how to draw anime and manga for beginner artists

by Grayce Kovacek 9 min read
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Beginner Guide to Drawing Anime & Manga

  1. Make Light Line Drawings First. Draw using light lines first and then trace over them with darker lines once you are sure that everything is in the right place.
  2. Use Guide/Construction Lines. Use guide lines to help yourself draw. ...
  3. Plan Out Your Drawing & Draw Larger to Smaller. Estimate your proportions before you start drawing. ...
  4. Keep Different Parts of Your Drawing in the Same Stages of Completion. Try and keep the various objects in your drawing in roughly the same state of completion. ...
  5. Draw Things That Are Hidden. It’s sometimes a good idea to draw things that are hidden by something else. ...
  6. Do Drawing Exercises. As a beginner artist you can really benefit from some fairly simple exercises of drawing lines and basic geometric shapes.
  7. Study the Anime Style. To make art that looks like anime and manga you have to understand their defining characteristics. ...
  8. Check for Mistakes. If you are having trouble spotting your mistakes turn your drawing upside down or hold it up to a mirror.

Beginner Guide to Drawing Anime & Manga
  1. Make Light Line Drawings First. ...
  2. Use Guide/Construction Lines. ...
  3. Plan Out Your Drawing & Draw Larger to Smaller. ...
  4. Keep Different Parts of Your Drawing in the Same Stages of Completion. ...
  5. Draw Things That Are Hidden. ...
  6. Do Drawing Exercises. ...
  7. Study the Anime Style. ...
  8. Check for Mistakes.

Full Answer

How to draw anime for beginners?

Beginner Guide to Drawing Anime & Manga

  1. Make Light Line Drawings First. Draw using light lines first and then trace over them with darker lines once you are sure that everything is in the right place.
  2. Use Guide/Construction Lines. Use guide lines to help yourself draw. ...
  3. Plan Out Your Drawing & Draw Larger to Smaller. Estimate your proportions before you start drawing. ...
  4. Keep Different Parts of Your Drawing in the Same Stages of Completion. Try and keep the various objects in your drawing in roughly the same state of completion. ...
  5. Draw Things That Are Hidden. It’s sometimes a good idea to draw things that are hidden by something else. ...
  6. Do Drawing Exercises. As a beginner artist you can really benefit from some fairly simple exercises of drawing lines and basic geometric shapes.
  7. Study the Anime Style. To make art that looks like anime and manga you have to understand their defining characteristics. ...
  8. Check for Mistakes. If you are having trouble spotting your mistakes turn your drawing upside down or hold it up to a mirror.

How to improve drawing anime and manga?

Top 10 Tips for Drawing Killer Manga

  1. Study Anatomy. Before you dive into a drawing, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basics. ...
  2. Follow Guidelines. A lot of people overlook the benefit of using guidelines (basic lines and shapes to plan out placement, size, pose, etc) at the start of every drawing.
  3. Variety Is Key. ...
  4. Take Your Time. ...
  5. Accept Criticism. ...
  6. Experiment with Perspective. ...

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Is drawing anime easy?

Anime is a popular animation and drawing style that originated in Japan. Drawing anime characters can seem overwhelming, especially when you’re looking at your favorite anime that was drawn by professionals. Fortunately, anyone can learn how to draw anime characters, and the process is fairly simple if you break it down into small steps.

How do you draw manga?

  1. Draw a template of a manga head. Use this as a starting point for your manga characters.
  2. Start with manga hair. Hair is usually one of the traits that instantly identifies a character as manga-style.
  3. Add manga-style eyes. As with hair, eyes are an instantly recognizable hallmark of manga drawing.
  4. Add some facial expressions to your manga faces. These can help communicate emotion in your characters, expressions are very important in drawing manga.
  5. Draw a manga girl. You can try this method or this one.
  6. Draw a manga boy. Change the hair, eyes and facial expression as you see fit.
  7. Try drawing a whole character. Incorporate face, hairstyle, eyes, and expression as you work.
  8. Add unique manga clothing styles. Start by tracing the clothing over a basic form, then erasing unnecessary lines.
  9. Try drawing gothic-style manga clothing. This usually incorporates features such as top hats and petticoats.
  10. Give your manga characters a pet by drawing a dog. Once you get the basic technique down, try adapting it to different breeds.
  11. Add wings to your manga character.
  12. Draw a manga robot. Try combining the shapes into different robots as you get more comfortable with the technique.

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How do manga artists start drawing?

Mangakas typically learn to draw by gaining an interest in the manga medium as children. After this, many of them take up art classes in grade school or high school. Then they go on to take up an art-related course for university. For example, Kentaro Miura enrolled in a creative curriculum while he was in high school.

What do you draw first when drawing anime?

5 Simple Steps to Drawing AnimeStep 1: Create the Basic Structure of the Face. First, you will create the general composition of the character's face. ... Step 2: Add Facial Features. ... Step 3: Draw the Hair. ... Step 4: Add the Body. ... Step 5: Add Details and Ink the Drawing.

How can I get better at drawing anime for beginners?

11 Tips To Get Better At Drawing Anime – Step By Step GuideGet Into A Drawing Routine.Learn Basic Anatomy.Learn To Draw In Perspective.Learn About Value (Light and Dark)Practice Mindfully.Learn From The Pros By Using References.Learn About Composition.Study Different Drawing Styles.More items...

How do you draw anime manga step by step?

0:0216:43I'm gonna be drawing a basic female face and a male face I'm gonna start with a male here the usualMoreI'm gonna be drawing a basic female face and a male face I'm gonna start with a male here the usual that you see in most tutorials.

Where do I start if I want to draw anime?

Beginner Guide to Drawing Anime & MangaMake Light Line Drawings First. ... Use Guide/Construction Lines. ... Plan Out Your Drawing & Draw Larger to Smaller. ... Keep Different Parts of Your Drawing in the Same Stages of Completion. ... Draw Things That Are Hidden. ... Do Drawing Exercises. ... Study the Anime Style. ... Check for Mistakes.

What is the best anime drawing app?

Chalk. Ibis Paint. Medi Bang Paint. CLIP STUDIO PRO. Jump paint. Draw Anime & Manga. Differences between Anime and Manga.

Is drawing anime hard?

At first, anime may seem like an easy drawing style, but it is not as easy as it looks; anime drawing is rather hard. Anime is hard to draw because it requires the artist to have proper knowledge about anatomy, perspective, value, and many other drawing fundamentals, which aren't easy to master.

How can I practice drawing everyday?

You should start by setting aside a time to draw every day. This might be 30 minutes or it might be 4 hours(or more). The point is to stick with this time every single day to never avoid drawing. You might have some days where you can't make the time because of an unforeseen circumstance.

How do you make a beginner manga?

9 Steps to Make Your Own Manga or Comic BookStep 1 – Determine the Type of Story You Will Tell. ... Step 2 – Write Out a Quick Summary of Your Manga. ... Step 3 – Create Character Profiles & Design Your Characters. ... Step 4 – Determine the Settings. ... Step 5 – Determine the Length of Your Manga. ... Step 6 – Plan Your Pages.More items...

How do you make an anime smile?

2:3138:54This will be doing the same sort of thing but just a little bit wider. And sweeping down to theMoreThis will be doing the same sort of thing but just a little bit wider. And sweeping down to the outside edge a bit more. And then i'm just going to come down. Here bring in that shape.

How do you create an anime character?

8 Steps To Create an anime character online for freeChoose the artistic style you like. ... Choose a skin tone. ... Choose the eye. ... Add tear and eyebrow. ... Choose the nose & mouth shape. ... Change the hairstyle. ... Add gesture and accessories. ... Add texts to express yourself.

How to be a beginner artist?

As a beginner artist you can really benefit from some fairly simple exercises of drawing lines and basic geometric shapes. These exercises will help steady your hand and train you to see (and avoid) common mistakes.

How to see mistakes in drawing?

If you are having trouble spotting your mistakes turn your drawing upside down or hold it up to a mirror. This will give you a fresh “perspective” making it easier to see them.

How to keep different parts of your drawing in the same state of completion?

Keep Different Parts of Your Drawing in the Same Stages of Completion. Drawing consistency example with anime eyes. Try and keep the various objects in your drawing in roughly the same state of completion. If for example you are drawing eyes than draw the outer shape of each eye and then draw the shape of each iris.

How many shapes can anime head be broken down into?

In the above example you can see how an anime style head can be broken down into three simple shapes. The same can often be done with other parts of the body and various other objects. You don’t need to actually draw all of these out every time you want to draw something but its a good example for why learning to draw basic shapes can be so useful.

How to draw a symmetrical face?

Use guide lines to help yourself draw. For example if you want to draw a symmetrical head/face from the front view you can first draw a horizontal line though the middle of where you want to draw the face. This line will help you make sure that both halves of the face are even in width. You can then draw a horizontal line (or several lines) to help you make sure that both eyes and both ears are on the same level.

What to do if your shapes don't come out?

Don’t worry if your shapes don’t come out right, simply try and improve on the next shape .

Is it a good idea to draw things that are hidden by something else?

It’s sometimes a good idea to draw things that are hidden by something else .

How to draw anime characters?

While artists have varying preferences about how to structure an anime character’s head and face, they all start with the same basic principle: First draw a circle, and then draw a horizontal line and vertical line directly ...

How to draw anime girl eyes?

Start by sketching a curved upper eyelid, then draw a short line extending down from the outer corner of the eye. Leave the inner corner of the eye open for a softer look. Then, add a circle in the middle of the eye as the iris. Draw a smaller circle—the pupil—in the middle of the iris.

What is the focal point of anime?

When drawing anime characters, the eyes are typically a focal point, while the nose and mouth remain simple.

How long should an anime character's legs be?

The legs of an anime character should be approximately as long as the top half of the character, from the top of the head to the waist. Finally, add in the arms. A good rule of thumb is to align the elbow with the character’s waist, and then extend the rest of the arm (including the hand) to about mid-thigh.

How do anime faces start?

The basic anatomy of an anime face starts with a circle with a vertical line and horizontal line directly through the center.

What pen do you use to highlight a character?

While you will mostly ink with a black pen, it can also be helpful to have a white jelly pen on hand—you can use this to add highlights, like the reflection points in the character’s eyes. You may also choose to add additional colors with colored pencils or medium of your choice.

Where do you draw the eyes in a circle?

Generally, you will draw the eyes on or just below the horizontal line and the mouth at the bottom of the circle , with the nose placed between the eyes and the mouth. The chin will extend down below the circle.

How to draw anime head?

The head is the first part we will start with, and is probably the most important part of your anime figure! To begin, draw a basic circle with a chin attached to the lower part. This forms the shape of your character’s head. By drawing your horizontal and vertical axes, you can easily determine which way your anime character is facing. All that this takes is two simple lines (see image 2).

How to make anime look more natural?

Depth of field is important! Give your anime figure more of this to help it look more natural overall. Using a blur filter over some elements of both the background and foreground will help with this tremendously. You can also try adjusting the filter strength according to how close or far the blurred objects are.

What does manga represent?

The majority of manga characters represent humans , and there is really only one actual anime style. When you learn to draw manga, you will notice that, aside from a few variables, this art form embodies the basics of realistic artwork and drawing. Other than the larger-than-average heads and eyes, the rest of the anime characters’ body proportions all make sense, and light and shadow have the same effect as other art. With anime, background artwork is also very realistic most of the time. In fact, it is quite beautiful, as is anime-style food!

Why do anime have shading?

Shading will help to fix this! This is a very important and essential stage of anime drawing. A useful tip for shading is to be aware of light strength, as well as the light’s angle and direction. Think about what sort of light it is – natural, cold, warm, or artificial light – each will create a slightly different shadow.

Why use omissions in art?

What this means is that you should use lines of varying thicknesses to create more nuance in your artwork. Using omissions can also look really good, especially later on when they start to complement the colored-in areas.

When you are using and working with lighter colors, should you add a layer with a dark color under it?

A handy tip for this section is that when you are using and working with lighter colors, you should add a layer with a dark color under it – this will help you to see if you have filled in the line art properly.

Can you draw with a tablet?

Of course, using a drawing tablet takes practice, just like regular drawing does! So be patient and keep practicing.

What are the most common features of anime?

Anime eyes. One of the most typical features of anime characters is their large eyes. They often include love-hearts, stars, spirals, and flames to reflect the character’s emotional state. Different types of eye shapes tend to symbolize different aspects of a character’s personality.

What is anime in Japanese?

The word “ anime ” actually refers to Japanese hand-drawn or computer animation. It is the term “ manga ” that means comics. However, when “ anime ” is used outside of Japan, it denotes cartooning.

How to tell the difference between anime boys and girls?

Distinguishing between anime boys and girls. The technique of drawing anime boys differs significantly from that of drawing anime girls. For male characters, you will have to draw a rectangular face with an almost square jaw. Females have thinner eyebrows and rounder noses and eyes compared to males.

What is anime hair?

Typical anime hair is big. Most characters, especially important ones, have quite extravagant-looking hair: often unconventionally colored with a lot of movement between scenes. Spikes, ponytails, and ringlets are common hairdos in anime.

Why are anime strips inverted?

Manga strips are supposed to be read from left to right, as is standard in the Japanese language. It is due to anime’s popularity in the Western world that they are now often inverted.

What is the human body in anime?

1. Anime anatomy . The human body in anime is depicted in a cartoonish, instantly recognizable style. It could be said that, in order to draw it, one would need a fundamental knowledge of anatomy and add an element of exaggeration. Anime protagonists normally have very thin proportions.

How many levels of shadows are there in Japanese animation?

A typical Japanese animation scene can normally feature up to three levels of shadows plus a highlight.

What to add to anime drawing?

Add clothing to your anime drawing to give your character personality .

What is the best thing about anime character design?

Though you may never have heard of a ninja skateboarder or a singing surfer, one of the best things about anime character design is that there are no rules! Feel free to combine different character types and styles to create a character that represents you and your interests.

What is Sensei's course?

Skillshare instructor Sensei’s course is a great masterclass in anime faces. If you’re learning how to draw anime for beginners, Sensei’s advice will help you understand the fundamentals of anime characters and draw them with ease.

Why is anime so popular?

Part of what makes anime so popular is that characters are known for having loud expressions and emotions. To help convey these sentiments through your anime character’s face, follow along as artist Enrique Plazola teaches you how to draw anime eyes in four different styles!

What is the best thing about digitizing anime?

One of the best things about digitizing your anime drawings is that you have limitless options for posing and positioning your characters. Character designer and animator McCoy Buck shows you how to do exactly that using digitized vector points for reference.

Why are proportions important in anime?

Anime drawing and character design is unique in that it allows for open-ended creativity while still remaining within standard design principles, like proportions.

How to take guesswork out of drawing hands?

Take the guesswork out of drawing hands by breaking them down into simpler, more familiar shapes.

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Understanding The Manga Art Style

Materials You Will Need to Draw Manga

  • Obviously, choosing to do your drawings on a digital platform is not the most affordable, especially in the beginning. That said, once you have made the initial purchase of a graphics tablet and the appropriate software, you will not need any other tools! In particular, there will be no purchasing of costly art supplies! You will also have the awesome advantage of being able to co…
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The Basics of How to Draw Manga

  • You are here to learn how to draw anime characters, and as mentioned before, there are a few different manga styles you can choose from. There are also various techniques. Here, we will cover all the basics while using a graphics tablet for our manga drawing tutorial. You should learn everything quite quickly and relatively easily!
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • How Do You Draw Anime Eyes?
    To learn how to draw anime eyes, you must remember that they are usually bigger and oversized. They are also filled with much detail. We suggest adding some light reflection if you want your eyes to be more alive in appearance. You can draw your eyes in absolutely any color you want t…
  • How Do You Draw Anime Hair?
    When you learn how to draw anime hair, you will begin by creating the basic outline and shape of your desired hairstyle. After this, you will start adding some layers to create more realistic hair. Just like the eyes, anime hair can be any color at all! But, do not forget to add elements of shado…
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