Face proportions: the map that puts everything in place
A few simple rules that help you place the eyes, nose and mouth correctly.
January 2026 · 1 min read
Most likeness errors come from placement, not detail. If the eyes sit a little too high or low, the face will not resemble the person, no matter how carefully you draw the lashes.
Two rules that always help
First: the eyes sit on the halfway line of the head, not higher. Most beginners place them too high and shrink the forehead. Second: the gap between the two eyes is about the width of one more eye.
These rules are a starting point, not a prison. Every face departs from them, and it is exactly those departures that tell one person from another. Draw the map first, then look for the differences.
