A favorite make-up technique for makeup artists – arrows – dates back to the time of Ancient Egypt.
Noble Egyptians emphasized their eyes with jet-black eyeliner, which was made from natural materials. Surprisingly, thick arrows, like those of Cleopatra, are still relevant!
It was the arrows that became the hallmark of cult movie images. Everyone remembers Marilyn Monroe’s sexy eyeliner, Brigitte Bardot’s feline arrows, and Elizabeth Taylor’s legendary makeup as Cleopatra.
To draw the right arrows in front of your eyes, you will need skills and honed skills. Fortunately, they can be trained. When you succeed, you can easily and quickly make an expressive make-up for the day or for the evening.
For arrows, different means are used: a pencil, cream or liquid eyeliner, a felt-tip liner, and even shadows. To make everything work smoothly and neatly, put your elbow on support. For a flawless result, you will also need concealer and mascara. The concealer will even out the color of the area around the eyes and will serve as an excellent base for eye makeup, and with the help of mascara, you will create the effect of a wide look.
In this article, we will tell you how to draw arrows on the eyes with a pencil and liquid eyeliner and how to choose the perfect arrow for your eyes.
How to draw arrows on the eyes with eyeliner
There are different types of eyeliner on the market today. We will show you how to choose the right option to draw perfect arrows.
So, choose eyeliner for arrows on the eyes:
- Pencil – easy to use, suitable for beginners, the pencil arrow is easy to shade and correct.
- Felt pen eyeliner – a little more difficult to use than a pencil; does not fade, but a convenient tip allows you to draw neat arrows of any width.
- Cream or gel eyeliner – long-lasting texture, dries quickly, the lines are bright.
- Liquid leash – the most difficult option, suitable for advanced ones.
How to draw arrows on the eyes with liquid eyeliner in stages:
- Cover the upper eyelid with a primer, concealer, or shades of a natural shade.
- Draw a ponytail, as if continuing the line given by the lower eyelid. Arrows are executed on the open eye.
- Draw a line along the upper eyelash contour with eyeliner.
- Connect it to the tail of the arrow.
- If necessary, you can correct the errors with a concealer.
How to choose an arrow for the shape of the eye
You have mastered the step-by-step instructions for creating a classic arrow. But each face requires an individual approach, so we asked makeup artists how to adapt the arrows to different eye shapes.
- Small eyes. If you have small eyes, pull the tail of the arrow more towards the temple. From the other end, extend the line all the way to the inner corner.
- Close-set eyes. Bring the tail of the arrow far beyond the outer corner, and draw a line along the upper eyelid only to the middle of the eye – this way you will balance the proportions of the face.
- Far-set eyes. In this case, your task, on the contrary, is to visually bring the eyes closed. To do this, draw a very small tail, and lead the body of the arrow to the inner corner.
- Hanging eyelid. Draw an arrow on the open eye. Start bringing the tail up, not yet reaching the outer corner. Connect the tip to the body of the arrow with a smooth line.
- Bulging eyes. Make wide arrows, and bring the lower eyelid and mucous membrane with a soft pencil.
Types of arrows for the eyes
Classic – a universal arrow that visually increases the density of eyelashes and emphasizes the natural shape of the eyes.
“Cat’s eye” – a thick arrow with an upturned tail and a painted inner corner. Creates a languid sexy image.
Arabic – is an eyeliner around the entire contour of the eye, including the inner corners and mucous membranes.
Double – an arrow with two tails. To create it, draw a classic arrow and add a line along the lower eyelid, finishing it with a neat little tip. For a more expressive result, paint over the mucous membranes and the space between the eyelashes.
Creative – there are many options: colored, reverse, arrows in the style of negative space, etc.
Stencil or arrows on the eyes
Stencils will help to draw perfectly even arrows in front of the eyes. They are single and reusable. The former are usually paper stickers, while the latter is made from silicone or plastic.
Stencil stickers are conveniently attached to the eyelids, leaving hands free. Reusable stencils for arrows on the eyes will have to be held with one hand, so you will be somewhat limited in your movements.
In addition, on sale, you can find templates for drawing arrows of various shapes. If you wish, you can cut the stencil out of paper tape yourself.
Shading arrows on the eyes
Feathered arrows can be created using cream eyeliner, pencil, or shadows. If you use a cream eyeliner, use a small brush to blend the arrows in front of your eyes – it is convenient to use the one designed for the lower eyelid, or a barrel brush. On top of the eyeliner, you can add some shadows to get a more expressive feathered arrow.
Be sure to apply a base on the eyelids before makeup – it will prolong durability and ensure easy application of products. Start shading the arrow in front of your eyes from the middle of the eyelid, and make the lower border of the ponytail clearer with a concealer.
Arrows “cat’s eye”
The task of cat eye makeup is to make the shape of the eyes more elongated and lift the outer corners. Cat-eye winglets create an eye-catching, expressive and sexy look that is perfect for a night out. But if instead of black you take a more restrained shade, “cat” makeup will be appropriate during the day. You can make such arrows in a bright color – it looks fresh and creative.
How to draw arrows “cat’s eye”? First of all, draw a “sketch” of the ponytail – draw a thin line from the outer corner towards the temple. Then outline the upper eyelid. Gradually thicken the tail, and closer to the inner corner of the eye, the eyeliner should disappear. For a more dramatic effect, you can add eyeliner along the lower eyelid – however, this technique is not suitable for small eyes. Arrows “cat’s eye” necessarily require densely dyed eyelashes.
Arrow options “cat’s eye”
How to draw arrows on the eyes with a pencil
We tell you to step by step how to draw arrows in front of your eyes with a pencil – even a beginner can handle it!
- Prepare your upper eyelid for makeup with a special base, concealer, or neutral shadows.
- At the outer corner, draw a line with a pencil that “continues” the lower eyelid. Stop just above the crease.
- From the tip of this line, draw another one – to the crease of the eyelid. This will create a corner.
- Fill in the corner with a pencil and lightly blend.
- Draw a line along the upper lashes and blend as well.
