&nbsp;

sketches of lips - hook intro

not a step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a mouth. will analyze various sketches of lips by first describing their characteristics and then comparing and contrasting those characteristics. by carefully studying this sketches, you should get some insight as to what you want or don't want to do when you sketch lips of your own
<h2>How a Simple Lips Drawing Might Look Before It Has Shading</h2>
To start things off, we will look at four examples of drawings of simple lips. Each simple lips drawing that follows is actually <a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/are-you-a-lazy-artist-if-you-just-make-line-drawing-portraits/">a line drawing</a> before any tones are added for shading. Look for what each lip line drawing has in common with the others and what is different about each one.

In this first very simple drawing, you can see a rough outline of the lips of a person turned slightly to the right. There is a little indication of the white border that traces the upper lip. There is also an indication of shadow under the lower lip. This lip sketch has the vertical lines that are characteristic of lips in real life but often missing in many drawn lips. Additionally, you can see some oval-shaped areas that help place highlights on the lips.

<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-01.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3303" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-01.jpg" alt="sketches of lips simple lips drawing 01" width="600" height="350" /></a></span>

&nbsp;

This pair of lips belongs to a mouth that is facing forward and slightly open. As in the previous example, it shows the vertical lines, but in this case the lines are more subtle and only on the bottom lip where they are more prominent. There are two highlight spots on the lower lip. The line along the upper lip helps to signify a darker shadowy area where the lip curves inward.

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-02.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3304" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-02.jpg" alt="sketches of lips simple lips drawing 02" width="600" height="228" /></a>

&nbsp;

Here we have another pair of lips belonging to a forward-facing mouth, but in this case the lips are closed. There are a few indications of the lips' vertical lines on the top and bottom lip. Notice again in this lip line drawing that highlights and shadow areas are carefully placed to prepare for shading later on.

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-03.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3305" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-03.jpg" alt="sketches of lips simple lips drawing 03" width="600" height="249" /></a>

&nbsp;

The sketch below is of a pair of lips belonging to a face that is looking slightly downward. For this reason, the top lip looks a bit more pronounced than the bottom lip. This lip sketch includes details placed in the corners of the mouth, which add to any expression (however little) the mouth may be giving.

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-04.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3306" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-simple-lips-drawing-04.jpg" alt="sketches of lips simple lips drawing 04" width="600" height="229" /></a>

&nbsp;

Let's now consider the four drawings we just saw in this section and see how they are alike. Since all four drawings are line drawings, they are at the beginning stages of a final piece of work. Each line drawing has careful placement of lip highlights on the bottom lip and shadow under the bottom lip.

As for differences, some have highlights on the top lip while others have shadow along the top lip. While each lip drawing has the vertical lines characteristic of all lips in real life, you will have to judge for yourself if it's best to go with more detail or take the "less is more" approach and just subtly indicate them, as in the second example.
<h2><span style="line-height: 1.5;">lip shading - sketches of lips; </span></h2>
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">intro - tones not blended with a tortillion; each lip shading will have the corresponding lip line drawing from the previous section for comparison purposes</span>

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-01.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3297" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-01.jpg" alt="sketches of lips lip shading 01" width="1401" height="392" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-02.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3298" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-02.jpg" alt="sketches of lips lip shading 02" width="1405" height="405" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-03.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3299" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-03.jpg" alt="sketches of lips lip shading 03" width="1410" height="426" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-04.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3300" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-04.jpg" alt="sketches of lips lip shading 04" width="1410" height="414" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-05.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3301" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-lip-shading-05.jpg" alt="sketches of lips lip shading 05" width="600" height="327" /></a>

closing - compare and contrast - lip shading

smiling lips sketch

intro

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-lips-sketch-01.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3307" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-lips-sketch-01.jpg" alt="sketches of lips smiling lips sketch 01" width="600" height="403" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-lips-sketch-02.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3308" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-lips-sketch-02.jpg" alt="sketches of lips smiling lips sketch 02" width="600" height="325" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-lips-sketch-03.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3309" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-lips-sketch-03.jpg" alt="sketches of lips smiling lips sketch 03" width="600" height="400" /></a>

closing - compare and contrast - smiling lips sketch

smiling mouth sketch

intro - two very different sketches of lips

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-mouth-sketch-01.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3310" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-mouth-sketch-01.jpg" alt="sketches of lips smiling mouth sketch 01" width="600" height="282" /></a>

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-mouth-sketch-02.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3311" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-smiling-mouth-sketch-02.jpg" alt="sketches of lips smiling mouth sketch 02" width="600" height="434" /></a>

closing - compare and contrast - smiling mouth sketch

biting lip sketch

intro

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-biting-lip-sketch-01.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3296" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-biting-lip-sketch-01.jpg" alt="sketches of lips biting lip sketch 01" width="600" height="415" /></a>

pic #2

closing - compare and contrast - biting lip sketch

open mouth sketch

intro

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-open-mouth-sketch-01.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3302" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips-open-mouth-sketch-01.jpg" alt="sketches of lips open mouth sketch 01" width="665" height="565" /></a>

pic #2

closing - compare and contrast - open mouth sketch

sketch of lips - sketches of lips

intro (+edit pic below by adding two new sketches)

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3312" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sketches-of-lips.jpg" alt="sketches of lips" width="1600" height="751" /></a>

closing - compare and contrast - sketch of lips

conclusion - sketches of lips