How to Draw and Shade a Realistic Nose (Side View) in Pencil or Graphite Simple Steps Lesson

Here is an easy-to-follow, step by step tutorial for drawing a realistic nose from the side. You can use a normal pencil or graphite drawing pencils. Drawing a nose from the side is much easier than drawing a nose from the front, so this is a great place to start. I will show you how to add shadows to turn a flat line drawing into a 3-dimensional drawing of a nose. Follow along with the tutorial below.

Drawing Materials

(1) Graphite pencils are optional but preferred. I got this cheaper set of graphite pencils and I actually like them a lot.

(2) Gray paper is optional. It is much easier to draw a tinted paper when it comes to facial features. Here is a good gray-toned drawing pad.

(3) Eraser. I usually use types of erasers. I use (a) A white drawing eraser and (2) Kneaded eraser

Learn How to Draw and Shade a Realistic Nose (Side View) in Pencil or Graphite Simple Steps Lesson

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Written-Out Step by Step Drawing Instructions

I find that it is easier to draw people’s faces and facial features on gray or tan paper. You don’t have to though. This is optional.

(Steps 1-4) The first step is drawing guidelines for the nose. These guidelines will help you figure out where to draw the lines of the nose, as well as where to shade. Even though my guidelines are in blue, you should either draw them with a pencil or an HB graphite pencil.

(Step 5) You should lighten these lines as much as you can with an eraser. I have to keep my lines darker so that you can still see them.

Then, you can start drawing the features of the nose. Use the guidelines to help you figure out where to place them.

(Step 6) Draw a shape that resembles a #15 shape. This will be the shadow beneath the nose.

(Step 7) I have lightened some of the lines a bit. Dark lines won’t look realistic. A kneaded eraser works well for this.

Now we will start adding shadows. Let’s first start shading the darker shadows. I use a crosshatch method where I draw lines in different directions on top of each other. If using graphite pencils, use a 2B.

(Steps 8 + 9) Continue to add dark shadows.

(Step 10a) When going from dark to light or vice versa, try to make a gradient by getting the values to almost match up. Do this by lightly drawing more lines until it is almost as dark as the line next to it.

(Step  10b) Now let’s add some midtones and lighter shading. If using graphite, use an HB pencil.

(Steps 11 + 12) Keep adding more shading so that the lighter shadows and darker shadows form a more realistic gradient.

(Step 13) I used a white pencil to add some highlights to the center of the nose. I started with gray paper, so I can do that. If you have white paper, just use an eraser to erase out a highlight.

(Steps 14 + 15) Just darkening some of the shadows to add more contrast.

You are done, I hope that your nose turned out great!

If you want all of the steps in one picture, find it below

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