How to Draw a Smile
Draw a smiling face step-by-step using basic shapes, expressions, and simple shading. Practice proportions, spacing, and making a natural smile.
About this tutorial
Draw a smiling face step-by-step using basic shapes, expressions, and simple shading. Practice proportions, spacing, and making a natural smile.
What you need
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Lightly draw a circle in the middle of the paper to mark the head.
- 2
Step 2
Draw a light vertical line down the center of the circle to divide the face into left and right.
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Step 3
Draw a horizontal guideline across the middle third of the circle for the eye level.
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Step 4
Mark two small points on the horizontal line about one eye-width away from the center line to set the eye spacing.
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Step 5
Draw two simple almond-shaped eyes around the marks you made.
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Step 6
Add pupils inside each eye and leave a tiny white spot in each pupil to show a sparkle.
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Step 7
Make a small mark halfway between the eye line and the bottom of the circle to place the nose.
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Step 8
Draw a gentle curved guideline halfway between the nose mark and the chin to show where the mouth will sit.
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Step 9
Draw the mouth shape along that guideline with an upper curved line that lifts at the corners and a matching lower curve to form the smile.
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Step 10
Add short crease lines at the corners of the mouth to show cheek folds when smiling.
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Step 11
Draw soft curved eyebrows above the eyes to match the happy expression.
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Step 12
Add simple shading with light pencil strokes under the lower lip and under the chin and gently blend the shading with your tissue or cotton bud.
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Step 13
Erase the construction guidelines and clean up any extra pencil marks to make the face look neat.
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Step 14
Add color to the cheeks lips and hair if you like to finish your smiling face.
- 15
Step 15
Take a photo of your finished smiling face and share it on DIY.org
Get inspired
Fun facts
How do I teach my child to draw a natural smiling face step-by-step?
Start with a light circle for the head and draw horizontal and vertical guidelines to place features. Add two simple oval eyes on the horizontal line, a small nose on the vertical midline, and mark the mouth between nose and chin. Sketch a gentle curved line for the smiling mouth, then add upper and lower lip shapes or teeth if desired. Refine cheek curves, add short expression lines, choose a light source, and apply soft shading under the lower lip and along cheek planes to make the smile look
What materials do we need to draw a smiling face with basic shapes and simple shading?
You'll need plain drawing paper, a light pencil (HB) for guidelines and a softer pencil (2B) for darker lines, plus an eraser and sharpener. For shading use a blending stump, tissue, or cotton bud; optional colored pencils or markers add color. A ruler helps with straight guidelines and a mirror or photo reference helps study smiles. Choose non-toxic, kid-safe art supplies and a stable surface for comfortable drawing sessions.
What ages is drawing a smiling face suitable for?
This activity suits a wide range: preschoolers (4–6) can practice simple smiling shapes and basic placement with adult help; early elementary (6–8) can follow step-by-step proportions and draw distinct features; older children (9–12) can work on natural expression, spacing, and basic shading; teens can refine realism and advanced shading. Adapt complexity, supervise younger kids, and use thicker pencils or markers for very young hands.
What are the benefits, safety tips, and fun variations for drawing smiles?
Drawing smiles boosts fine motor skills, observation, and emotional awareness as children learn subtle expressions and spacing. It builds confidence through practice and can be a calming activity. Safety tips: use non-toxic materials, keep small tools supervised, and avoid eye-pointed pencils. Variations: try cartoon exaggerations, profile smiles, realistic portraits, mirror-self studies, or timed quick-sketch exercises. Encourage gentle critique and celebrate attempts to help kids improve witho
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use instead of a tissue or cotton bud for blending the shading under the lower lip and chin?
Use a clean fingertip or a small piece of folded scrap paper to gently blend the light pencil strokes under the lower lip and under the chin as directed in the shading step.
My construction lines are too dark and won't fully erase—how can I fix that so the face looks neat?
Draw the circle and vertical/horizontal guidelines very lightly, then use a soft kneaded eraser or a clean regular eraser to lift marks before darkening the final eyes, mouth, and hair lines.
How can I adapt this smiling face activity for younger children or for older kids?
For younger children simplify to one big circle with sticker eyes and a single curved smile following the mouth guideline, while older kids can refine almond-shaped eyes, add the pupil sparkles, and practice the subtle shading under the lower lip and chin.
What are some ways to extend or personalize the finished smiling face beyond the basic instructions?
Add different hairstyles, freckles or accessories and use colored pencils when you 'add color to the cheeks lips and hair', create a background scene, then take a photo of your finished smiling face to share on DIY.org.