How to Draw a Realistic Eye in Charcoal - Excerpts from Live Lesson

By Matt Fussell

The video featured on this page featured excerpts taken of an hour long live lesson that aired in the member section of this site on January 16, 2013.  To see the video in real time, complete with commentary, visit the Charcoal Drawing of an Eye Live Lesson section of this site.

It's no secret that I love to draw eyes.  In fact, this website is littered with tutorials on drawing eyes.  Everybody has that favorite subject that they like to draw, and I guess mine just happens to be eyes. The tutorial featured on this page is on drawing eyes using charcoal.

In this demonstration, I am using vine charcoal, compressed charcoal (pencil form), and white compressed charcoal (also pencil form) on gray drawing paper. The tooth of the paper is relatively smooth and is about equivalent to 80 lb. drawing paper.  I am working from a photo reference.

Here's a quick look at the steps involved...

Step One -Define the contours

Step Two - Fill in the pupil

Step Three - Begin layering value
outward from the pupil

Step Four - Continue Layering
values.

Step Five - Fill in values around the
pupil.

Step Six - Add value to areas around the
eye.

Step Seven - Add the eyelashes

Step Eight - The completed drawing.

The following video features excerpts from the full one hour tutorial...