How to Draw a Blank Face: Easy 9-Step Guide for Beginners

Ready to bring your own characters to life? This tutorial is perfect for artists ages 5 and up who want to master the basic head shape and hairline before adding expressions. All you need is a pencil, an eraser, and a sheet of paper to begin building your portrait skills.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A completed blank face drawing, serving as a template for character design.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Jawline

A simple U-shaped line forming the bottom of a cartoon face on a white background.

Draw a large, rounded “U” shape to form the chin and jaw. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil pressure light so you can easily adjust the shape if it looks a bit lopsided.

Step 2: Adding the Ears

Two C-shaped ear outlines added to the sides of the jawline.

Place a “C” shaped curve on each side of the jawline. Teacher's Tip: Try to align the tops of the ears with where the eyes will eventually go—usually about halfway down the head.

Step 3: Defining Ear Detail

Close-up of ear shapes with inner contour lines added for detail.

Add smaller curved lines inside each ear to give them depth. Teacher's Tip: Don't worry about perfect anatomy here; simple, fluid curves are best for a clean cartoon style.

Step 4: Starting the Hairline

Jagged hair bangs being drawn across the forehead area.

Sketch the hair across the forehead using jagged, pointed lines. Teacher's Tip: Vary the length of your points to make the hair look more natural and less like a straight line.

Step 5: Framing the Face

Hair strands extending down the sides of the face.

Extend the hair down the sides of the face using connected curved lines. Teacher's Tip: Imagine the hair has weight—let it curve slightly outward away from the face.

Step 6: Connecting the Hair

Sideburns connecting the hair to the ears and the top of the head being filled in.

Connect the hair to the ears with sideburns and build up the top of the head. Teacher's Tip: Use smooth, sweeping motions to keep the hair looking soft.

Step 7: Adding Volume

Hair volume being added to the top of the head with small spikes.

Continue building the hair on top, adding a few 'U' shaped spikes for texture. Teacher's Tip: Spikes at the crown add personality—don't make them all the same size!

Step 8: Filling the Gaps

The hair outline is completed, connecting the top of the head to the ears.

Close the hair shape between the crown and the ears. Teacher's Tip: Check that your lines meet up cleanly; this makes the final outline look professional.

Step 9: Adding the Neck

The neck is added to the bottom of the face, completing the head outline.

Finish the head by drawing two simple lines for the neck. Teacher's Tip: Keep the neck lines slightly curved to suggest the natural shape of the collarbone area.

Step 10: Ready for Expressions

A finished, clean line art drawing of a blank face ready for facial features.

Your blank face is complete! Now you have a perfect canvas to practice drawing eyes, noses, and mouths. Teacher's Tip: Try drawing this same face multiple times and experiment with different hairstyles.