I can't draw lips... - General

Hey guys. So basically I only just started drawing with a good old fashioned pencil and paper. But I appear to have hit a snag that always gets me. Basically whenever I try to draw lips([I]especially on male characters[/I]) they end up looking like they've got lipstick on or just look too fullsome. I've been trying for a while now to draw some lips that actually look normal. But I can't seem to do it. :ohdear: Does anyone else have problems drawing lips? Can you give me [B]any[/B] advice on how to draw 'em? I could really do with any help you guys could give me please. It's really making my work look terrible. :frown:

I can't draw lips either, but try to make the top lip thicker than the below one, otherwise you'll end up with troll face.

Give us a picture of your attempt at drawing lips. It'll help us determine what you need to work on and areas for improvement.

[QUOTE=Heroms;22234219]Give us a picture of your attempt at drawing lips. It'll help us determine what you need to work on and areas for improvement.[/QUOTE] If I could, I would in an instant, but the thing is I've no camera/scanner available at the moment. Sorry. :ohdear: The best I could do is draw some on MSPaint and try to show you it, but I don't suppose it'd be the same.

The male lips should always look small in my opinion. They look like they have lipstick on very fast when they are too big.

Well in that's case I'll just go ahead and link you to some tutorials: [url=http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=lips+tutorial]DeviantArt[/url] [url=http://www.drawspace.com/]DrawSpace[/url] [url=http://www.polykarbonbbs.com/pkfiles/links/PKArtLinks.html]Polykarbon[/url] [url=http://conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=42]ConceptArt[/url] I don't know which style of drawing you're going for but you could have a look into this website and look at some video game art to see how they've drawn lips. [url]http://www.creativeuncut.com/[/url]

[QUOTE=Heroms;22234331]Well in that's case I'll just go ahead and link you to some tutorials: [url=http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=lips+tutorial]DeviantArt[/url] [url=http://www.drawspace.com/]DrawSpace[/url] [url=http://www.polykarbonbbs.com/pkfiles/links/PKArtLinks.html]Polykarbon[/url] [url=http://conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=42]ConceptArt[/url] I don't know which style of drawing you're going for but you could have a look into this website and look at some video game art to see how they've drawn lips. [url]http://www.creativeuncut.com/[/url][/QUOTE] Thanks for the links, I've had a look at a few of 'em, hopefully I'll be able to draw them abit better. I guess it will come eventually if I keep trying. I don't know what 'style' I draw yet - I'm still learning the ropes I guess. [editline]04:54PM[/editline] Well, as we speak I'm attempting to follow some of the various guides I've been linked - so far I've been seeing a mild improvement, but it's still pretty bad. I know I shouldn't really be expecting instant results, but it's still pretty damn fustraiting. I've got the women's lips down - but trying to draw male lips ends up looking the same, even when I make them pretty small. :colbert:

The thing about lips is that unlike eyes or ears, they don't have definitive borders and outlines to work with. [img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565878/Untitled-1%20%283%29.jpg[/img] If you want to work with outlines, just draw out the darkest parts of the lips's (mainly the dark shadow on the bottom lip and the opening of the mouth) If you want to get more of a fleshy feel you can add shading to it(2), and if you're working with stencils you wont need line art at all (3) hope this helps =I

[QUOTE=Boone_Sedford;22235144]The thing about lips is that unlike eyes or ears, they don't have definitive borders and outlines to work with. --- Lip Guide --- [/QUOTE] I shall try this out now - and yes, that is [B]exactly[/B] my problem, there's no definitive outlines to use so I end up making them look weird. :ohdear: Thanks for your contribution.

I once found a very good tutorial on drawing lips, can't seem to find it anymore. Basically, you make a horizontal stroke, that's the space between the lips. Draw two small balls above it in the center, with a little bit of space between them. Then a same sized ball where the lower lip should be, directly under the gap between the two upper ones. After that it's pretty easy to fill all the extra lines and adding curves to them.

[QUOTE=PLing;22252365]I once found a very good tutorial on drawing lips, can't seem to find it anymore. Basically, you make a horizontal stroke, that's the space between the lips. Draw two small balls above it in the center, with a little bit of space between them. Then a same sized ball where the lower lip should be, directly under the gap between the two upper ones. After that it's pretty easy to fill all the extra lines and adding curves to them.[/QUOTE] Well, after a few attempts at drawing using this technique this seems to be the more consistent in drawing lips that don't look too big for a male, plus it's easy to remember. Thanks for all your help guys, it's greatly appreciated - I think I've finally managed to sort out the issue.

Don't think of them of how they are in your mind. Follow a few step by steps you find online and do it that way. Don't over complicate what you are drawing, instead simplify it.

[QUOTE=Boone_Sedford;22235144]The thing about lips is that unlike eyes or ears, they don't have definitive borders and outlines to work with. [img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565878/Untitled-1%20%283%29.jpg[/img] If you want to work with outlines, just draw out the darkest parts of the lips's (mainly the dark shadow on the bottom lip and the opening of the mouth) If you want to get more of a fleshy feel you can add shading to it(2), and if you're working with stencils you wont need line art at all (3) hope this helps =I[/QUOTE] This post is so damn useful, I always end up drawing lips the wrong way but now I actually know how.

I have a really good anatomy book, it has a nice guide in it about lips. I'll see if I can upload it when I get back from my classes.

Well, I'd really like anything you guys can provide me, the more information and stuff I have to go on the better. Sorry for the late responce, I've been at work. :ohdear:

Well, I actually posted a tutorial on here about drawing lips; however, it's painted on photoshop. If you still want to check it out: Although the end result isn't that nice, this older one focuses more on the mechanics of drawing lips. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5qwsPAK6TE[/media] This is a newer one for male lips, the end result is more desireable. I also tend to ramble on about various arty things: Part 1 [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgle7cC-J1g[/media] Part 2 [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d7XquThLuk&feature=related[/media] P.S. Sorry for bad wording in the commentary of both videos, I have a bad habit of recording them at unhealthy hours of the day.