
This awesome caricature of Nancy is a good example of how you may need to combine shapes to create a successful caricature.

In this example, you can see the difference between the two faces – on the left, the eyes are close to each other, while the character on the right has eyes like a hammerhead shark!Ĭombining Basic Head Shapes for Caricatures One of the things to look out for when learning how to draw caricatures is to establish whether the features are close together or far apart. Here, they’ve been placed towards the bottom of the triangle so the distance between the eyes and the top of the forehead is huge.Īre the Features Close Together or far Apart? In the next head, the features are the exact opposite. In the face next to this, the shape is another triangle, but this time, the eyes are positioned towards the top of the forehead meaning the distance from the eyes to the chin is far greater. In the example on the top left, Sycra has drawn the eyes pretty much in the center. Notice how although some shapes are similar, the placement of the features is different in each one. Here are those same basic silhouettes with facial features. Hair is also important when how to draw caricatures, though, so we’ll come back to this later. Our silhouettes may be missing hair at this stage, but for now, let’s concentrate on creating these heads from scratch using some basic shapes. Once you’ve done that, think about the relationship between the different features and how this can be incorporated into the basic head shape.

Take a good look at your subject and try to work out what their basic head shape is. Others are a combination of two shapes, such as a triangle and a square. Some heads are square, some are triangular and some are diamond-shaped.
CARTOON HEAD SHAPES SERIES
In this example, Sycra has drawn a series of different head shapes to demonstrate how unique each person is. This is one of the fundamentals of learning how to draw caricatures and it’s definitely worth spending some time on if you want to capture your subject perfectly. If you’ve ever seen silhouette drawings, you’ll have noticed how a person can be identified simply by the shape of their head.

So, pick up those pencils and tablets and let’s head on in!
CARTOON HEAD SHAPES HOW TO
The head shape is usually one of the first things you’ll notice about someone, so understanding how to draw this will really help you out when starting work on your caricature project. Now you’ve learned about the relationships between the features of the face, it’s time to take a closer look at the head and discover how this can play a crucial part in creating a great caricature. Ready to learn more about how to draw caricatures? Put ‘em up! Here’s a punchy look at the finished painting in this series on how to draw caricatures
