Symmetry in drawing. Help?

[Moonie]

So, I'm trying to draw and I'm having a problem with the eyes and making them symmetrical, any tips I could use to make it a bit easier?


-Epic

 

[Lord Mitmar]

If you want a super basic tip, make a sort of cross out of toothpicks or something, line it up so the vertical line is placed on the bridge of the character's nose, and the left/rightmost end of the horizontal line is where your eye is, you should get a nice mirror from that. Though if the shot isn't head on, you'll have to make some adjustments. As far as the eyes themselves, perhaps make a wireframe outlining where your eyelids are? 


That's the best I can do, sorry! I don't use pen and paper, ever ;-;


-Your Friendly Neighborhood Digital Art Dabbler

 

[Moonie]

Thanks bro. I'll give it a go, also thanks for taking the time to reply. @Lord Mitmar


-Epic

 

[Lord Mitmar]

No problem, I'm sure there's much better tips out there on the interwebz, but hey, I tried. That's gotta count for something.


@Epic

 

[Moonie]

It does my friend, it does.


@Lord Mitmar

 

[kibou]

It's a really simple tip, but one that people don't often follow-


When you're drawing the eyes, instead of totally drawing one and then doing the next, do them both line by line.


It might not make them totally symmetrical, but it helps it getting them closer. I don't really have a good explanation as for why off the top of my head but it's a tip I've been using for a while. Just try it out and see if it makes any difference for you.


Also, like Lord Mitmar suggests- use guidelines for their placement. It'll help you with proportions too. If you don't even know where to start with making guidelines there's probably a lot of tutorials on google. I haven't seen any of your art yet so I dunno if you use them or anything, but in case you don't I got some for you.


Here's a couple that I grabbed off of google images, they're pretty simple but work just fine and are accurate.


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nwNUhB7fzlU/T0K7UcdFzhI/AAAAAAAAAO4/gur5bzxSNQU/s1600/Face+proportions.jpg


http://www.mschangart.com/uploads/1/3/4/5/13451990/858261.jpeg?554


This doesn't explain anything but I love it for looking at the proportions of different angles!


https://artwithmissgriffin.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/head-perspective.jpg

 

[Moonie]

Thanks bro. I'll give this a go and maybe I'll get better


@Ghost

 

[_GreyJazz_]

I don't know if you found something that works yet or not, but here's how I deal with proportions in poses and stuff when I'm not quite sure (I'm one of those people who has had trouble drawing eyes in odd views of faces). 


On paper, I do a faint outline first (as mentioned before, guidelines really can help), and after I have the head I sketch in the face. Start with the side you have trouble with. I've found that since I'm right-handed, my weakness is to the right side of the page. So, for initial sketches and maybe shading in the pupil, depending on the medium, I start with the character's left eye, so when I draw the right eye, I can adjust it as needed. Since not much is drawn st this point, smearing isn't really a problem to worry about yet with pencils. It's simple, but starting with what's hard can help.


I will agree with the person before me, who said drawing them out completely, one by one, doesn't always work. I usually sketch the basic shape and then outline the iris before switching. That's what this would be good for. I want to stress that.


Compared to those who posted before me, this is kind of a novice technique, but it's what I use when I need to, so... I hope it's useful or something? 

 

[Moonie]

Thanks a lot. I'll try it out honestly drawing as a whole is hard to me but if I keep going I'll get better right?


Anyway thanks @TheBookGrl. This place is so helpful to beginners like me

 

[_GreyJazz_]

Absolutely!! I used to think I improved so slowly, my art would never be good, but I get more positive feedback these days, and I've realized self-bias is the worst thing for an artist. Don't assume you can't improve, whether in a good way or a bad way. 


No problem, and tbh same. I'm honestly not that great at art, but I'm not downright bad. It's nice to see (stalk) art tips.