How to draw a realistic eye

Name: How to draw a realistic eye
Rating: 4.5 (2153 reviews)

Using pencil, follow the step by step instructions to draw an eye

Created byJoe McMenamin

Last updated 8/2016

English

What you'll learn

Draw a realistic eye using pencil
Use fine details to draw the details in the Iris
Draw eyelashes that look real
Create a white highlight that contrasts with the black pupil

Course content

1 section • 7 lectures • 34m total length

Introduction1:54
The tools1:47
Drawing the eye2:06
In this lecture you will see how to sketch the basic shape of the eye, taking care to get the angles and curves of the eye lids correct. I am working off a photo of my wife Sarah's eye. I suggest that you take a photo of an eye on your phone, so that you can have it open in front of you when you are drawing.
Adding tone7:47
In this lecture I will lay down a base of tone by lightly applying the pencil tone with a 2B pencil and then smudging it with my finger. They key for this part of the drawing is to try and keep the light areas of the drawing clean.
Drawing the pupil and lashes11:08
If you have ever seen a close up photo of an eye, you will have noticed all of the fine lines that fan out around the iris. We will use fine lines to add these details in the drawing. We will also define the highlight on they pupil and make sure there is a good level of contrast there. We will do the lashes next, which will fan out from the centre of the eye, giving it more of a sense of being 3D.
Adding the final details4:26
In this final lecture, we will really LOOK at the photo we are working from. Adding in the tiny fine details to the drawing will make it look more realistic.
Understanding Tone5:09
In this lecture we will talk about tonal value and how to use a range of tones from light to dark. We will do a simple exercise in drawing a cylinder to look 3D using a range of tones.

Requirements

You will need a 2B pencil and some paper for this course.
You will need to take a photo of an eye to draw from, or you can find one on the internet.

Description

In this course "How to draw a realistic eye" you will learn the skills and techniques needed to draw and eye using pencil. We will cover sketching the eye, adding tone to make it look more 3D as well as adding in the fine details to make it look more realistic. If you would like to learn more about drawing then this is the course for you. No drawing experience needed.

I suggest that you take a photograph of an eye using your phone or a camera and then have it beside you as you follow through the drawing course. You will want to check back with the photo constantly as you draw. Try and make sure it is a focussed photo and taken in good light so that you can see the details in the iris.

Who this course is for:

The course is suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about drawing. Being a beginner is fine as long as you want to learn.