Draw a symmetrical and proportioned nose.
A nose can take a backseat to eyes and lips in a drawing, but it's still extremely important to get this facial feature right. A crooked or off-centered nose can make your masterpiece look hokey and amateurish. Also, proper shading is needed to give noses depth. A little planning helps in achieving a nose that won't distract from your hard work. Don't jump right into your drawing, have a strategy that includes a sketch with proper proportions to get that nose looking right.
Instructions
Draw Realistic Noses
1. Select the right pencil for sketching your outline. You'll need a light graphite sketch pencil so you can easily erase any mistakes in your pursuit for symmetry. Graphite pencils are categorized as either "H" or "B." The "H" is for the harder pencils, the "B" is for the lighter pencils that are good for sketching. Choose a "B" pencil anywhere from 1B to 10B (the higher the number, the lighter the pencil).
2. Sketch an outline. This will ensure that the nose will be centered and have proper proportions before you start your drawing. Draw an oval, then draw a horizontal line exactly in the middle of your oval. This will be the eye line--the center of each eye will fall on this line. Now draw another horizontal line between the eye line and the bottom of your oval. This line is the nose line--the bottom of your drawn nose will hit this line.
3. Sketch some eyes in your drawing before sketching the nose. The eyes will guide you in determining the width of the nose. Draw a vertical line in the middle of your oval, it will intersect with the horizontal line you drew in the middle of your oval. Use this intersection point to determine where the eyes should land. They should both be an equal distance on either side of the intersection point. You might make a few mistakes, but your lines will help you determine what's symmetrical and what isn't.
4. The width of the nose will be determined by the space in between the eyes. Use this space as a guide for the bridge of the nose, keeping in mind that the nostrils might breach this space. Once you're satisfied with your sketch, move on to shading.
5. You'll need to add shading to your drawing to make it look realistic by giving it depth. The key to good shading is to identify the light source in your drawing, then you'll be able to know where the light and dark spots should be. If you're completely unfamiliar with shading, search for and study photos with harsh lighting to get a feel for where the light and shadows should fall.
