Before we get into the technique, I just want to say—I am completely self-taught. & also, only started my artistic journey in my late 20’s – before this I was all science & no craft.
Painting may still not be my full time job, but it surely is my full time love. Painting has brought me so much peace and joy, and I can’t get enough of it!
It’s just me, my brushes, and Alys (my little studio assistant 🐶) in my home studio, learning as I go.
What I’m trying to say is that, I don’t pretend to know everything. I’m always open to suggestions and advice—so if you have your own favourite drawing or watercolour tips, I’d love to hear them!
The Loomis Method was developed by Andrew Loomis, an American illustrator and art instructor best known for his books on figure drawing and portraiture. His most famous book, Drawing the Head and Hands (1956), introduced a structured approach to drawing faces, focusing on proportions, construction, and simplification.
Loomis’s method builds on earlier classical techniques but adapts them for modern illustrators and portrait artists. He was heavily influenced by the Renaissance masters, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer, who pioneered scientific studies of human proportions. However, unlike the complex anatomical studies of the Renaissance, Loomis simplified the process into basic forms, making it accessible to artists of all levels.
His method became widely used in comic book art, animation, and academic figure drawing, and continues to be a cornerstone of portrait training today.
The Loomis Method simplifies the head into basic geometric forms, making it easier to construct faces with proper proportions. By following a set of steps, artists can maintain proportion and structure while still allowing room for artistic interpretation and personal style.
It’s all well and good to read a set of instructions, but I find real understanding only comes with practice. So don’t be disheartened if you still don’t quite get it after reading these steps. More than likely, it’ll take you a little while to really get the hang of drawing faces with the loomis method. Practice, practice, practice.
Here’s a breakdown of the process:
1️⃣ Start with a sphere
Begin by drawing a simple sphere, which represents the cranium (top of the head). This helps establish a sense of volume and three-dimensionality from the start.
2️⃣ Add guidelines for proportions
Divide the sphere in half vertically and horizontally to mark the centerline and eye level. Then, draw another horizontal line lower down to indicate where the nose and chin will be.
3️⃣ Define the sides of the head
Since the head isn’t a perfect sphere, add flattened sides by cutting off two portions on either side. This helps create the correct shape of the skull and makes placement of the ears easier.
4️⃣ Extend the jawline
From the bottom of the sphere, extend two angled lines downward to form the jaw and chin. The length of these lines varies depending on the person’s face shape.
5️⃣ Place the facial features
Eyes sit along the horizontal centerline.
The nose is placed halfway between the eye line and chin.
The mouth is positioned halfway between the nose and chin.
Ears align with the eye line and extend down to the nose level.
6️⃣ Refine and add details
Once the basic structure is in place, begin refining the shapes and adding features like eyelids, lips, hair, and shadows to create a more natural appearance.
✔ Simplifies complex anatomy – Instead of getting lost in details, it helps artists focus on foundational shapes first.
✔ Improves consistency – This structured approach allows for more accurate and proportionate portraits.
✔ Teaches three-dimensional thinking – The method encourages artists to view the head as a form in space rather than just a flat shape.
✔ Used by professional illustrators – Many comic book artists, animators, and painters rely on this technique to create expressive, believable faces.
Our brains are hardwired to recognize faces, thanks to a specialized area in the temporal lobe called the fusiform face area (FFA). This region helps us detect, analyze, and remember faces with remarkable efficiency. However, recognizing a face and accurately drawing one are two very different skills.
One of the biggest challenges in portrait drawing is overcoming symbolic perception—our tendency to draw what we think a face looks like rather than what we actually see. The Loomis Method helps bridge this gap by breaking the face down into measurable geometric shapes and proportional landmarks. This structured approach forces the artist to see the true spatial relationships of the features instead of relying on preconceived notions.
Research in neuroaesthetics suggests that our brains are drawn to harmonious proportions, which is why methods like Loomis—based on classical symmetry and balanced facial ratios—help create aesthetically pleasing and realistic portraits. By training your brain to observe proportions more analytically, you strengthen the connection between visual perception and motor control, leading to more accurate and confident portrait drawings.
this little skull model is the perfect reference for drawing faces. Small & easy to set aside on your desk right next to your drawing space. I highly recommended this for any artist wanting to better understand human skull structure & practice drawing faces. Having some anatomical knowledge can seriously improve your portrait drawing skills, so it’s definitely worth familiarising yourself with these boney landmarks.
This skull model can fit on your hand, but you can get a life size skull model if you prefer
One of my most personal projects where I applied these lessons was my portrait of my Grandad. You can see it here. He had the most cheeky grin after climbing up a castle, and I wanted to capture that moment in my painting. While Morpho’s Drawing Book was invaluable in helping me understand head structure and proportions, it didn’t cover facial expressions in depth. For anyone wanting to improve expressive portrait painting, I highly recommend The Artist’s Complete Guide to Facial Expression by Gary Faigin. This book thoroughly explains how different emotions—joy, anger, sadness—affect the face’s structure and provides a detailed guide to drawing facial expressions accurately.
For anyone wanting to improve expressive portrait painting, I also recommend The Artist’s Complete Guide to Facial Expression by Gary Faigin. This book is an in-depth guide on how different emotions—joy, anger, sadness—affect the face’s structure. Understanding these subtle changes makes all the difference when painting or drawing portraits!
Like any drawing technique, the Loomis Method requires practice. Here are some things to remember when working with this approach:
🎨 Experiment with different angles – Once you’re comfortable drawing the face straight-on, try rotating the sphere to practice different perspectives.
🖊️ Use light construction lines – Keep your initial shapes light and loose so you can adjust them as needed.
📏 Adapt the method for stylized art – Whether you’re drawing in a realistic or cartoonish style, the Loomis Method provides a great foundation that can be modified to fit different artistic approaches.
✏️ Study real faces alongside the loomis method – While the Loomis approach is a fantastic tool, combining it with real-life observation will help develop your understanding of individual facial differences.
Now that you’ve learned the fundamentals of the Loomis Method, try applying it in your own sketching sessions! Start with basic head constructions, then challenge yourself to draw different facial expressions and angles. At the moment, I’m challenging myself to draw at least 1 face a day – consistency is key!
If you want to dive deeper into portrait drawing, consider exploring other classical methods, such as the Reilly Method or sight-size drawing. Keep an eye on the blog for more step-by-step tutorials and art history dives to continue improving your drawing skills.
if you’re in the midst of transitioning away from tracing in your artistic practice, consider checking out my article on transitioning from tracing to free-hand drawing, for some tips – it sure is a daunting process, especially when it comes to free-hand drawing faces.
If you like, you can head over to amazon and buy the same sketchbook I use every single day! I love my strathmore sketchbook and I have definitely noticed a significant improvement in my artistic skills since I started using it consistently.
☼ Da Vinci, L. (1490). Vitruvian Man. [Illustration].
☼ Dürer, A. (1528). Four Books on Human Proportion. Nuremberg: Hieronymus Andreae.
☼ Gauthier, I., & Tarr, M. J. (1997). Becoming a “Greeble” expert: Exploring mechanisms for face recognition. Vision Research, 37(12), 1673-1682. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0042-6989(96)00286-6
☼ Kanwisher, N., McDermott, J., & Chun, M. M. (1997). The fusiform face area: A module in human extrastriate cortex specialized for face perception. Journal of Neuroscience, 17(11), 4302-4311. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.17-11-04302.1997
☼ Loomis, A. (1956). Drawing the head and hands. Viking Press.
☼ Richter, J. P. (1970). The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. Dover Publications.
☼ Zeki, S. (1999). Inner vision: An exploration of art and the brain. Oxford University Press.
☼ What is the Loomis Method, and why is it useful for drawing faces?
☼ Who was Andrew Loomis, and what influence did he have on portrait art?
☼ How do you break down the Loomis Method step-by-step?
☼ What are the benefits of using geometric shapes for facial proportions?
☼ How can you adapt the Loomis Method for different art styles?
☼ What’s the best way to practice drawing faces using this method?
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hi, i’m sarah, an australian artist head-over-heels for watercolour & creative practice- it truely is good for your soul.
& this ↑, is my girl alys.
i am completely self-taught in all the mediums i use & i am here to share everything i know with you!
i write about all things creativity, watercolour, gouache, hand-made ceramics, collecting art, & my own artistic process. I have degrees in human psychology & veterinary medicine- so you might find some sporadic related facts in my writing.
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