How to Draw Eyelashes – Learn How to Create Your Own Eyelash Sketch

In this tutorial, we will be learning how to draw eyelashes. Eyelashes are a unique aspect of the eye and can be contextualizing feature of the eyes. Creating an eyelash sketch, where you work out how different eyelashes define masculine and feminine qualities is a great skill to learn. Creating different types of lashes drawings can be a great way to explore character-defining features subtly. Understanding how to draw eyelashes is a significant aspect of drawing eyes, and the best part is that it is super easy. In this tutorial, we will explore some different lengths and shapes in our eyelashes drawings. This way, we can intentionally emphasize either masculine or feminine qualities within the eye. Eyelash sketches can be such a fun and effective way to give a character discerning features that are unique to the eye.

An Easy Guide to Drawing Eyelashes

A lashes drawing is really easy and fun. Realistic eyelashes drawing has more to do with the eye rather than drawing the eyelashes themself. The eye is what contextualizes the eyelashes, however, in this tutorial we won’t be focusing too much on the eye but rather on different eyelash shapes and forms that can be placed onto the eye.

As we explore both a feminine and masculine approach to our eyelashes drawing, we will see how they can contextualize the eye. However, all eyes are different and both males and females can have either shorter or longer lashes.

This said we will explore how we can intentionally give a more feminine or masculine quality to our lashes drawings with a few simple steps. By doing this, we will give ourselves some options for character-defining features by using subtle features like eyelashes to achieve different effects in the eye. So, without further ado, let us see what we will need in this tutorial.

Necessary Materials

In this eyelash tutorial, you can use whichever materials are available to you. Again, we won’t put too much emphasis on the eyes themself, but rather we will be focusing on the lashes and their shape. This means that you will want to keep the eye drawing relatively light, so perhaps using an HB pencil is best.

If you have an iPad or digital device, you can also follow the steps using the tools available to you.

From there, we will explore the mark-making approach for eyelashes with a darker medium: this can be a pen for example. This tutorial will demonstrate the drawing process using a digital device, although, the tutorial can also be done using conventional drawing tools as well with the below materials.

• HB pencil
• Ballpoint pen
• Eraser
• Sharpener
• Good paper (200 g/m – 250 g/m recommended)

Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Draw Eyelashes

In this tutorial, we will be learning how to draw eyelashes in two different ways. First, we will look at creating more elegant and feminine long lashes. We will then also learn how to create simpler, shorter lashes that can be used within more masculine features. Again, eyelashes are all different and each of these approaches can be used for either feminine or masculine eyes.

However, the intention is to create different lashes so as to allow for a variety of different character drawings. Now that we know what to expect, let us get into it.

Drawing Feminine Eyelashes

We will begin by drawing feminine eyelashes, where we will learn a few simple tricks that give the lashes an elegant, feminine quality. Lashes are quite simple in structure, which means the simplest of changes can define them quite significantly.

That being said, let us go through the few steps on how to draw eyelashes with a feminine quality.

Step 1: Drawing a Feminine Eye

We won’t put too much emphasis on the eye drawing aspect of the tutorial; however, we do want to have a general well-drawn eye so that we can see how the eyelashes are placed on the eye. We can begin by taking our pencils and proceed to draw a feminine eye.

A good suggestion is to use an image from the internet for reference.

Using a reference image from the internet to help guide your drawing process is a great way to capture the shape correctly. We won’t need to put too much detail into the drawing but we want to make sure we at least draw the essential aspects of the eye.

Make sure you capture all the necessary details of the eyes such as the pupils and iris, making sure that we have a relatively accurate eye to place lashes into. As you draw a feminine eye, using a reference image will also allow you to notice subtle details. Often, there are subtle details in the shape and details around the eye that can define the eye in an incredibly distinct way.

These details can be defined as either male or female.

We don’t want to work in a lot of detail, but we do want to capture the basic qualities of the eye. This means we can add in a reflection in the eye, and perhaps folds around the eye.

We don’t need to worry too much about adding in eyebrows, however, you can if you would like. However, want to make sure that we add in some light shading to define the upper and bottom eyelids within the eye.

Adding in more detail is always going to be better for seeing how the eyelashes sit on the eyes, but it is not necessary. It is important to capture the eyelid form and some shading around the eye to give it some dimension.

We will be lightly erasing our drawing after drawing it, which is why we don’t want to spend too much time on eye drawing.

Step 2: Lightly Erasing the Eye

We will now proceed to lightly erase the eye. By doing this, we will see a starker and contrasting effect in the eyelashes when drawing them. This will allow us to see how they are placed on the eye without being too distracted by the eye itself.

Step 3: Drawing the Upper Eyelashes

We can now proceed to draw the lashes on the upper eyelid. Feminine lashes generally are pointed upward, which means we want to draw curved lines moving in an upward direction. We can do this by using a flick-of-the-wrist type of motion or we can draw them slowly.

Either way is fine, as long as they face and curve upward from the eyelid.

The upper eyelid has an arched shape that moves over the eye, so we want to make sure that the lashes flow with the shape of the eyelid’s arch shape. The lashes move in different directions determined by the shape of the eyelid. This means that the eyelids’ curvature will make the lashes point along a curved axis.

Once you have the form of the eyelid and understand the placement of the lashes, we can allow ourselves to be playful with how thick we want the eyelashes to seem. Creating more density in the lashes also gives the eyes a feminine touch.

Bear that in mind if you are interested in making them seem feminine.

Again, the form of the lashes is a curve lined going in an upward direction. This means the curved part of the lash can go down before going upward. Think of it as drawing a U-shape. We also want to consider the fine tip of each lash.

Capturing the thicker base and fine tip of lashes can be done by using a flick motion. By drawing the U-shape with a flick motion, we will instinctively press harder around the base and softer near the tip of the lash. This will give the lashes a seamless transition from a thick base to a thin tip.

As we draw lashes near the inner eye, we can make sure they are lesser and shorter.

Step 4: Drawing the Bottom Eyelashes

As we draw the bottom eyelashes, we want to keep in mind that they will always be fewer than that of the upper eyelashes. The bottom eyelashes will also flow along the ridge of the bottom eyelid, mirroring the top set.

However, this time, the lashes will curve downward instead of upward.

We want to make sure that the density is primarily near the outer area of the eye, similar to that of the upper eyelashes. Again, we want to make sure that we do not draw too many bottom eyelashes, as this will seem strange and unrealistic.

We want to make sure that as we draw the bottom lashes, they are curving in a downward direction. We can have one or two moving in a different direction to suggest that they might be stuck weirdly. This is actually quite common and gives the lashes an organic realistic quality.

And that is how to draw eyelashes with a feminine touch!

Drawing Masculine Eyelashes

The drawing process is exactly the same for the masculine eyelashes, however, there are a few subtle differences that we will go through along the way. Lashes are very simple in their form, which means the smallest details can help to define them as either masculine or feminine.

Let us go through the process of drawing slightly more masculine eyelashes.

Step 1: Drawing a Masculine Eye

We will start by simply drawing the eye. You can do this with your pencil or on a digital device if that is what you are using. Again, we don’t want to perfect the eye, but a sketch with all the essential features is necessary.

We want to make sure that we form the eye correctly, so a good suggestion is to use a reference image of a male eye to give you a better chance of drawing the eye correctly. We want to make sure that we capture the iris and pupil as correctly as we can.

Additionally, we also want to capture the details around the eye.

Adding in some light shading and drawing marks to emphasize the eyelids is also essential. This is because we want to make sure that we place the eyelashes correctly.

When learning how to draw eyelashes, creating a realistic eye drawing first will be helpful. However, we not putting too much emphasis on the eye but rather on the lashes and how they are placed on the eye.

So, it is up to you whether you want to make your eye very detailed or not.

Step 2: Lightly Erasing the Eye

Once we have a relatively well-drawn eye, we can lightly erase the eye drawing. By doing this, we going to emphasize the eyelashes on the eye without being distracted by all the details of the eye itself.

Step 3: Drawing the Upper Eyelashes

With the feminine eyelashes, we gave them a slight flick that allows them to elegantly curve upwards from the eye. With the masculine approach, we want to keep the lashes less curved and facing in a downward direction.

The lashes should have a subtle curve but move in a downward direction, almost covering the eye itself.

The eyelashes also don’t need to be as thick or as long as that of the feminine approach. We can keep them relatively thin and straight. The lashes will again follow the ridge and arch shape of the upper eyelid. The lashes near the outer area of the eye will face outward and can be slightly longer.

The main difference between the feminine and the masculine eyes is that the lashes curve less. Additionally, they point straighter and more downward. Other than that, the lashes will still move along the form of the eyelid, and point outwardly near the outer area of the eye.

From here, you can explore giving the eyelashes more density than you would like. However, to see the difference, we want to keep the density to less than that of the feminine eyelashes. Again, both the feminine and masculine approach to eyelashes is interchangeable.

It is just good to see how different eyelashes are formed and how they have different effects on the eye.

Step 4: Drawing the Bottom Eyelashes

The bottom of the male eye is similar in process to that of the feminine approach. The bottom eyelashes will also fall along the bottom eyelid ridge, which will determine their direction. The bottom eyelashes for the masculine effect will also curve downward and away from the eye.

However, we can have fewer eyelashes for the masculine version.

As you draw the bottom eyelashes, the density will also be more towards the outer area of the eye. Towards the inner area of the eye, the lashes get shorter and a little less. This applies to the upper lashes as well.

And that is it, a simple process of drawing eyelashes with a masculine quality.

Tips to Remember

• Explore curvature for feminine features. Eyelashes have a unique curvature to them, which can suggest a softer and more elegant quality in the eye.
• Explore straighter for masculine. Often, although not all the time, men have shorter and straighter lashes, so try to explore the straighter lines from masculine effects.
• You can also mix and match. Some women have shorter and thinner lashes and some men have darker and longer lashes, play around with the skills you have learned in your own eye drawings.
• Remember the flick action. You want to give your pen or pencil a quick flick action; this will produce a thicker base and thinner tip for each lash.
• Lashes are just lines. You can explore how dense or thin you would like your lashes to be.
• Lashes are always lower in quantity at the bottom eyelid. Keep this in mind, as a rule, otherwise, your drawing will seem strange if there are more bottom lashes than the upper lashes.

The process of creating an “eyelashes” drawing is somewhat the same for both the masculine and feminine effects. The main differences are the curvature and density of the eyelashes. Adding more curvature suggests a more manicured and cared-for eyelash which suggests elegance and has the connotations of a feminine touch. The straighter and less curved lashes suggest a more masculine quality. However, all eyes are different and both men and women can have either of the two styles. So, now that you know how to draw eyelashes, play around and see how you can add them to different characters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Hand Motion for Drawing Lashes on the Eyes?

When drawing eyelashes, there is a particular hand motion you want to get right. If you think about real-life eyelashes, they are quite simple because they are just lines. However, the subtle detail is seen in the comparison between the base and tip of the lash. you can capture this by using a flick-of-the-hand type of motion. By doing a sharp flick of the hand, we can define the wider base and thinner tip simply because the flick makes that happen itself. This works for shorter lashes because we don’t need to worry too much about curvature at the end of the lash like that of long lashes. When drawing long lashes, you can also use this method, but you want to make sure the flick has a subtle curve at the end of the lash. The other method is to simply draw the lash by pressing harder and then slightly lightening your touch. This is a more controlled way but can take longer.

How Do You Draw Bottom Eyelashes?

Bottom lashes are generally a little lower in density and number along the bottom eyelid. With bottom lashes, you simply want to draw fewer thin and soft lines. The bottom lashes are also generally seen from the top, which means they move in a downward direction. You can also draw them going in different directions, although you will want to make sure that they move along the shape of the eye in an accurate formation. In other words, the eye is rounded and we want to draw lashes in a way that moves around the bottom of the eyelid in that circular, curved formation. However, you can also have some going in different directions here and there to suggest a more natural and realistic quality of non-uniformity. That is the basic way of drawing bottom eyelashes.

Matthew Matthysen( Drawing and Painting Artist )

Matthew Matthysen is an educated multidisciplinary artist and illustrator. He successfully completed his art degree at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, majoring in art history and contemporary drawing. The focus of his thesis was to explore the philosophical implications of the macro and micro-universe on the human experience. Matthew uses diverse media, such as written and hands-on components, to explore various approaches that are on the border between philosophy and science.

Matthew organized various exhibitions before and during his years as a student and is still passionate about doing so today. He currently works as a freelance artist and writer in various fields. He also has a permanent position at a renowned online gallery (ArtGazette) where he produces various works on commission. As a freelance artist, he creates several series and successfully sells them to galleries and collectors. He loves to use his work and skills in various fields of interest.

Matthew has been creating drawing and painting tutorials since the relaunch in 2020. Through his involvement with artincontext.org, he has been able to deepen his knowledge of various painting mediums. For example, watercolor techniques, calligraphy and lately digital drawing, which is becoming more and more popular.

Learn more about Matthew Matthysen and the Art in Context Team.