How can I make my drawings of humans halal?

Question

Which of those is halal to draw? If none of them are, I really want to be informed because I wanted to be a muslim artist, but I also do not want to imitate the creations of Allah (swt). How can I make my drawings the LEAST harmful (what I mean is not haram at all)?

Answer 1

Base of consideration

The key issue is this hadith

(the wife of the Prophet) I bought a cushion having on it pictures (of animals). When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw it, he stood at the door and did not enter. I noticed the sign of disapproval on his face and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I repent to Allah and His Apostle. What sin have I committed?' Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said. "What is this cushion?" I said, "I have bought it for you so that you may sit on it and recline on it." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The makers of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them, 'Give life to what you have created (i.e., these pictures).' " The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "The Angels of (Mercy) do not enter a house in which there are pictures (of animals).

Interpretations vary between scholars:

Strict interpretations

Interpretation based on the wording of this hadith and prohibit drawing pictues of animated beings. Some exceptions are made.

Haram

Drawing entire human bodies is prohibited, even without a face. Mufti Waseem Khan (Hanafi fiqh), Shaykh Ibn Baaz (Hanbali)

Drawing parts only is permissible (mubah)

Drawing parts of a human or animal body - also in detail - is permissible, e.g. for educational purposes Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah(Hanafi fiqh) Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (Hannifi) IslamQA.info(Hanbali/Salafi)

Drawing the outlines of humans or animals is permitted if it is for a decent purpose: Mohammed Tosir Miah(Hanafi fiqh)

Less strict interpretations

Some scolars say that it is only prohibited ti form complete statues which imitate Allah's creation. They are based on the evidence that in early Islam, also in Mecca, pictures were drawn.

Drawing of 2d pictures is permissible (mubah), sometimes considered disliked (makrooh) if it is for a decent purpose, not showing nudity: Shaykh Rami Nsour(Maliki fiqh) Dar-AlIfta collective(all fiqh)

Liberal Reform Islam, Quran-only groups, and a major part of Fundamental Reform («Modernist») Islam accept pictures or statues unless used for worship.

Shia

Shia does not forbid drawings of humans, even usage of drawings in religious context; e.g. drawings of the Prophet ﷺ. They do not accept the hadith cited as a base of legislation. Al-Sistani

Your question

As most scolars agree that drawing parts of a human or animal body is permissible, you can also draw a smiley with two eyes, a nose and a mouth. Only drawing whole bodies is considered prohibited or makrooh by a larger number of Sunni scholars but not by all Sunni scholars. The teaching that leaving out parts of the face is a way seems quite popular but I did not find any qualified source supporting this opinion.