How to Draw an Old Man Face: Easy 10-Step Guide

This tutorial is perfect for young artists and beginners looking to master character expressions. You only need a pencil, an eraser, and a sheet of paper to get started. By following these steps, you will learn how to use simple shapes to build a friendly, detailed face full of personality.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A friendly, colorful cartoon old man face illustration.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Establishing the Eyes

Close-up of two oval-shaped eyes with curved lids drawn in pencil on white paper.

Draw two curved horizontal lines connected by short vertical lines, then place an oval in the center of each. Tip: Keep these shapes light; they act as the foundation for your character's expression.

Step 2: Shaping the Glasses

Pencil sketch showing the addition of rectangular eyeglass frames around the eyes.

Draw a large loop on the left and a smaller one on the right, connecting them with diagonal lines to form the frame. Tip: Use a ruler if you struggle with straight lines, but freehand adds a nice, organic feel.

Step 3: Adding Depth to the Eyes

Pencil sketch adding pupils and surrounding wrinkle lines to the character's eyes.

Add a smaller oval inside the left eye and sketch soft curves around both eyes. Tip: These curves represent the wrinkles around the eyes, which help define the character's age.

Step 4: Sketching the Eyebrows and Mustache

Pencil sketch adding thick, bushy eyebrows and a large, wavy mustache shape.

Draw bushy eyebrows and a wavy, cloud-like shape for the mustache. Tip: Don't worry about making the lines perfect; wobbly lines make the mustache look more natural and fluffy.

Step 5: Defining the Mouth Area

Pencil sketch showing the mouth area defined by layered, wavy lines.

Add a curve beneath the mustache and layer more 'hill' shapes to create the mouth area. Tip: Think of these as dripping water shapes to give the facial hair a sense of volume.

Step 6: Outlining the Face and Ear

Pencil sketch outlining the jawline and adding a detailed ear to the side of the face.

Draw a long hook shape for the jawline and a loop with internal curves for the ear. Tip: The ear should align roughly with the middle of the glasses frame.

Step 7: Adding the Hairline

Pencil sketch showing the addition of a hairline and the top of the head.

Sketch fluffy, cloud-like lines above the ear and complete the top of the head with a dome shape. Tip: Vary the size of your 'hills' to make the hair look realistic and textured.

Step 8: Completing the Hair

Pencil sketch showing the completed hair volume on both sides of the head.

Add more sketchy, wavy lines on the opposite side to balance the hair. Tip: Keep your pencil strokes loose to maintain the 'fluffy' look of the hair.

Step 9: Final Details and Cleanup

Cleaned-up line art of the old man face with added forehead wrinkles.

Add forehead wrinkles with small dashes and finalize the ear details. Go over your lines with a dark pen and erase your pencil guidelines. Tip: Darkening the pupils makes the character look more alert.

Step 10: Adding Color

Fully colored illustration of an old man face with soft shading.

Fill in the skin with your chosen tone. Keep the hair white or light gray for a classic look. Tip: Use a slightly darker shade of your skin color to add shadows under the mustache and around the eyes for more depth.