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Draw Lips

Draw Lips
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Learn to draw realistic lips step by step using simple shapes, light shading, and observation of expressions to practice proportion and detail.

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Step-by-step guide to draw realistic lips

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Lips Rainbow drawing /how to draw lips step by step/drawing,coloring&painting for kids/glitter lips

What you need
Eraser, optional colored pencils, paper, pencil, sharpener, tissue or cotton swab for blending

Step 1

Gather your materials and place them where you can reach them easily.

Step 2

Pick a reference photo or look in a mirror and study the lips and the expression carefully.

Step 3

Lightly draw a horizontal guideline to show how wide the mouth will be.

Step 4

Lightly draw a short vertical guideline at the center to help keep the lips symmetrical.

Step 5

Sketch the top lip by drawing a soft W shape for the Cupid's bow along the horizontal line.

Step 6

Sketch the bottom lip by drawing a rounded U shape that meets the top lip at the corners.

Step 7

Erase extra sketch lines so only the basic lip shapes remain.

Step 8

Darken the correct lip contours gently to define the top and bottom edges.

Step 9

Add light curved pencil strokes inside the lips following their shape to create soft shading.

Step 10

Blend the shading gently with a tissue or cotton swab to make the lips look smooth.

Step 11

Add darker shading at the mouth corners and under the lower lip to create depth.

Step 12

Draw tiny curved lines along the lips with a sharp pencil to suggest natural texture.

Step 13

Compare both sides using your center guideline and make small tweaks to balance shape and shading.

Step 14

Share your finished drawing of lips on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

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Help!?

What can I use instead of a tissue or cotton swab for blending if I don't have one?

Use a clean fingertip or a small piece of soft cotton cloth to gently blend the light curved pencil strokes in step 9, just like the tissue or cotton swab would.

My lips look uneven—how do I fix symmetry and shading mistakes?

Lightly erase the problem area, check alignment with the short vertical center guideline from step 4, then re-sketch the top W and bottom U shapes (steps 5–6) before re-darkening contours in step 8.

How can I adapt this activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children, pre-draw the horizontal and center guidelines (steps 3–4) and let them trace the simple W and U shapes with a crayon, while older kids can refine the tiny texture lines (step 11) and practice layered shading and blending (steps 9–10) with a sharp pencil.

What are some ways to make the finished lips drawing more interesting or personal?

Add colored pencils over the blended shading from step 9, lift small highlights with an eraser near the lower lip after step 10, or change the reference photo to capture different expressions before sharing on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to draw realistic lips

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to Draw Lips and Tongue | Easy Step by Step Drawing Tutorial for Kids

4 Videos

Facts about portrait drawing for kids

🎨 Artists often start lips with simple shapes (ovals, triangles, a heart for the cupid's bow) to get proportion right before adding detail.

😄 Facial expressions change lip proportions a lot: a smile lifts the corners and alters the visible shape and shadow of the lips.

👄 Human lip skin is much thinner than the rest of your face, which is why lips feel extra sensitive and dry quickly.

🫦 Lip prints are unique to each person — cheiloscopy is the study that uses them in forensic identification, like tiny fingerprints.

🖌️ When drawing realistic lips, soft shading and subtle value shifts create volume more convincingly than dark outline lines.

How do I teach a child to draw realistic lips step by step?

Start by observing reference photos and lightly sketch a horizontal center line for the mouth. Block in simple shapes: an oval for the overall mouth and gentle curves for the upper and lower lips. Mark the cupid’s bow and corners, then refine outlines and vary line weight. Add soft, light shading to show volume—shade under the lower lip and at the mouth corners. Use an eraser for highlights, compare proportions, and repeat with different expressions to build skill.

What materials do I need to learn drawing realistic lips?

You’ll need basic drawing supplies: a sketchbook or drawing paper, a range of pencils (HB, 2B, 4B), a kneaded eraser, a regular eraser, and a pencil sharpener. Include a blending stump or soft tissue for smooth shading and reference photos of mouths in various expressions. Optional items: colored pencils for lip color practice and a mirror for live observation. Keep materials simple for children to handle safely.

What ages is learning to draw realistic lips suitable for?

This activity suits a wide age range. Young children (7–9) can practice simple shapes and basic shading with supervision. Preteens (10–12) can focus on proportion and subtle shading, while teens (13+) can work on realistic detail, texture, and expression. Adjust complexity and time based on attention span and fine motor skill level. Always supervise younger children when they use sharpeners or pointy tools.

What are the benefits and safe variations of practicing realistic lips?

Drawing lips improves observation, proportion understanding, fine motor control, and facial-expression recognition. It builds patience and confidence in detail work. Safe variations include cartoon or exaggerated lips for fun, practicing different ages and ethnic features, and using colored pencils or water-soluble crayons for texture studies. Ensure child-safe tools, avoid ingestible art supplies, and keep small items like pencil sharpenings out of reach of very young children.
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Draw Lips. Activities for Kids.