How to Draw an Eye (Easy Step by Step)
An eye is a fun first drawing because it is made of circles and curved lines you already know how to make. You start with a pointy oval, tuck two circles inside, add two tiny dots, and finish with a lid line, lashes that stick out like sunbeams, and an eyebrow. Once you have the pattern, you can draw eyes of every size.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw an eye step by step
How to Draw an Eye · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: The eye shape
Draw a curved line that bows upward, like a hill. Then draw a curved line that bows downward, like a bowl, and join the two at pointy corners on the left and right to make a lemon or almond shape.
Step 2: The iris
Draw a big circle in the middle of the almond. Leave a little space between the circle and the top and bottom curves.
Step 3: The pupil
Inside the big circle, draw a smaller circle right in the center. It should have a ring of space around it.
Step 4: Sparkle dots
Add one bigger dot and one tiny dot inside the small circle, the bigger one toward the upper left and the tiny one toward the lower right. These little shines make the eye look alive.
Step 5: The upper lid
Above the eye, draw a wide curved line that arches like a rainbow. Start it near the left corner of the eye and end it near the right corner, leaving a gap between it and the eye for the lashes.
Step 6: The eyelashes
Draw one short straight line in the middle of the gap, going up from the eye to the lid line. Then add two lines on each side that lean outward, like the rays of a sun.
Step 7: The eyebrow
Far above the eye, draw one long, gentle curve that arches like a rainbow. Make it a little narrower than the eye.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your eye? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a hand or how to draw lips next.
Tips for drawing an eye
- Draw the top curve and bottom curve of the almond lightly first, so both corners meet at points that line up across from each other.
- Put the big circle in the middle of the almond before the small circle. If the big circle goes a little wonky, draw the small circle in the same center and it will still look right.
- Draw the lashes after the lid line, starting with the middle one. Spacing them evenly is easier when you place the center lash first and add two on each side.
Free eye coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this eye coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your eye drawing
Fill the ring around the small circle with blue, green, or brown, and color the small circle in the middle dark. For a creative twist, color the ring with swirls of a rainbow or a galaxy, and leave the sparkle dots white.
Eye fun fact for kids
Your pupil is not a black dot. It is a hole that lets light into your eye, and it gets smaller in bright light and bigger in dim light.
Questions about drawing an eye
What shapes do I need to draw an eye?
You need an almond shape (like a lemon), two circles that sit one inside the other, and two tiny dots. A curved lid line, a few short lines for lashes, and a long curved line for the eyebrow finish it.
How do I make my eye drawing look more real?
Leave the two sparkle dots white so they look like light bouncing off the eye. Make the small circle dark and the ring around it a bright color for the biggest difference.
How do I draw eyelashes that look even?
Draw the middle lash first, then add two on each side that lean outward. Make the outer lashes lean more than the inner ones so they fan out evenly.
