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Drawing the Mouth

The mouth is positioned along the mouth line with the corners resting below the center of each eye/pupil. Lightly draw in the contours of the lips, paying special attention to the angle at each corner as this will largely determine the expression and mood of the subject. Raised corners suggest a smile for instance while lowered corners suggest a frown. The shape of the upper lip tends to be similar to that of a triangle with a rounded indent at its tip. Note that the size of the upper and lower lips can vary greatly in size. Next, sketch the centre line of the mouth and note how it curves according to the shape of the upper lip. Beware that some lips are naturally parted slightly. When shading the lips, be sure to shade over the lips, as opposed to just up to the rim. This will help merge the lips naturally with the surrounding skin and add to their sensuality. If necessary, clean up the edge with an eraser.

When shading, be sure to note the area above the top lip (and beneath the nose) at center. By shading this area slightly, it will suggest an indent as opposed to a flat surface. There is also an indentation below the lower lip where the chin begins to protrude. Finally, it is important to note the small indentation at either corner.

Below are different ways of drawing the mouth:

Other pages of interest

How to draw a nose
How to draw ears
How to draw hair
Drawing the mouth
Drawing teeth

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