How to Draw a Girlfriend in Japanese Manga Style

Japanese Manga is regarded as an artistic model by many, featuring an illustration style full of unique details like large eyes, thick hair, and long limbs. In this guide, you'll get to know the Japanese anime style through practice, drawing a schoolgirl, a girlfriend in a swimsuit, a young girl, and a little girl.

Sketch the character’s body outline. Make sure to draw the head slightly larger to reflect the correct proportion for a child.

Sketch the schoolgirl starting from the body outline and basic shapes. Begin by drawing the face with a circle, then add a jagged shape below it for the chin and jaw. Draw a short line for the neck, followed by the spine with a curve from the neck down to the pelvis. Next, sketch a quadrilateral for the torso, add lines for the arms and legs, and sketch a triangle for the hands.

Add more details to the body framework. Draw lines to divide the face and chest to easily locate other parts of the body. Don’t forget to pay attention to the placement of the joints. Draw a diagonal line across the face and chest to help you precisely position body parts in the subsequent steps.

Sketch the eyes: Determine the eye placement based on the proportions of the face. Add small curved lines for the eyebrows. Draw a small triangular shape for the nose and a light curve for the mouth.

Draw the hair in your chosen style. In this example, we opt for a simple hairstyle made of slanted and curved lines. Feel free to add accessories like bows, hairpins, or any other embellishments to make the character more lively.

Select clothing for your character based on personal preference. A uniform is a popular choice. A light jacket with a pleated skirt can also make the character look charming.

Color the drawing. You can opt for neutral tones that are easy to combine while still standing out.

Start by sketching the girl’s body frame using basic shapes. Begin with a circular shape for the head, followed by an angular shape beneath it for the jawline and chin. Draw a line from the neck down to the pelvis to represent the spine. For the chest, use a concave hemisphere, and then add lines to sketch out the arms and legs. You can also sketch a triangle shape for the hand.

Add more details to the body frame. Pay attention to the proportions of the face, chest, and joint positions. Since the character is wearing a swimsuit, you can draw two oval shapes to mark the chest area. After that, draw a small curved line for the belly button.

Sketch the eyes. Determine the placement of the eyes based on the face proportions. Draw small curved lines for the eyebrows. Add a sharp angle for the nose and two curved lines to create a smiling mouth for the character.

Draw the hair. You can draw the hair in soft flowing curves. Add two ‘C’ shapes on both sides of the face to represent the ears, making sure the ears are slightly visible outside of the hairline.

Outline the sketch more clearly and draw the clothing. A two-piece swimsuit is a popular option.

Refine the key details and erase unnecessary lines.

Add color.

Here are some suggestions for swimsuit styles for your character.

• Paper
• Pencil
• Pencil sharpener
• Eraser
• Colored pencils, crayons, markers, or watercolors
• Ballpoint pen
• Computer or laptop (optional)