Before I begin, I want to point out that this is a guideline, and that this isn't the only way to draw a head in profile. This is a way that I'm comfortable with. Try it out, but then find a way that suits you, and your style. If it's the same as this, fine ^^.
I also want to point out that the drawings are better at explaining themselves than the text.
The Basics
1:
Draw an oval shape.
So far so good!
2:
Draw a straight line like in the drawing. Connect the line smoothly to the oval at both ends, as the drawing shows more clearly.
3:
Draw out what will then become the nose. Put a guideline just above the bridge of the nose to help with the placement of the eye. This is the basic head shape.
4:
Now to start with the details! I usually draw the outline of the nose and lips first. Use the line that is already there to guide you. Bring out the chin a bit too.
Then draw the jaw outline. (Note: some manga styles don't define the jaw, but I personally find that it helps place the ear.) Draw the basic ear shape. Then draw the basic neck outline.
5:
Now to the fun part! The details! Draw, using the guideline to place them, the eye and the eyebrow. By drawing a simple eye first, like in the drawing, you don’t get something that looks out of place or messy in the final product. You can make it more detailed and pretty later ^^!
Then draw the details of the ear. (Note: I find drawing the ear difficult, so I usually look at pictures to help guide me. It is not cheating! XD) When drawing in the hair, don’t forget to have a good deal of volume. (Go crazy! Manga hair is a lot of fun to draw!)
And there we have the finished drawing! You can erase the guidelines now.
Different Characters
Here are examples of how, by using the same starting basic shapes, you can get very different looking characters.
The female version:
Notice that the eye has more detail, such as a shine and eyelashes etc. I think a general rule of thumb for female characters is to use somewhat more delicate lines than with male characters. Again, the hair has a lot of volume.
The grinning version:
Thought I'd add a little expression. Note that this is an older male character and therefore has an Adam's apple. In this case, you can't cheat with the head shape, because there's no hair to cover it!
The I-have-no-lips version:
This version just leaves in the basic shape from step 3, so that the line connecting the nose to the chin is straight. It gives the kind of cartoony look typical of shonen manga. It works well with younger characters.
One manga where you can find with this style is Hiroyuki Takei’s Shaman King.
Conclusion
In general, start simple, and then add the details. I know that it gets tiresome when people say that practice makes perfect. (Trust me, I’ve been there.) BUT, there was a piece of advice that I read in a book once (ok, ok it was How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. Don’t hate me for it.) Basically, just doodle! Doodling is a lot of fun and can be done anywhere and almost on anything! My school notes are full of them! Finally, find a style that suits you.
Image probro
I thought as a bonus I would add a spontaneous manga-ish profile I drew of my brother with a biro pen on a scrap piece of paper while we watching TV. See, doodling!
