Drawing Lips - Sketching Tutorial

Jacquelin Vanderwood July 15, 2004   1 Drawing lips correctly will make the difference in your portrait. As you can see, I have sketched a side view of a closed mouth. Notice how the upper lip protrudes slightly over the lower lip. This indicates that the teeth inside the mouth also overlap the lower teeth.   2 Here is a frontal sketch of lips that are closed. Notice the top lip looks like a soft M. The lower lip appears as an M but softer and less developed than the upper lip M.   3 In this sketch you can see the lips in 3/4 view. Notice how the corners of the lips meet in a soft point. Due to an overhead light, a shadow appears on the upper lip, around the corners of the lower lips and below the lower lip.   4 Here we see a sketch of lips looking up at them. Notice the shadowing on the lower lip. The lower lip is divided into two ovals.   5 These lips portray a pleasantness and shows character. Well drawn lips will affect the portrait overall and will set the mood of the drawing.   6 This sketch shows a set of lips in an open position showing teeth. Notice again the top lip how it looks like a soft M while the lower lip looks like a squished M.  Try sketching all of the lips above and then get family and friends to pose for you while you practice sketching.   Copyright 1998-2004, Jacquelin Vanderwood, All Rights Reserved