Considering Lucy Liu is currently starring in the CBS television show <em>Elementary</em> as Dr. Joan Watson, working alongside Sherlock Holmes to solve crimes, I could not resist the reference in this tutorial's title! Whether you are a fan of the show or not, the title is still fitting if you have ever thought about drawing Lucy Liu.

In this tutorial, we will take the same approach to drawing Lucy Liu that Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson take to solving mysteries. We will make small and careful observations.

So without further ado, let's see how to draw Lucy Liu!

We will try to draw Lucy as she is depicted in the reference photo below.

[caption id="attachment_1137" align="aligncenter" width="333"]<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Lucy-Liu-reference-photo.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1137" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Lucy-Liu-reference-photo.jpg" alt=" © Carrienelson1 | Dreamstime.com" width="333" height="500" /></a> <strong> © <a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/carrienelson1_info">Carrienelson1</a> | <a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/">Dreamstime.com</a></strong>[/caption]

We will make some careful measurements to properly place Lucy's facial features.
<h3>Draw an Outline of the Head</h3>
The head is 3 inches tall on the reference photo. Scaled my drawing twice the size of my reference photo.

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-head-outline.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1145" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-head-outline.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu head outline" width="800" height="273" /></a>
<h3> Correctly Place the Eyes</h3>
Three inches from the top

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-placement.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1154" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-placement.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu eye placement" width="800" height="364" /></a>

&nbsp;

Guidelines for eyelashes

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-placement-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1151" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-placement-2.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu eye placement 2" width="375" height="500" /></a>
<h3>Draw Lines to Place Her Nose</h3>
The nose goes here

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-nose-placement.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1155" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-nose-placement.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu nose placement" width="800" height="363" /></a>

&nbsp;

Add ball, wings, and nostrils

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-nose-placement-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1156" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-nose-placement-2.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu nose placement 2" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;
<h3>Draw Lucy's Mouth</h3>
Mouth text approx msmts follow

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-mouth-placement.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1159" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-mouth-placement.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu mouth placement" width="800" height="373" /></a>

Teeth and bottom lip

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-mouth-placement-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1158" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-mouth-placement-2.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu mouth placement 2" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;
<h3>Placing the Ear and Eyebrow</h3>
Here's how

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-ear-placement.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1160" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-ear-placement.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu ear placement" width="800" height="366" /></a>

&nbsp;

and put eyebrows under the line like so

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eyebrows-placement.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1161" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eyebrows-placement.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu eyebrows placement" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;
<h3>Finish Up the Line Drawing</h3>
Lucy's cheekbones

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-face-outline.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1162" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-face-outline.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu face outline" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;

Make a hairline. doesn't have to look natural yet

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-hair-outline.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1163" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-hair-outline.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu hair outline" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;

erased guidelines. here is what you should have for lucy liu so far. before going any further, take a close look at the reference photo and your line drawing. make any needed adjustments before we add shading.

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-erased-guidelines.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1164" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-erased-guidelines.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu erased guidelines" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;
<h3>Add Detail to Lucy's Eyes</h3>
Dark tones

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-details.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1166" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-details.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu eye details" width="800" height="355" /></a>

Details to eyebrows light strands

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-details-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1167" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-eye-details-2.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu eye details 2" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;
<h3>Complete Lucy's Nose, Mouth, and Ear</h3>
See how

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-face-details.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1168" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-face-details.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu face details" width="800" height="351" /></a>

Shading to enhance facial features and highlight personal character traits

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-face-details-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1169" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-face-details-2.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu face details 2" width="375" height="500" /></a>

&nbsp;
<h3>Add in the Hair in Layers</h3>
Observe how volume is added by strands of hair flowing from the hairline

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-hair-details.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1170" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu-hair-details.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu hair details" width="800" height="354" /></a>

Finishing Touches

Garment. carefully observe the reference photo. go back and add any other fine details to the face that you may have missed. there you have it. objective and some of mystery out of drawing lucy liu

<a href="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1171" src="http://www.letsdrawpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/drawing-lucy-liu.jpg" alt="drawing lucy liu" width="375" height="500" /></a>