Where do you start drawing the head?

[riverfur]

I do the dome of the head first, then the face shape, then nose, then ears, then mouth, then eyes.

[Dranif]

Depends on my mood. Sometimes I do it chin first, sometimes I do it dome first.
On rare occasions I do hair first.

[Sirell]

Thanks, guys! :3
I wish I could break the habit of starting at the cheeks. The head shapes always seem the same and I can't vary angles that much. Well we could say it's just my style, but still...
These are my main characters from my uncompleted/failed stories and they have the same face shape and I often draw them from the same angle:

Should I just accept it as my "style" or should I improve on my head shapes? ^^

[Luie]

I usually start with the side of the face (unless it's the back of the head) and shape off the top of the head with a circle so I can place the eyeline, then place the center line so I can work out the chin. It usually looks like a rounded cross attached to a circle or the face of a shield. If the face has an open jaw, I also place two guidelines for the top and bottom teeth so I can place the lips.

Your characters seem to have enough diversity to make them feel unique. If you're having trouble with drawing from the same angle, try flipping the image once you have your guidelines placed to get a feel for drawing them on the opposite side. Try to get a good system down for placing guidelines, which is usually a circle with an eyeline and center line. The better you know these shapes, the more angles you'll be able to draw them in and then you can use them to work out face shapes from different perspectives. When I first started drawing faces, I made a basic head-shape model out of clay to draw it at different angles. Once I had a better feel for the shapes, I could start playing around with face styles, expressions, shading, and age. For a while this might be a very tedious process of practicing with guidelines, but after a few practice sessions you'll be able to freehand things better and work out angles faster. I also found that working with a specific non-character (just a simple random design of a human face that you can use for practice) is better to work with than characters you usually draw because it makes you worry less about how perfect the finished product looks. I made some random human design just for practice sessions so I can play around with the consistency of my drawings and it's helped me build up enough experience to work with my own characters without getting frustrated. You can still start on whatever part of the face you like, but having a better understanding of face shapes will help you improve your range of faces :Y

[jonufele]

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[Kecreed]

I start off with the nose and cheek bones. Hair is always last for me and difficult because I tend to go for the same hairstyles constantly.

[AffectedMind]

Drawing is 99,99% work and 0,01% reward... So, don't bore with details

What is wrong with you...?

Answering the topic: I created a little cheat material. A circle and one straight line dividing it in half. Then I draw one side, copy, paste it and reverse so it's symetrical. Then erase the line in the middle and adjust the forehead. It always turn out a bit higher than it suppose to. And then I draw the details. It's the fastest way for me to draw heads.

[jonufele]

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[FixerTheWise]

I beg to differ, comics are a visual medium, if you dont understand perspective, anatomy, facial structure and expression, you don't have a comic.

When you want to run a successful patreon you have to take these things seriously because obly then will you build a fanbase willing to give you money.

A circle with dots for eyes and lines for mouth and nose wont do you much. Quality and quantity is a balance everyone has to find, but what you're advocating for is take the quality out completely. You won't go far with that @jonufele

[kazukitakamura126]

I first use the vanishing points to form a box then I draw the head inside of it, unless it is a frontal view.

[jmhenry]

I start with a circle and some rough construction lines. Then a nose. Somehow all that leads me comfortably into drawing a head. Glad I'm not the only one who starts at weird places though!

[BraveHeartTatsumaki]

Normally I draw a circle and then I start with the shape of the face itself, the cheek to the chin and then back on the head again, there I stop and I add the eyes, nose and the mouth, and for the end I add the hair.

[dracoplato]

I do a base sketch and start with the cheek too XD Our styles seem kinda similar so I think maybe our methods being similar is why, haha.

[jonufele]

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[FixerTheWise]

No aclohol can kill you if you're not smart enough

[iddqd]

I always start drawing the head by drawing a cube in perspective, than draw the features around it. I don't like using a circle, because it's more difficult to place the features correctly. I gotta see if I can find some scans to illustrate.

[AnnaLandin]

Should I just accept it as my "style" or should I improve on my head shapes? ^^

I vote you work hard to improve. I used to do the very same thing you're doing - drawing nearly identical faces and only varying hairstyles - but I challenged myself and studied facial structures and did things differently and learned a whole lot, and it is SO much more fun to be able to draw characters with a vast range of facial shapes.

And in your case, it's not just the shape of the head, but also the angle you draw them in - 3/4 view facing left. If you work hard to improve, you'll be able to learn how to draw the head from ALL angles (I still struggle with views from below!), and you'll be able to vary your angles and draw more interesting panels. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, from learning new things!

[FixerTheWise]

Well anyway now to get to the topic at hand, this is how I do it
I always start with a circle, you all should do that actualy, it's the best way. After that,

First step (green)
draw a horizontal line to determine the tilt of the head. Then draw a vertical line determening the center line of the face, the cross section will determine the center of the forehead.

Second step (red)
Draw the jaw line and highlight the rough position of eyes nose and mouth, you should also make a line at the back of the head, because heads are not circular, they are oval (mostly)

Third step (black)
Just use your linearting skills and add it. Pure and simple, use the foundations you layed out and it's going to be a breese

I find this method good for comic creation, it helps you to make consistant faces on characters and map out their distinctive facial features. I didnt learn this from anywhere, I evolved it tough I'm not claiming I invented it, i'm sure other people do it the same way.

I hope this was helpful.

[Sirell]

Yeah, I want to improve too. One can never stop improving
I always try different styles, nowadays I'm drawing in a little more realistic one -not featured here-
For me, the shape is the most difficult. I sometimes even sketch out a skull so I can base the features on it lol

Oh, I always vary the angle! I intentionally selected pics of my characters facing 3/4 to compare their head shapes
(Ahh the view from below is such a pain in the neck!)

Everybody, thank you all for the answers! ^^

[Mharz]

I start the head with a circle as well the I draw the center line and the lines where the bottom of the eyes will be, keeping in mind of the angle I wanted. Then draw the jaws. Although I tend to deviate from my construction most of the time.

I remember back a few years where I start to draw the ears first when I draw the head (pretty wierd) and I never do constructions, I ended up with pretty lopsided drawings. So it really is essentially important to draw/construct the head using basic shapes first then add in the details.

Although I'm still pretty weak in drawing a bird's eye view head.