strokes and pause at each key point before continuing.

Self-check rubric

• Frame is drawn lightly and measured in millimetres.
• Brow line is placed at the upper third within 2 mm.
• Jaw level is placed at the lower third within 2 mm.
• Both cheek guide lines meet the brow outer points and jaw corners within 2 mm.
• Both jaw guide lines meet the jaw corners and chin point within 2 mm.
• Freehand contour keeps the same key-point relationships as the guide.
• At least three freehand repeats are completed, each changing one stated variable.
• Valid alternative face shapes are accepted when the measured relationships hold.

Questions and answers