Random Person Generator for Drawing: A Portrait Brief

Describes an invented person in words, with no photograph: age, face shape, one feature, hair, expression and view.

Random Person Generator for Drawing: A Portrait Brief: 30 people

An uneven-shouldered woman of about thirty with a heart-shaped face and a sharp jawline, low heavy brows and beach-dried waves with stiff ends, sighing through parted lips. Draw them in three-quarter view, head tipped back.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

Whouneven-shouldered woman of about thirty
Facea heart-shaped face and a sharp jawline
Featurelow heavy brows
Hairbeach-dried waves with stiff ends
Expressionsighing through parted lips
Viewin three-quarter view, head tipped back

Set a timer

5:00

Next one automatically Sound

History (0)

Every person you make is kept here, newest first, up to the last 20. The list stays in this browser.

Person of the day

An uneven-shouldered woman of about thirty with a heart-shaped face and a sharp jawline, low heavy brows and beach-dried waves with stiff ends, sighing through parted lips. Draw them in three-quarter view, head tipped back.
A child of seven with a long face and a low brow, close-set narrow eyes and long straight hair over one shoulder, tongue between the teeth. Draw them from the front, lit from the left.
An uneven-shouldered woman of about thirty with a square face and a deep lower jaw, a long nose with a rounded end and a braid wound round the head like a crown, proud, lips pressed into a small smile. Draw them in three-quarter view, head tipped back.
A narrow-shouldered young woman of twenty-four with a square face and a level brow line, long brows that reach the temples and very short hair with a sharp side part, close to tears and smiling anyway. Draw them from above, in profile.
A toddler of about two with a round face and a broad forehead, brows that almost meet in the middle and a crew cut with a flat top, astonished and starting to smile. Draw them in three-quarter view, with the light behind.
A small child of four with an oval face and hollow temples, a broad nose with a low bridge and hair under a knit cap, scowling with the mouth turned down. Draw them from the front, with a strong light high on one side.
A slim-necked dancer of seventeen with a round face and a soft jawline, a mouth that turns down at the corners at rest and hair wrapped in a knotted scarf, astonished and starting to smile. Draw them from above, lying back, face to the sky.
A boy of ten with an oval face and a high forehead, bushy brows with stray hairs and thick waves cut above the collar, glaring from under lowered brows. Draw them from above, three-quarter view.
A long-necked boy of seven with a round face and a broad forehead, a wide mouth with a thin upper lip and corkscrew curls of different lengths, laughing with the mouth wide open. Draw them in three-quarter view, in half shadow.
An apprentice of nineteen with a long face and hollow cheeks, downward-slanting brows and a curly fringe over the brows, doing a double take, eyes snapped sideways. Draw them from the front, lit from the right.
A sloping-shouldered man of about fifty with a long face and a low brow, eyes that tilt up at the outer corners and long waves caught under a coat collar, smiling so that the eyes nearly close. Draw them in three-quarter view, lit from above.
A narrow-shouldered young woman of twenty-four with a square face and a wide jaw, eyes that tilt up at the outer corners and a long fringe pushed to one side, smiling so that the eyes nearly close. Draw them in three-quarter view, head tipped back.
A long-necked woman in her thirties with a heart-shaped face and a rounded chin, eyes that tilt down at the outer corners and a blunt bob with the ears showing, smiling as if for a school photo. Draw them from the front, lit from the left.
A girl of about ten with a round face and wide cheeks, full lips and a short upper lip and straight hair parted in the middle, staring at nothing, face slack. Draw them in profile, with the head bowed.
A boy of five with a heart-shaped face and a delicate jaw, a short nose set high above the mouth and a long fringe pushed to one side, coldly unimpressed. Draw them in profile, against a bright window.
A man in his eighties with a long face and flat cheeks, prominent eyes with full lower lids and a cropped cut with a pattern shaved in, rolling the eyes. Draw them from over their shoulder, face half turned.
An apprentice of nineteen with a round face and a broad forehead, a round nose like a small ball and hair under a hood, jaw clenched, saying nothing. Draw them in profile, against a bright window.
A teenager of seventeen with a square face and hollow cheeks, a short nose set high above the mouth and a shaved head with a day's regrowth, astonished and starting to smile. Draw them in three-quarter view, in half shadow.
A sloping-shouldered man of about fifty with a heart-shaped face and a delicate jaw, low heavy brows and a shaved head with a neat nape line, laughing with the mouth wide open. Draw them in profile, lit from the front.
A woman of thirty-five with an oval face and a soft jaw, sparse brows with a gap in one and a grown-out crop that sticks up at the back, eyes brimming. Draw them in profile, close up on the nose and lips.
A boy of five with a heart-shaped face and a sharp jawline, a nose that curves down at the tip and wavy hair cut short at the sides, frowning with the brows drawn together. Draw them from above, three-quarter view.
A woman in her sixties with a square face and hollow cheeks, a flat nose with a wide tip and loose curls to the chin, impatient, breath blown out through the lips. Draw them from the front, close enough to crop the hair.
A small man of seventy-five with a round face and a button chin, pale brows that hardly show and tight coils in a round shape, laughing with the mouth wide open. Draw them in profile, close up on the nose and lips.
A slim-necked dancer of seventeen with an oval face and wide cheekbones, eyes with a fold of lid over the outer corner and one long braid down the back, smiling so that the eyes nearly close. Draw them in profile, against a bright window.
A stooped man in his late sixties with a long face and a high forehead, a short nose set high above the mouth and hair under a knit cap, sulking, lower lip pushed out. Draw them from above, three-quarter view.
A sloping-shouldered man of about fifty with a round face and wide cheeks, a long mouth with a short lower lip and long ringlets past the shoulders, laughing with the mouth wide open. Draw them from high above, looking down on the crown.
A straight-necked woman of fifty with a round face and wide cheeks, a sharp nose with a pointed tip and loose waves to the shoulders, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. Draw them in profile, facing right.
A man of forty-five with a heart-shaped face and full cheeks, eyes of slightly different sizes and a close crop with a cowlick at the front, chewing the inside of one cheek. Draw them in profile, as a plain silhouette.
A girl of nine with a square face and a broad forehead, a short upturned nose and a crew cut with a flat top, glaring from under lowered brows. Draw them from above, three-quarter view.
A woman of thirty-five with a heart-shaped face and a pointed chin, long eyes with thick lashes and shoulder-length straight hair that flips out at the ends, smiling so that the eyes nearly close. Draw them in three-quarter view, with the light behind.

Next step Get a pose for the rest of them Design an outfit for a character

Who: all 64 people

Children 16

boy of about nine A long thin neck, and ears that have outgrown the face for now.
boy of five Cheeks first. Young children have full pads in the cheeks that fade as the face grows.
boy of ten The adult teeth have arrived before the adult jaw. The mouth is the busiest part.

Show all 64 people (61 more)

Children, continued

child of seven Halfway between small child and big one. Mix one round shape with one long one.
child of three Everything is rounded. Avoid any straight line longer than a finger joint.
girl of about ten The chin is still small. Draw the jaw as one soft curve from ear to ear.
girl of eight Keep the nose small and the mouth close under it. Leave the forehead open.
girl of eleven Almost a teenager. Lengthen the neck before you change the face.
girl of five or six Leave more forehead than you expect and set the features low in the head.
girl of nine The face has begun to lengthen. Give the nose a little more bridge than a small child's.
girl of six Big eyes for the size of the face. Space them a full eye apart.
long-necked boy of seven The neck is a stalk. Keep the shoulders no wider than the ears stick out.
narrow-shouldered boy of eleven The collar hangs loose round a thin neck. Leave a gap.
small child of four The top of the head takes up a lot of the frame. Start there.
square-shouldered child of five A short neck and square little shoulders. The head sits right on them.
toddler of about two The head is large for the body at this age. Keep the neck short and the shoulders narrow under it.

Teenagers and young adults 16

apprentice of nineteen Square the shoulders a little, as if a strap has been sitting on one.
boy of thirteen Features grow at different speeds. Let one be ahead of the rest.
broad-shouldered student of nineteen The shoulders run out of the frame. Crop them.
girl of fifteen The jaw has started to firm up. Draw it with a slightly harder line than the cheek.
girl of sixteen Draw the long line from behind the ear to the collarbone. It carries the pose.
long-necked boy of fifteen Exaggerate the neck a little, then stop. Kindness is in the stopping.
narrow-shouldered young woman of twenty-four Narrow shoulders make the head look larger. Keep the neck slender to match.
round-shouldered teenager of sixteen The head sits in front of the shoulders. Round the back of the neck.
slim-necked dancer of seventeen A long neck, lifted. The shoulders drop away from the ears.
square-shouldered swimmer of eighteen Wide, level shoulders and a neck that joins them like a column.
student of twenty An adult skull with a young face on it. Keep the lines few.
teenager of fourteen The neck is suddenly long and the shoulders have not caught up.
teenager of seventeen Nearly full height. The collarbones show: mark them as two shallow curves.
young man of twenty-five The neck has thickened and the shoulders have settled. Draw both wider than at eighteen.
young man of twenty-two The underside of the jaw is a plane, not a line. Give it its own tone.
young woman of about twenty By now the head is nearly its adult share of the figure. Firm up the jawline.

Adults 16

level-shouldered woman in her fifties Level collarbones and a centred head. The symmetry is the character.
long-necked woman in her thirties A full-grown adult stands about seven and a half heads tall. Here the neck takes more than its share.
man in his late fifties Put your darkest tone under the jaw, where the head turns away from the light.
man in his thirties Block the head as an egg, narrow end down, before any feature goes in.
man of forty-five Try the old studio rule of thirds: hairline to brow, brow to nose, nose to chin.
narrow-shouldered man of about forty The head looks wider than usual above a narrow frame. Keep the neck short.
round-shouldered clerk in his fifties The shoulders roll forward and the neck shortens.
short-necked man in his forties The collar sits close under the ears. Leave little space between jaw and shoulder.
sloping-shouldered man of about fifty Draw one long line from below the ear to the arm.
straight-backed man in his thirties A vertical neck and square shoulders. Give the collar a crisp line.
straight-necked woman of fifty The neck comes straight down from the jaw corners. No taper.
tall, stooping man in his forties The head is carried forward and low. Curve the neck like a hook.
uneven-shouldered woman of about thirty One shoulder sits higher. Slope the collar line and keep the eyes level.
woman in her forties Draw the neck as a cylinder that leans forward a little, not a post.
woman of about forty Start with the tilt of the collarbones. The head answers them.
woman of thirty-five Draw the hollow at the base of the throat. It anchors the head to the body.

Older adults 16

broad-shouldered woman in her sixties A solid neck and wide shoulders. The head sits squarely.
grandfather of about eighty The collar stands away from a thinner neck. Show the gap.
grandmother in her seventies Set the widest point of the face a little lower than you would at thirty.
lean-necked man of seventy Two cords run from behind the ear to the collarbone. Draw both.
long-necked woman in her seventies Draw the edge of the jaw as soft folds, not as a single line.
man in his eighties Give the ears and the nose room, and draw them before the eyes.
man in his seventies Start with the ears. They fix the tilt of the head before anything else is drawn.
man in his sixties The neck is wider at the base than under the jaw. Draw it as a cone.
man of about ninety Everything has settled downward a little. The eyes are the brightest thing.
small man of seventy-five The frame has narrowed and the head has not. Let it look a little large.
stooped man in his late sixties The back of the neck is the highest point of the frame after the head.
straight-backed woman of ninety Thin, upright and exact. Use your sharpest pencil.
tall woman of seventy-five Height shows even at the shoulders. Set them well below the chin.
tiny woman of eighty-five A small frame under the head. Keep the shoulders inside the width of the hair.
woman in her sixties The neck shows two long cords from ear to collarbone. Suggest one of them.
woman of about eighty The shoulders have come forward. Bring the head with them.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is an invented person described by age and by the set of the head, neck and shoulders. Two facts in the notes were checked on 2026-09-30: that figure drawing measures in heads, top of the head to the chin, with an average adult about seven and a half heads tall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_proportions), and that the head becomes proportionately smaller as a person matures (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny_in_humans). A third, that young children have prominent pads in the cheeks that go with age, is from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face. The rest of each note is our own drawing advice. Nobody here is a real person. No entry names a nationality, an ethnicity, a religion, a skin tone, a weight or a disability, and no word judges a face. Licence: own work

Face: all 60 face shapes

Oval 12

an oval face and a dimpled chin A small notch at the bottom of the egg. One short mark is enough.
an oval face and a firm chin Flatten the very bottom of the egg into a short straight line.
an oval face and a high forehead Put the eye line a little lower than halfway to leave room above it.

Show all 60 face shapes (57 more)

Oval, continued

an oval face and a long upper lip Leave extra space between nose and mouth. It makes the face look thoughtful.
an oval face and a low hairline The forehead is a narrow band. Bring the hair down to meet the brows.
an oval face and a narrow chin Start with an egg, narrow end down. The widest point is at the cheekbones.
an oval face and a short chin Shorten the space under the lower lip. The mouth sits low.
an oval face and a soft jaw Run one curve from ear to ear with no corner in it.
an oval face and flat cheeks Keep the side planes straight from temple to jaw.
an oval face and hollow temples Dent the outline just above the cheekbones.
an oval face and wide cheekbones Bulge the egg at eye level, then pull it in toward the mouth.
an oval face that is a little lopsided No face is symmetrical. Drop one side of the jaw a little.

Round 12

a round face and a broad forehead The top of the circle is as wide as the middle.
a round face and a button chin A small round bump at the bottom, like a thumbprint.
a round face and a flat profile From the side the features hardly project. Keep the nose short.
a round face and a pointed chin A circle with a small point added, like a drop turned upside down.
a round face and a short forehead Features fill the circle. Leave little room at the top.
a round face and a short wide chin The bottom of the circle is flattened a little, like a ball at rest.
a round face and a small chin Start with a circle. The chin barely breaks it.
a round face and a soft jawline Lose the jaw edge in shadow. Suggest it, do not outline it.
a round face and apple cheeks Two smaller circles on the big one, just under the eyes.
a round face and narrow temples The widest point sits level with the mouth. Bring the temples in.
a round face and wide cheeks The widest point sits below the eyes. Keep the jaw curve generous.
a round face set wider than it is long Squash the circle slightly. Set the eyes far apart.

Square 12

a square face and a broad forehead Top and bottom are the same width. Keep the sides vertical.
a square face and a cleft chin A short vertical mark in the middle of the bottom edge.
a square face and a deep lower jaw Make the bottom third of the box the deepest.
a square face and a flat chin The bottom edge is nearly straight. Round only the corners.
a square face and a jutting chin Push the chin forward of the lips in profile.
a square face and a level brow line Brows and jaw are two parallel lines. Hang the features between them.
a square face and a wide jaw Start with a box. The jaw corners sit directly below the ears.
a square face and angular temples Corner the hairline as well as the jaw.
a square face and hollow cheeks Scoop the sides in between cheekbone and jaw.
a square face and square temples The forehead is as wide as the jaw. Draw the sides parallel.
a square face and strong cheekbones Add a ledge under each eye that catches the light.
a square face with blunt corners A box drawn with a blunt pencil. No sharp angle anywhere.

Heart-shaped 12

a heart-shaped face and a broad forehead Give the forehead a third of the height and most of the width.
a heart-shaped face and a delicate jaw Draw the jaw with your lightest line.
a heart-shaped face and a long chin Stretch the lower third. The mouth sits high in it.
a heart-shaped face and a pointed chin Wide at the forehead, narrow at the chin, like a shield.
a heart-shaped face and a rounded chin Blunt the point. The taper stays.
a heart-shaped face and a sharp jawline Two straight lines meeting at the chin, like a letter V.
a heart-shaped face and a short chin Everything below the nose is small. Keep the chin narrower than the mouth.
a heart-shaped face and a small mouth A narrow lower face leaves little room. Keep the lips compact.
a heart-shaped face and a widow's peak The hairline dips to a point in the middle, echoing the chin.
a heart-shaped face and full cheeks Soften the taper with a curve that bulges before it narrows.
a heart-shaped face and high cheekbones The widest point is the cheekbones. Taper quickly below them.
a heart-shaped face and wide-set temples The hair springs out from the widest part of the head.

Long 12

a long face and a high forehead A third of the face is above the brows. Place the hairline high.
a long face and a long chin The extra length is below the mouth. Leave room there.
a long face and a long nose The nose takes up the extra length. Keep the upper lip short.
a long face and a low brow The length sits below the eyes. Keep the forehead short.
a long face and a narrow jaw A tall oval. The sides are almost parallel.
a long face and a rounded jaw End the tall shape in a half circle.
a long face and a small mouth The mouth looks smaller on a tall face. Do not widen it to compensate.
a long face and a square chin Stretch the box. Keep the width and add height.
a long face and close-set features Features gather on the centre line. The cheeks are wide open space.
a long face and flat cheeks Straight side planes from temple to jaw, with little curve.
a long face and hollow cheeks Draw a soft shadow from cheekbone to jaw corner.
a long face and prominent cheekbones Two points break the long sides a third of the way down.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is a shape, written to follow the word "with". The construction notes are our own drawing advice. Nobody here is a real person. No entry names a nationality, an ethnicity, a religion, a skin tone, a weight or a disability, and no word judges a face. Licence: own work

Feature: all 64 features

Eyes and lids 16

almond-shaped eyes with a clear crease Both ends come to a point. Mark the crease as a second, parallel line.
close-set narrow eyes Less than an eye's width apart. The bridge of the nose looks thinner.
deep-set eyes under a strong brow Shade the socket first. The eye is the light shape inside it.

Show all 64 features (61 more)

Eyes and lids, continued

eyes of slightly different sizes Most faces have this. Make one eye a little more open.
eyes set in deep round sockets A ring of shadow all the way round. The eye sits back in it.
eyes that tilt down at the outer corners Drop the outer corner below the inner one. It reads as gentle.
eyes that tilt up at the outer corners Lift the outer corner above the inner one.
eyes with a fold of lid over the outer corner The lid drapes at the outside edge. The eye looks like a soft triangle.
hooded eyelids The fold of the lid covers its own edge. Draw the fold, not the lashes.
large eyes with heavy upper lids The lid cuts across the top of the iris. Never show the whole circle.
long eyes with thick lashes Draw the lashes as one dark shape, not as hairs.
long narrow eyes under straight lids The upper lid is nearly a straight line. Curve only the lower one.
prominent eyes with full lower lids The eyeball pushes the lids forward. Shade under the lower lid.
round eyes with a large iris The iris nearly fills the opening. Leave one small light in each.
small bright eyes set far apart Small eyes need a strong highlight to hold their own.
wide-set round eyes Leave more than one eye's width between them.

Brows 16

angular brows with a sharp peak A corner, not a curve, two thirds of the way along.
brows set far apart A wide, smooth space above the nose.
brows that almost meet in the middle Leave only a small gap above the nose.
bushy brows with stray hairs Draw the outline ragged and add three hairs that go their own way.
downward-slanting brows Higher in the middle. They look worried even at rest.
feathery brows that fan upward Short strokes that all lean up and out.
long brows that reach the temples Carry the tail past the corner of the eye.
low heavy brows They sit almost on the lids and shade the eyes.
one brow set higher than the other A standing question. Keep the eyes level beneath them.
pale brows that hardly show Suggest them with the shadow of the bone, not with hair.
rounded brows like two half circles Even curves with no peak. They look open and mild.
short brows that stop above the iris The outer half of the eye has no brow above it.
sparse brows with a gap in one Break the line once. Do not explain it.
straight thick brows Two dark bars. They flatten every expression a little.
thin arched brows A high curve that peaks past the middle of the eye.
upward-slanting brows Higher at the outer end. They make the eyes look sharp.

Noses 16

a broad nose with a low bridge The width is at the nostrils. Keep the bridge soft and unlined.
a flat nose with a wide tip Hardly any shadow down the side. Model it with the nostrils only.
a large nose with a high bridge It starts between the brows with no dip. Give it a long shadow.
a long nose with a rounded end The length is straight and the tip is a soft knob.
a long straight nose One unbroken line from brow to tip in profile.
a narrow nose with flared nostrils Thin at the bridge, wide at the base, like a tent.
a nose slightly bent to one side Shift the tip off the centre line. Keep the mouth centred.
a nose that curves down at the tip The tip dips below the nostrils. Shade under it.
a nose with a bump at the bridge A small angle a third of the way down. Light catches it.
a nose with a deep groove to the lip Mark the groove under the nose as two soft ridges.
a round nose like a small ball Draw the tip as a sphere and hang the nostrils from it.
a sharp nose with a pointed tip Three planes: two sides and a narrow top.
a short nose set high above the mouth Leave a long upper lip beneath it.
a short upturned nose The nostrils show from the front. Draw them as two small shadows.
a small nose on a wide face Leave plenty of cheek on either side.
a snub nose with a wide bridge Short and soft. The bridge barely rises between the eyes.

Mouths 16

a crooked mouth set higher on one side Tilt the lip line. Tilt the lines beside the mouth to match.
a full lower lip under a thin upper one The lower lip catches the light. Leave it nearly white.
a long mouth with a short lower lip The lower lip is a narrow shelf. The chin starts right under it.
a mouth that turns down at the corners at rest Two short downward strokes. It is a shape, not a mood.
a mouth that turns up at the corners at rest The corners tuck into the cheeks.
a mouth with a gap between the front teeth Shows only when the lips part. One dark sliver.
a mouth with a marked crease beneath it A curved line between lip and chin.
a small full mouth Two rounded shapes no wider than the nose. Shade the dip between them.
a small mouth set close under the nose Keep it narrower than the nose is wide.
a soft mouth with no hard edges Lose the outline. Model it with tone only.
a straight mouth like a ruled line No curve at all. Expression has to come from the eyes.
a strong cupid's bow The upper lip has two clear peaks. Draw the dip between them.
a wide mouth with a thin upper lip The line between the lips does the work. Extend it past the nostrils.
a wide mouth with deep corners A small shadow at each end, like a pair of commas.
full lips and a short upper lip The lips sit close under the nose. Shade the lower one from beneath.
thin lips with a long line between them Hardly any lip shows above or below. The line does all the talking.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is one feature described by its shape, written to follow the face shape after a comma. The notes are our own drawing advice. Nobody here is a real person. No entry names a nationality, an ethnicity, a religion, a skin tone, a weight or a disability, and no word judges a face. Licence: own work

Hair: all 65 hairstyles

Straight 13

a blunt bob with the ears showing The line of the cut runs from ear to ear across the back of the neck.
a long fringe pushed to one side Pinned by nothing. It is about to fall back.
a side part with a long sweep across the forehead The sweep covers one brow.

Show all 65 hairstyles (62 more)

Straight, continued

a straight fringe just above the brows A horizontal line that hides the forehead.
fine straight hair that will not stay put A few strands across the face. Draw them over the features.
long straight hair over one shoulder All the weight is on one side. The other side of the neck is bare.
long straight hair tucked behind one ear One ear shows, one does not. The face becomes lopsided on purpose.
shoulder-length straight hair that flips out at the ends The ends curve away from the neck.
straight hair cut in uneven layers Break the outline into short steps.
straight hair cut to the jaw Draw the bottom edge first. It frames the jaw like a box.
straight hair parted in the middle Two curtains. They narrow the face.
straight hair that falls into the eyes The eyes look out through it. Leave gaps.
thin straight hair combed flat It follows the skull exactly. Draw the head shape, then a few lines.

Wavy 13

a wavy bob that curls under the ears The ends tuck toward the jaw.
beach-dried waves with stiff ends The ends stick out at angles. Break the outline.
long waves caught under a coat collar The collar interrupts the fall. Bulge the hair above it.
long waves that have been slept on Flatten one side of the outline.
loose waves to the shoulders Think of ribbons, not lines. Each wave has a light side and a dark side.
one wave that falls across the brow A single S-curve. Everything else is combed back.
shaggy waves with no clear part The top is a tumble. Find three big clumps and draw those.
short wavy hair pushed back from the forehead The hairline shows in full. Follow its shape.
thick waves cut above the collar A solid mass. Draw the outside shape before any strand.
waves parted in the middle and tucked back Both ears show. The hair makes two wings above them.
wavy hair cut short at the sides Height on top, close at the ears.
wavy hair that frizzes in damp weather Soften the outline with short, light strokes all round.
wavy hair with a deep side part Volume on one side, flat on the other.

Curly and coiled 13

a curly fringe over the brows A row of small loops hides the forehead.
a halo of fine frizz round tighter curls Two textures. Use a lighter line for the outer one.
a tall crown of curls Height above the head equal to half the face.
corkscrew curls of different lengths No two end at the same height.
curls pushed back with both hands The hairline is bare and the mass sits behind it.
curls that spring out at the temples The widest point of the silhouette is beside the eyes.
long ringlets past the shoulders Spirals that hang. Light runs down one side of each.
loose curls to the chin Each curl is a spring. Draw five well and suggest the rest.
short coils cropped close at the sides Texture on top, a smooth fade round the ears.
soft curls flattened on one side They slept on it. Keep the other side full.
springy coils that add a hand of height Measure the head without them first, then add them.
thick coils parted down the middle Two rounded masses, like a pair of brackets.
tight coils in a round shape Draw the outline as one cloud, then texture only the edge.

Cropped or shaved 13

a buzz cut growing out A soft shadow over the whole scalp, darker where it is thicker.
a close crop left longer at the crown A small cap of length on top of a velvet scalp.
a close crop with a cowlick at the front One tuft stands up at the hairline.
a crew cut with a flat top A straight line across the top of the head.
a cropped cut with a pattern shaved in A single curved line above one ear is enough.
a grown-out crop that sticks up at the back Flat on top, a ruffle at the crown.
a head shaved smooth The skull is the drawing. Find the high point and the bump at the back.
a shaved head with a day's regrowth An even grey tone over the skull. Keep the edge at the neck soft.
a shaved head with a neat nape line The line across the back of the neck is the only edge the hair has.
cropped hair with a square hairline The hairline runs straight across, with a corner at each temple.
fine cropped hair that shows the scalp Use the lightest strokes you can make. The skull shows through.
short back and sides with length on top Two textures meet at a line above the ears.
very short hair with a sharp side part The part is a pale line. Keep it straight.

Tied up or covered 13

a braid wound round the head like a crown A raised band from ear to ear over the top.
a bun on top of the head Add a third to the height of the head.
a half-up knot with the rest left down Two outlines: a small one on top, a long one below.
a high ponytail The tail swings from the crown. Pull the hairline tight.
a low bun at the nape It shows as a bump behind the neck from the front.
hair in rows of tight braids to the scalp Parallel lines that follow the curve of the skull.
hair pinned up with strands coming loose The pins are losing. Draw the escapees first.
hair under a hood The hood frames the face in a dark oval.
hair under a knit cap The cap rounds off the skull. Let a little hair escape at the ears.
hair wrapped in a knotted scarf The knot sits above the forehead or at the nape. Choose one.
long locs tied back Thick ropes gathered behind. A few fall forward.
one long braid down the back From the front it shows only at the neck, on one side.
two braids over the shoulders Each braid is a chain of small hearts.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is hair described by its shape and how it is worn, written to follow the feature after the word "and". No hair color is given. The notes are our own drawing advice. Nobody here is a real person. No entry names a nationality, an ethnicity, a religion, a skin tone, a weight or a disability, and no word judges a face. Licence: own work

Expression: all 60 expressions

Pleased 12

beaming, cheeks lifted The cheeks rise and round. The lower lids are pushed up into curves.
content, eyes half shut Nothing is tense. Lower every lid and soften every edge.
delighted, mouth open The upper teeth show as one band. Do not draw each tooth.

Show all 60 expressions (57 more)

Pleased, continued

grinning on one side only One corner rises and that cheek bunches. The other half stays calm.
holding in a laugh Lips pressed, cheeks full, eyes bright. The effort shows in the chin.
laughing with the mouth wide open The jaw drops and the upper lip thins. The eyes close to make room.
pleased and pretending not to be The mouth is level. Only the lower lids give it away.
proud, lips pressed into a small smile The lips press together and curve. The lower lids rise a little.
smiling as if for a school photo The mouth moves and the eyes do not. Leave the lids relaxed.
smiling so that the eyes nearly close Some smiles tighten the muscles at the corners of the eyes too. Push the cheeks up into the lids.
smiling with the mouth closed A smile is made mostly by muscles at each side of the mouth. Pull the corners out before up.
smirking A small lift at one corner and a narrowed eye on the same side.

Cross 12

annoyed, lips pressed thin The mouth becomes a line and the nostrils widen.
bristling, chin thrust forward The lower teeth come in front of the upper. Square the jaw.
coldly unimpressed A flat mouth, level brows and lids that drop a little.
frowning with the brows drawn together In a frown the brows draw together and the forehead wrinkles. Mark two short lines between them.
glaring from under lowered brows The brows hide the top of the eyes. The whites show below the iris.
impatient, breath blown out through the lips Cheeks puffed, lips loose, brows flat.
jaw clenched, saying nothing A knot of muscle shows in front of the ear.
offended, nostrils flared The upper lip stiffens and the wings of the nose lift.
one eyebrow raised in disbelief Only one side of the forehead wrinkles.
rolling the eyes Irises high, a lot of white beneath them, lids half down.
scowling with the mouth turned down Brows low, upper lip raised, corners down. Three shapes pointing the same way.
sulking, lower lip pushed out The lip rolls forward and casts a shadow on the chin.

Surprised 12

alarmed, brows up and together The inner ends of the brows rise. The forehead wrinkles in the middle only.
amazed, eyes round and mouth slack Lids pulled wide and the lower lip hanging a little.
astonished and starting to smile The eyes are still wide while the mouth corners begin to rise.
caught mid-blink One eye shut, one half open. It looks like a photograph.
doing a double take, eyes snapped sideways Both irises are jammed into the same corners. The brows are still rising.
eyebrows raised, mouth slightly open Raised brows fold the forehead into level lines. The jaw just hangs.
gasping, mouth a tall oval The jaw drops straight down. Keep the lips off the teeth.
open-mouthed, about to speak Lips parted, breath drawn in. The tongue shows just behind the lower teeth.
puzzled surprise, one brow up and one down The forehead wrinkles on one side only.
startled, eyes wide White shows all round the iris. The lids have pulled right back.
taken aback, mouth pulled to one side The lips slide off centre and one nostril lifts.
wide-eyed and holding very still Everything is open and nothing moves. Leave out all motion lines.

Sad 12

brows lifted in the middle The inner ends rise and the outer ends drop, like a roof.
close to tears and smiling anyway Corners up, brows up in the middle. The two halves disagree.
disappointed, one corner of the mouth pulled in A dimple of tension beside the lips.
eyes brimming A bright line along the lower lid. Do not draw the tear falling.
eyes lowered, mouth pressed thin The upper lids cover the eyes. The lashes become the darkest line.
homesick, gaze far away The focus is beyond the paper. Soften the pupils.
hurt and hiding it The face is composed. Only the swallow shows, in the neck.
mouth trembling at the corners Make the lip line uneven, as if drawn with a shaky hand.
resigned, lips pursed to one side The mouth slides off centre and one cheek creases.
sighing through parted lips The lips part, the cheeks hollow a little and the brows go slack.
staring at nothing, face slack The eyes do not converge. Point them a little apart.
weary, lids heavy Every line slopes down toward the outside of the face.

Thinking 12

about to object, brows up and breath in The mouth has started to open on one side first.
biting the lower lip The upper teeth show over a lip that has disappeared.
chewing the inside of one cheek One cheek dents inward and the mouth pulls toward it.
eyes narrowed, working something out The lower lids rise. The brows come down a little.
eyes rolled up and to one side, searching The eyes go where the answer is kept. Show white beneath them.
frowning slightly in concentration A frown can mean concentration. One short line between the brows is enough.
gazing at the middle distance The lids relax and the eyes unfocus. Lose the highlights.
lips pursed The mouth gathers to a small ring of creases.
listening hard, mouth a little open The eyes go still and unfocused. The lips part without the jaw dropping.
one eye half shut, taking aim at an idea A deliberate squint on one side only.
tongue between the teeth A small pink shape at one corner. Children and experts both do it.
weighing two answers, eyes flicking side to side Draw the irises off centre and the mouth level.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is an expression, written to end the first sentence after a comma. The facts in the notes were checked on 2026-09-30: that facial expressions come from muscles that move the skin, making lines and folds and moving the mouth and eyebrows (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_expression); that a smile is formed mainly by muscles at each side of the mouth, and that some smiles also tighten the muscles at the corners of the eyes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile); and that in a frown the brows draw together and the forehead wrinkles, with the corners of the mouth turned down (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frown). The rest of each note is our own drawing advice. Nobody here is a real person. No entry names a nationality, an ethnicity, a religion, a skin tone, a weight or a disability, and no word judges a face. Licence: own work

View: all 60 views

From the front 15

from the front, at arm's length A plain, level view. Everything depends on getting the spacing right.
from the front, by a window on one side Soft light that fades across the face. No hard edge anywhere.
from the front, close enough to crop the hair The frame cuts the forehead. The features fill it.

Show all 60 views (57 more)

From the front, continued

from the front, in flat even light No cast shadows. Shape has to come from line alone.
from the front, lit from below Shadows go up. The undersides of nose, lip and brow are bright.
from the front, lit from directly above The sockets fill with shadow and the nose casts a small one on the lip.
from the front, lit from the left The nose casts its shadow to the right. Half the face goes a tone darker.
from the front, lit from the right Mirror what you usually do. It shows you your habits.
from the front, with a strong light high on one side Look for a small lit triangle under the eye on the darker cheek.
from the front, with one side in deep shadow Draw only the lit half. Let the rest go dark.
from the front, with the forehead toward the viewer More top of the head, less neck. The features bunch low.
from the front, with the head tilted left The eye line tilts too. Keep the features square to it.
from the front, with the head tipped back You see under the jaw and into the nostrils.
from the front, with the light behind them The face is a dark shape with a bright edge.
from the front, with the shoulders turned away The body is at an angle and the face is not. Twist the neck.

Three-quarter view 15

in a near profile, the far cheek just showing This is as far as the head can turn before it is a profile.
in three-quarter view, cropped at the collarbones Leave room on the side the face points toward.
in three-quarter view, crown tilted away The chin comes forward and you see under the cheekbone.
in three-quarter view, crown tilted toward the viewer The crown comes forward and the chin goes back.
in three-quarter view, facing left The far eye is narrower and tucked against the nose.
in three-quarter view, facing right The far cheek is a thin curve beyond the nose.
in three-quarter view, from just behind the shoulder You see more ear and neck than face.
in three-quarter view, head tipped back The jaw becomes a long line and the nostrils show.
in three-quarter view, head tipped forward The brow overlaps the far eye.
in three-quarter view, in half shadow Split the face along the nose. Squint to see the two shapes.
in three-quarter view, light on the far side The near cheek is dark and the profile edge is bright.
in three-quarter view, light on the near side The far side falls into shadow and the nose divides the two.
in three-quarter view, lit from above The cheekbone catches the light and everything under it is tone.
in three-quarter view, shoulders square to the viewer The head has turned and the body has not. One neck cord stands out.
in three-quarter view, with the light behind A rim of light down the profile edge.

Profile 15

in profile, against a bright window The edge glows and the features are lost.
in profile, as a plain silhouette Fill it in. The outline has to do everything.
in profile, close up on the nose and lips Crop at the eye and the chin.
in profile, facing left The eye is a sideways V. Do not draw it as an almond.
in profile, facing right The ear sits behind the midpoint of the head, not on it.
in profile, lit from behind A dark face with a bright line down the back of the neck.
in profile, lit from the front The face is bright and the back of the head falls into tone.
in profile, with a lamp on the far side The whole face is shadow and its edge is drawn in light.
in profile, with the face angled toward the floor The brow leads and the nose points down. The crown is the top of the frame.
in profile, with the face angled toward the sky The chin leads and the forehead slopes away.
in profile, with the far shoulder showing A slight turn. The far shoulder peeks out behind the neck.
in profile, with the head bowed The crown leads and the face is foreshortened.
in profile, with the head tipped back The throat becomes the longest line in the drawing.
in profile, with the light from above A shadow under the brow, the nose and the lower lip.
in profile, with the neck drawn back The neck folds and the back of the skull rises.

From above or below 15

from a low side angle, lit from the far side The near side is dark and the edge of the far cheek is bright.
from above, in profile The top of the skull is a wide curve. The nose shortens.
from above, lying back, face to the sky The face is upside down to you. Draw it that way.
from above, three-quarter view The far eye drops below the near one.
from above, with the face turned up to the light The eyes open wide and catch the highlight.
from below, in profile The underside of the jaw is a flat plane. The nose lengthens.
from below, leaning over the viewer Hair hangs forward and the face is in its own shade.
from below, lit from above The underside of everything is dark.
from below, three-quarter view The jaw line sweeps up to the ear.
from directly behind, head turned to show one cheek The back of the head with one lash and the tip of the nose.
from far below, looking up the nose The nostrils and jaw dominate. The eyes are slits.
from high above, looking down on the crown The forehead is large and the chin almost gone.
from over their shoulder, face half turned Mostly hair and ear, with the edge of a cheek.
from slightly above You see more of the crown. The features sit lower on the head.
from slightly below You see under the chin. The features sit higher on the head.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is a head angle and a light, written to follow the words "Draw them". One lighting term in the notes was checked on 2026-09-30: the lit triangle under the eye on the shaded side of the face, with the main light high and to one side (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt_lighting). The rest of each note is our own drawing advice. Nobody here is a real person. No entry names a nationality, an ethnicity, a religion, a skin tone, a weight or a disability, and no word judges a face. Licence: own work

How it works

Each press describes a person nobody has met: an age, a face shape, one feature, hair, an expression and the angle to draw them from. It stops at the shoulders, so the practice is a portrait.

Read the full guide

A person drawing generator that stops at the shoulders

Six parts lock separately: who, face, feature, hair, expression and view. Lock the face and the hair, change the expression five times, and you have one person in five moods, which is how a model sheet starts.

Build the head before the features

Block the face shape first, then draw the one feature the result names and keep the others plain. The lists under the tool carry a note for every entry: a frown brings the eyebrows together and wrinkles the forehead, and a view from below shows the underside of the jaw.

Draw only the head shape and the hair first. Features go in last.
Print 30 and fill a page with small heads, one for each line.
Lock everything except View and draw the same person from three angles.

Questions and answers

Is this a random person to draw generator with photos?

No. It writes a description and shows no photograph or picture, and nobody it describes is real. The result is a brief, like a note from an art director, and the face it leads to is your own invention.

Why is there no skin tone, weight or clothing?

The lists hold shapes a pencil can draw and that read kindly beside every other entry: age, face, one feature, hair, expression, angle and light. Hair has a shape and no colour. Everything else about the person is yours to choose.

How do artists measure a head?

Figure drawing measures in heads, crown to chin. An average adult stands about seven and a half heads tall, and a child's head is larger in proportion, which is why the Who part changes the drawing.

Can I get only children or only older adults?

No. The tool deals from the whole of each list and cannot filter by group. Lock Who when the age you want comes up, then keep pressing for the other five.