mood

Yawning

89 drawings by Artbitrator players — showing top 24

Learning how to draw yawning isn't about perfect anatomy—it's about nailing the sleepy vibe. The main tell is a wide-open mouth paired with squinted or closed eyes, often with a hand covering the face (because we all do that). Get those two bits right and even a few simple lines read as proper tired.

We've got 80 real yawning drawings from Artbitrator players to show you what works. Each one was drawn live while our AI tried to guess it, so you can watch them unfold stroke by stroke and see how other people tackle this expression. Give it a go yourself and you'll pick up the rhythm fast.

Drawings

Avg Strokes

1445 strokes

Avg Time

91s

Fastest

14s

How to Draw Yawning

Simple steps to draw yawning, based on what works in the examples above.

1 Start with the head shape—an arc or oval works. Leave space at the bottom if you want to add a hand over the mouth later, since that's what most people do when they yawn.
2 Draw the eyes closed or half-shut, using curved lines. Add a few short arcs underneath for bags or tired creases—they sell the whole sleepy look.
3 Sketch the mouth wide open using a big arc or oval shape. The bigger and rounder, the more yawn-y it feels. You don't need teeth unless you fancy the detail.
4 Add the eyebrows. They can be relaxed and low, or slightly raised depending on whether your character is drowsy or mid-yawn surprise. An inverted V-shape works well for relaxed tiredness.
5 Try drawing a yawning expression in Artbitrator and watch the AI guess in real time—it's oddly satisfying and helps you see which details actually matter.

Tip: Squinty or fully closed eyes are what make it read as yawning instead of shouting—don't skip them.

Practice Drawing Yawning

Drawing Tips

A hand partially covering the mouth makes a simple yawning drawing feel more natural and relatable, plus it hides tricky mouth details if you're not confident yet.
Add a tiny bit of water or a small teardrop shape near the eyes to show they're watering—it's a subtle touch that really amps up the tired effect.
Tilt the head slightly to one side or add a few loose strands of hair to give your character that just-woke-up, can't-be-bothered energy.

Yawning Drawing FAQ

How do you draw a yawning expression?

Focus on two key features: eyes that are squinted or fully closed, and a wide-open mouth shaped like a big O or arc. Adding a hand near the mouth makes it more convincing, and a few lines under the eyes for tiredness really helps sell it.

Is drawing yawning hard for beginners?

Not really. A beginner yawning drawing is mostly about getting the mouth wide and the eyes shut—both are pretty forgiving shapes. The hand can be tricky, but you can simplify it to just a few curved lines and it'll still look right.

What's the best way to practice drawing yawning?

Draw it in Artbitrator and let the AI judge guess what you're making in real time. You'll quickly learn which details matter most, and you can replay other people's yawning drawings to see how they built them up step by step.