How to Draw the Mouth for Beginners
A simple, structural approach to mouth drawing. Learn how to draw the mouth and lips using the muzzle form and natural rhythms of the face.
The mouth can be tricky. Draw it too flat and it looks pasted on; too tight and it stiffens the whole portrait. In this first mouth-drawing lesson, I’ll show you how to build lips on solid structure using the muzzle form, simple planes, and a few rhythms that make it feel alive.
This lesson is part of How to Draw the Head Course.
Understanding the Muzzle Form
Before you even think about lips, start with the muzzle — that rounded cylinder sitting between the nose and chin.
It pushes forward slightly and gives the mouth its volume. Think of it like the soft version of a dog’s snout, the same concept, just smaller and more refined.
When you sketch, visualize that cylindrical shape wrapping around the face. The lips sit on that curve, not flat on the surface.
How to Draw Lips Around the Form
The upper lip has a stretched “M” rhythm; the lower lip is wider and flatter.
Instead of carving outlines, build them with short directional strokes that follow the curve of the muzzle.
Let the corners flow along the same tilt as the eyes and nose, every feature tracks together.
When the head turns or tilts, the mouth must follow that same perspective line. That’s the key to keeping your portraits believable.
Common Mouth-Drawing Mistakes
- Closing the lips too tightly, which flattens the form.
- Ignoring the tilt or direction of the head.
- Drawing the lips as stickers instead of forms wrapping around the face.
Keep the lips open and relaxed. Allow the lower lip to roll gently into the chin instead of outlining it with a hard edge, that transition adds realism and life.
Practice Tip
Use simple line studies before shading. Work on finding that cylinder, then trace the lips around it. You’ll start to feel the structure more than just copy what you see and that’s when your mouth drawings start to click.
Course Navigation
Previous: Robert’s Nose Assignment Demo
Next: How to Draw Lips - Upper in Focus
Head Drawing Hub: View Full Course Hub
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