Three-Quarters View
Once you become familiar with the proportions used to design a head from the front and in profile, you're ready to tackle the many angles in between. When drawing a head that is turned slightly to one side, the grids that had previously been so useful tend to hinder more than help. Therefore, it's best to jump in with a skull shape and use the proportions you've memorized to help guide you through.
Remember, the skull is an oblong shape. Once you've drawn an oval, indicate the jaw. It should drop straight down from the front and connect in the middle of the skull on one side. Next, start indicating grid lines for the center, quarters, and the mouth line. (Note that these grid lines should be curved.) Draw the ears and the nose first, roughing in the eyes and the mouth last.
Drawing a three-quarters view isn't easy. First, the front of the head is not a smooth curve. The forehead juts out slightly, the eyes recede into the skull, and the cheekbones and chin project out. Second, since the head is turned on an angle, the features being drawn are subject to rules of foreshortening. Specifically, objects that are farther away are smaller. Keep the following tips in mind while drawing a head in three-quarters view:
The eyes are not spaced evenly. Depending on the severity of the angle, one eye may be partially or totally obscured by the nose.
Since it's seen at an angle, the line for the mouth is shortened.
The ears do not lie flat against the skull; they stick out slightly.
Drawing a three-quarters view of the head
Drawing a head at three-quarters view takes a lot of practice. When you get frustrated, go back and re-establish the proper proportions in your mind by doing a few profiles and front views. Try drawing a triangle indicating the underside of the nose to get the nose to jut out correctly. Also, try to envision the entire eye inside the eye socket to help position the eyes and eyebrows.
Once you're able to draw a believable head, it becomes second nature to warp the grid and create unusual and unique characters. Time spent learning to draw realistically is time spent learning to be a great cartoonist.
