How to draw an eye

The single most important thing about drawing an eye is that the iris is never a complete circle — the upper lid always covers part of it. That one detail is the difference between a cartoon and a believable eye.

The second is the highlight: a small white spot that makes the eye look wet and alive.

Step-by-step: how to draw an eye

1. 

   1Guide line and circle

   Draw a horizontal guide line and a circle sitting on it for the iris.

2. 

   2Draw the almond

   Draw the upper lid as a high arch and the lower lid as a flatter curve, meeting in points at each corner. The inner corner (left) is slightly lower than the outer one.

3. 

   3Iris and pupil

   Draw the iris inside the almond — notice the top lid cuts it off. Fill a smaller circle in the centre for the pupil.

4. 

   4Crease and iris lines

   Draw the eyelid crease as a curve above the upper lid, and a few short lines radiating out from the pupil.

5. 

   5Lashes and eyebrow

   Flick lashes out from the upper lid, curving away from the eye and longer towards the outer corner. Add a few short lower lashes and the eyebrow. Erase the guides.

6. 

   6Colour and highlight

   Fill the iris with your chosen colour, the pupil black, and add one big and one small white highlight on the same side.

Tips for a better eye

• The lid covers the iris. Never draw the full circle of the iris unless the eye is wide open in shock.
• Highlights on the same side. All highlights in a drawing come from one light source.
• Lashes curve. Each lash is a quick flick, not a straight spike.

Try a variation

Draw a pair: the second eye is a mirror image, one eye-width away. Try closing it — a closed eye is just the lower lid curve with lashes pointing down.

More things to draw

Level up

• Basic shading
• Colour theory for beginners
• Drawing ideas
• Easy things to draw