Ever feel like front-facing faces just never look right? You carefully draw the eyes, nose, and mouth, but something still feels off. I have been there too.
The problem is usually not the facial features themselves. It is the structure underneath them. When the skull, center line, jaw, or proportions are incorrect, even beautifully drawn features will not make the portrait feel convincing.
In this guide, I will show you how to draw a front-facing face using the Loomis Method. We will build the head step by step, place the facial features correctly, and then refine the nose, mouth, eyebrows, eyes, and hair.
Do not worry if the circles and guide lines look confusing at first. Once you understand what each line does, the entire process becomes much easier.
What Is the Loomis Method?
The Loomis Method is a drawing system that helps artists construct the human head using simple three-dimensional forms. Instead of starting with the eyes or copying the outside contour of a face, we begin with the skull.
The basic structure uses a sphere, a center line, a brow line, side planes, and proportional divisions. These guides show us the direction of the head and help us place the jaw, ears, nose, mouth, and eyes more accurately.
The method is not designed to make every face look identical. It gives you a reliable foundation that you can adjust to match the unique proportions of your reference.
Why Beginners Often Draw the Head Too Small
Look at your reference and imagine that all the hair has been removed. Do not panic—the model is fine. We are doing this because hair can hide the true shape of the skull and trick your eyes.
Many beginners draw the initial circle from the forehead or hairline down to the chin. This makes the cranium too small and causes problems with the forehead, jaw, and placement of the facial features.
The circle represents the main rounded mass of the skull. It begins at the top of the cranium and extends toward the upper-jaw or base-of-the-nose area—not all the way down to the chin. The jaw and chin will be constructed separately underneath it.
How to Build the Loomis Head Structure
Step 1: Draw the Main Circle
Begin by drawing a light circle for the cranium. It does not need to be mathematically perfect, so avoid repeatedly tracing over it or pressing too hard with your pencil.
Think of this circle as a three-dimensional sphere rather than a flat symbol. Keeping the first lines light will make it much easier to correct the proportions later.
Step 2: Add the Brow Line
Draw a horizontal line through the sphere at approximately eyebrow level. In a straight front-facing view, this line normally passes through the middle area of the circle.
The brow line is one of the most important landmarks in the Loomis Method. It helps us measure the face and later guides the placement of the ears and eyes.
Step 3: Draw the Vertical Center Line
Next, draw a vertical line down the center of the face. It should pass between the eyes and continue through the nose, mouth, and chin.
For a front-facing head, the line should divide the face into two nearly equal halves. When you draw a turned head, this line curves around the form and moves toward the side the face is turning toward.
Always check the center line before drawing the features. If it is misplaced, the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin may appear to belong to different angles.
Step 4: Divide the Face into Three Sections
Now use the brow line to divide the face into three main proportional sections:
- From the hairline to the eyebrows
- From the eyebrows to the bottom of the nose
- From the bottom of the nose to the chin
In the standard Loomis construction, these three spaces are approximately equal. However, they are only a starting point. Real faces have different forehead heights, nose lengths, and jaw proportions, so always compare the construction with your reference.
Step 5: Cut the Side Planes
Remove two small sections from the sides of the original circle—one on the right and one on the left. These cuts represent the flatter side planes of the skull.
For this front view, begin the side-plane guides near the ends of the eyebrows and continue them toward the lower edge of the circle. Keep both sides balanced without trying to make them perfectly mechanical.
These side planes help establish the width of the skull and give us important landmarks for positioning the ears and constructing the jaw.
Step 6: Place the Ears
The ears generally sit between the brow line and the bottom-of-the-nose line. Place them inside the side-plane area, close to the outside edges of the head.
Do not draw detailed ears yet. Simple shapes are enough while you are checking the structure. Their exact height and angle may change slightly depending on the person and the tilt of the head.
Step 7: Construct the Jaw and Chin
Draw the jawline beginning beneath the ears and bring both sides downward toward the chin. Study the reference carefully because jaw shapes vary significantly. Some are wide and angular, while others are narrow, soft, or rounded.
Do not simply connect the circle directly to a sharp point. The jaw should transition naturally from the sides of the skull before turning inward toward the chin.
I also use two light diagonal guides extending from the sides of the chin toward the ears. These additional guides can help estimate the mouth area and keep the lower half of the face balanced.
How to Draw the Facial Features
At this stage, the Loomis structure is complete. Before adding any detail, step back and check the circle, center line, facial thirds, side planes, ears, jaw, and chin.
It is much easier to correct a light construction now than to repair a fully shaded portrait later.
How to Draw the Nose Using Simple Circles
We will begin with the nose because it sits in the center of the face and helps us position the surrounding features.
Start with one medium circle for the main form at the tip of the nose. Place it slightly higher than the two side forms because the nose projects forward from the face.
Next, draw two smaller circles—one on each side—to establish the width of the nostrils and wings of the nose. Inside the overlapping areas, lightly indicate the nostrils using two small dark shapes.
Erase or soften the unnecessary parts of the guide circles, then use their outside edges to construct the sides of the nose.
Avoid outlining the entire nose with dark lines. In a realistic portrait, much of the nose is created through light and shadow. Add soft shading beneath the brow area, along the sides, and underneath the tip to give it a three-dimensional form.
How to Draw Slightly Open Lips
Begin with the upper edge of the top lip. Pay close attention to the central curve and the angle of both sides.
Because the mouth in this reference is slightly open, draw the lower edge of the upper lip to establish the opening. Keep this line controlled and avoid making it unnecessarily thick or dark.
Next, draw the upper edge of the lower lip, followed by the softer curve underneath it. This lower contour gives the lip its volume and weight.
Indicate the teeth very lightly. Avoid drawing a dark outline around every individual tooth because this can make them look separate and unnatural. A simple light shape with carefully placed shadows is usually more realistic.
Finally, add darker values inside the mouth, a soft shadow beneath the lower lip, and gentle tonal changes across the lips to create depth.
How to Draw Natural Eyebrows
Eyebrows play a major role in the expression of the face, so check their height, angle, thickness, and distance from the eyes before adding individual hairs.
Work from the inner part of the eyebrow toward the outside, following the natural direction of the hair. Use quick, controlled flicking motions with the edge or tip of your pencil.
Each stroke should begin with slightly more pressure and become thinner as the pencil leaves the paper. Avoid filling the eyebrow with one solid dark shape.
Compare both eyebrows constantly, but remember that natural eyebrows are rarely perfectly identical. The goal is balance, not artificial symmetry.
How to Draw Realistic Eyes
Start by lightly indicating the crease above each eye. Then construct the upper eyelid, making it slightly darker and thicker than the lower lid.
Keep the lower eyelid lighter and softer. A heavy line underneath the entire eye can make the portrait look flat or tired.
Draw the iris and pupil while checking that both eyes are looking in the same direction. The upper eyelid normally covers a small part of the iris, so avoid drawing the iris as a complete circle floating inside the eye.
Add the eyelashes using short, curved strokes that follow the direction of the eyelid. Do not make every eyelash the same length or place them like evenly spaced straight lines.
Use subtle shading around the eyelids and underneath the eyes to show the surrounding form. Finish with a small highlight inside each eye. This highlight creates contrast and helps the eyes appear alive, but its position should remain consistent with the direction of the light source.
How to Draw Hair with Volume
Begin by lightly sketching the hairline. Check its position carefully because placing it too high can make the forehead look unusually large, while placing it too low can reduce the size of the skull.
Next, outline the overall silhouette of the hair. Hair sits on top of the skull, so its outer shape normally extends beyond the original cranial circle.
Divide the hairstyle into a few large sections that follow the main direction and flow. Do not begin by drawing hundreds of individual strands. Establishing the large masses first will produce a much more natural result.
Once the main sections are correct, add selected strands and a few flyaway hairs. Darken the areas underneath overlapping sections, behind the ears, and near the neck. Keep other areas lighter to create contrast and volume.
A blending stump can help soften some of the darker masses, but do not blend everything into one smooth gray area. Preserve a combination of sharp edges, soft transitions, highlights, and darker strands.
Common Loomis Method Mistakes
Starting with the facial features: Build the skull and jaw before spending time on the eyes or lips.
Drawing the circle too small: Remember that hair can hide the true size of the cranium.
Using dark construction lines: Keep the early lines light so they can be corrected or erased.
Ignoring the center line: All the facial features must follow the same direction.
Making the three sections completely rigid: Use them as a guide and adjust them to match your reference.
Drawing both sides mechanically: A front-facing face still contains natural asymmetry.
Adding details too early: Correct structure and proportions always come before eyelashes, teeth, or individual hairs.
How to Practice This Method
Do not spend all your practice time trying to finish one perfect portrait. Draw several small Loomis heads and focus only on the construction.
Practice front, side, three-quarter, upward, and downward views. After each sketch, compare it with the reference and identify the largest structural mistake. Correct that specific problem in your next drawing.
The goal is not to memorize one face. It is to understand the form well enough to construct different heads and angles with confidence.
Final Thoughts
If you followed these steps, you have now built a complete front-facing portrait using structure, proportion, and observation—not guesswork.
Start with the skull, establish the brow and center lines, divide the face, create the side planes, add the jaw, and only then begin drawing the facial features. This order makes the process clearer and prevents many of the proportion mistakes beginners struggle with.
If your first attempt does not look perfect, that is completely normal. Keep the construction light, study your reference, and repeat the process. Every new head you draw will make the system easier to understand.
Master the Complete Loomis Method
If you want to learn how to construct heads from different angles—not simply memorize them—the Complete Loomis Method Course takes you through the full process step by step.
You will learn head structure, facial proportions, multiple viewpoints, and how to create convincing head angles with a clear and practical drawing system.