Face Chart and Makeup Face Template: Draw, Save or Print

How to use the face chart

Pick a chart first, then a color and a brush. The fine liner draws crisp lines for brows, liner and lip shape; the shadow brush lays down color in a medium, semi-sheer stroke; and the soft blending brush builds up a diffused wash for blush, bronzer and contour, getting deeper with every pass. The eraser removes paint without touching the outline. Undo takes back the last stroke, Clear starts again, and Save as PNG downloads the chart exactly as you see it.

The colors are makeup families rather than products: warm nude, soft rose, berry, bronze, cool taupe, plum, gold shimmer and liner black. They’re enough to map out where things go and how intense they should be, which is what a face chart is for.

What a face chart is for

A face chart turns a vague idea into a plan. Mapping a look on paper first shows you whether the blush placement balances the contour, whether the eyeshadow is too heavy next to a bold lip, and where each product goes. Artists also use charts as a record: after a trial, a chart with notes about every product and placement means the wedding-day look matches what you approved, even months later.

Choosing a makeup face template

The full face template is for planning a whole look: base, contour, blush, eyes, brows and lips together. The half face template shows one side of the face with a dashed center line, which is handy for practising symmetry or trying two ideas side by side on two printouts. The eye close-up template is large enough to plan eyeshadow placement, crease depth, liner shape and lower-lash detail, which is where most of the detail in a bridal look lives.

How to plan a bridal look on a face chart

Start with placement rather than color. Shade where contour goes with a light, soft wash, then add blush where you want warmth and lift. On the eye chart, map the lid shade, the crease shade and any deeper outer corner, then add liner and lashes last. Keep it simple: a face chart is a map, not a portrait, and a few clear marks communicate more than a fully rendered drawing.

Then write notes beside the printed chart: the occasion, the time of day, your skin type, anything you love or want to avoid, and photos you’ve saved for inspiration. Bring it to your trial. Your artist can adjust it on the day, and the final chart becomes the plan for the wedding morning.

Face chart tips from the makeup chair

Use the soft brush in several light passes rather than one heavy one, since that’s how blush and contour actually build on skin. Plan contour cooler and deeper than the blush, and keep highlight to the high points of the face. On the eye, a gradient from light at the inner lid to deeper at the outer corner reads well in photos. If you’re unsure where things go for your face shape, our face shape calculator draws blush and contour placement for each shape.

Recording products on a face chart

A face chart is most useful when it doubles as a record. Beside each area, note the product type and shade family you used, how many layers it took and the tool you applied it with. For a wedding, add the setting spray and powder you finished with, the lash style, and how the look held at the end of the trial day. Months later, that page is what lets you or your artist recreate the look exactly, even if a shade has been discontinued, because you can describe what it was and find a close match.

If you change your mind after the trial, mark the change in a different color and date it. The final chart should show only the look you’ve agreed on, so there’s no confusion on the morning.

Drawing on a phone or tablet

The chart works with touch, so you can plan a look on the sofa with a phone or tablet. A stylus gives the finest control, but a fingertip is fine for blush and shadow placement. Turn your phone to portrait so the chart fills the screen, and zoom out if you need to see the whole face. Because each stroke is recorded separately, Undo removes exactly the last one, so it’s safe to experiment. When you’re happy, save the PNG and it lands in your downloads or photos, ready to send.

Face charts for the bridal party

Face charts aren’t just for the bride. If your bridesmaids want coordinated looks, one chart for the shared base, blush and lip direction, with small notes for each person’s eye shadow, keeps everyone consistent without making them identical. Mothers and grandmothers can bring a chart too, showing what they usually wear and anything they’d like softened or skipped. On a busy wedding morning, a chart per chair saves time and keeps the artists working from the same plan.

Blank face charts to print

Prefer pencils and real products? Print these blank charts and swatch makeup straight onto the paper, which is how many artists use them. Thicker paper takes powder and cream products best, and a light spray of setting spray helps powder stay put.

Saving and sharing your chart

Save as PNG creates an image file on your device that you can send to your artist, keep with your wedding planning notes or print later. Print sends the page to your printer, including your drawing. Because nothing is uploaded, your chart stays private until you choose to share it. If you close the page, the drawing is gone, so save it first.