All you need to get started is any pencil with an eraser and a sheet of paper. When starting out, use mild pressure and draw lightly on the paper so that you can erase lines cleanly. To begin, make a few practice smileys and choose the one that seems most symmetrical to you. You can use a circular object to trace and then try to center the face as in figure a) or just freehand it.
- This is our chosen starting point. Hopefully you didn't press too hard on the pencil and can still easily erase it.
- Erase the curving sides of the smiley and draw in a straight line to narrow out the face. Erase the side edges of the smile to make the mouth appropriately smaller.
- Draw small inward curving lines on each side of the mouth and add another slightly curved line under the mouth (to express lips) as shown by the small arrows. The curved line under the mouth should be a little darker than the other lines, add some medium pressure to it to darken it a bit. (to imply a shadow)
- Just above the mouth, draw in a small "quotation" mark as shown. Above that mark, draw a medium pressure "u" shape, but widen it a little. (to imply a shadow under the nose)
Next, erase the spot mark eyes and in their place draw in small, circular "C" shapes with light-medium pressure. Above your new eyes, add a simple short line for the brows.
- Draw another "C" shape at each side of the head for the ears
- Draw in a light outline on top of the head and above the face for the hairline. Keep it simple for now, as shown.
- Erase the line that makes the top of the head and begin to color in your hair, stay within the outline you made and begin at lower area of the hairline
- This simple up-n-down stroke pattern works well here. Proceed back and forth, so it looks like the darker example.
- Finally, color in the top of the hair but leave a thin white area as shown (to express a shine in the hair). You can then add the cheek and chin lines as shown.
Shading and or shadow can be added for effect. Depending on the shape of your smiley face, your character can appear thinner or fatter.
This is of course a simple drawing example. More complex and detailed sketches begin here with basic lines and shapes.
