Please note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which help pay for the upkeep of this site. That being said, I will never, ever promote anything I am not 100% in love with!
----------
Today I’m going to show you how to draw lips with colored pencils. Once you've learned some simple tricks they're much easier to draw. Here's what you'll need to get started.
Supplies:
Tombow Irojiten Colored Pencils (variety of pinks, reds and browns)
Drawing Paper
Photo of Lips
Step 1: Find a Reference Photo
You can take a photo of yourself, a friend or family member or look up a photo online to use as a reference. Really look at the lips. Is the top lip fuller or smaller than the bottom lip, does it have a pronounced 'bow' in the middle of the top lip, or do the lips have a particular shape. The more you notice about them before you start drawing, the better your end result will be.
Step 2: Identify the Areas of Volume
I find it easiest to identify where the lips are most full and sketch those areas out using circles, then draw the lines of the lips around them. Every set of lips are different, some are fullest in the middle of the top lip, so look carefully.
Step 3: Lightest Shading
Now it's time to start with your lightest color and softly color in both lips. Try to make your pencil lines follow the lines on your reference photo. For example, lips rarely have lines that run horizontally, so don't color that direction. Identify any areas of reflection or shine on your reference photo and leave those the lightest. The colors I chose for these lips were Irojiten Shell Pink, Orchid Pink, Coral Pink, Cherry Red, and Crimson.
Step 4: Layer Color
Start adding additional colors to your lips, especially to build up darker areas where the lips meet and there is shadow, or towards the edges. Work gently and softly from your lightest colors to your darkest because you can always add more color but it's hard to go lighter.
Step 5: Add Your Darkest Shade
Now it's time to use your darkest color to provide some stronger contrast between the light and shade areas on your lips. And voila, you've learned how to draw lips with colored pencils! I encourage you to practice drawing all different types of lips and really looking to see how they are all unique.
I’d love to see your drawings, so tag @BrownPaperBunny on social media so we can see!