Buzz
One of the key features of Japanese anime art is the eyes. They are large, expressive, and often exaggerated to showcase emotions. Anime eyes are typically drawn using a few basic shapes with minimal detail, making them relatively easy to create. First, decide whether you are drawing a male or female character's eyes, as the styles differ slightly. Then, draw the eyelashes, iris, and pupil. Add shading to complete the drawing, and you're done!
What You Need to Know
- Draw female cartoon character eyes with an arched upper eyelash, a shorter lower lash, and an oval-shaped iris between the lashes.
- Add small circles to reflect light in the eyes and create a smaller oval inside the iris for the pupil. Don't forget to draw eyelashes and shade the drawing.
- Male cartoon character eyes are smaller and narrower than female eyes, with an upper eyelash that arches at a 45-degree angle from the outer corner of the eye.
Steps
Female Character Eye Drawing Template
Check out the guide for drawing female anime character eyes in method 3.
Male Character Eye Drawing Template
Check out the guide for drawing male anime character eyes in method 4.
Drawing Eyes for Female Anime Characters
Start by sketching the upper and lower lash lines. For the upper lash line, draw a curved line that slopes downwards. Add a curve at one end (at the outer corner of the eye) that dips down and then loops back up to the other side, creating a 'C' shape. This curve should be about one-third the length of the initial curved line. Next, use a pencil to darken and thicken the upper lash line. For the lower lash line, draw a small upward curve just below the middle of the upper lash line.
Draw an oval shape between the two lash lines. The top and bottom of the oval should slightly overlap the lash lines to give it a more natural look. The width of the oval at its widest point should match the length of the lower lash line. This will represent the black part of the eye.
Now, draw a small circle near the top of the oval. Position the circle slightly off-center. Later, you will leave this circle white to simulate the reflection of light in the eye.
Draw another small circle on the opposite side and just below the first circle, near the bottom of the oval. If the first circle was placed near the top left of the oval, place this one near the bottom right (or vice versa). This circle should be about half the size of the previous one.
Now, inside the first oval, draw a smaller oval and shade it in to create the pupil. This smaller oval should be about one-quarter the size of the iris and placed at the center of the first oval. Use a pencil to fill in this shape.
Alternative method: If you want the eyes to appear larger and more open, you can draw a bigger pupil. Simply create an oval that is about half the size of the iris (instead of one-quarter), overlapping the two smaller circles you previously drew. These circles will be placed in front of the oval.
Draw the eyelashes. To draw the eyelashes, start at the outer corner of the eye and sketch several upward curves from the upper lash line. Each eyelash should extend about one-quarter of the length of the upper lash line. Each stroke should be roughly one-fifteenth the length of the upper lash line. Darken these lines with a pencil to match the thickness of the upper lash line.
- Thicker and more prominent eyelashes will make the eyes appear more feminine.
- If you prefer, you can add a few lashes to the lower lash line. Lower lashes should curve downward rather than upward.
Shading the drawing. To shade the eye, first draw a curved horizontal line from left to right across the iris. Make sure this line does not overlap the white circles. Then, shade the area above this line, using a lighter tone than the iris. Shade the area below the line, but use an even lighter tone than the top part.
- Feel free to use colored pencils! Find both light and dark tones of the same color, then shade above the line with the darker tone and below with the lighter one.
- Remember not to shade inside the white circles.
Draw a male anime character's eye
Draw the upper and lower lash lines. Begin by drawing a gently curved horizontal line. Then, add a slight upward curve starting from one end of the first line (this will be the outer corner of the eye), angling it at a 45-degree angle. This curve should be about one-third the length of the initial line. At this point, the upper lash line will have a 'C' shape, and you’ll see the outer corner of the eye. To draw the lower lash line, create a short, slightly curved horizontal line that sits in the middle below the upper lash line.
- Male character eyes are usually smaller and narrower than female character eyes. The lash lines should be less curved to avoid making the eyes look overly round.
- The eyes of a male character are about 1/8th the height of the head and 1/4th the width of the head, if you choose to draw the head.
Draw an oval shape between the two lash lines. Place the oval in the middle, ensuring that the top and bottom of the oval slightly overlap the lash lines, leaving only part of the oval visible. The width of the oval at its widest point should be equivalent to the length of the lower lash line.
- This will represent the black part of the eye.
Add a small circle near the top of the oval. Draw the circle to the left or right, near the top of the oval. It can be placed on either side, but make sure it's on the same side for both eyes if you're drawing both. This circle should be about one-tenth the size of the iris.
- Leave this circle white to give the illusion of a sparkling light reflection in the eye.
Draw a smaller circle near the bottom of the oval on the opposite side. For instance, if you drew the first circle near the top right of the oval, now place a smaller circle near the bottom left. This circle should be half the size of the first circle. It will also create the effect of a light reflection when shading the drawing.
Draw a smaller oval inside the first oval and shade it to create the pupil. Draw a small oval in the center that is about one-quarter the size of the first oval. Use a pencil to fill in this oval completely with black.
- If the oval overlaps the small circles, ensure the circles remain in front of the oval. Whether the oval overlaps the circles depends on how large the circles are drawn.
Shade the eye to complete the drawing. Begin by drawing a horizontal line from left to right across the oval. Then, shade the area above the line to match the color of the pupil. Shade the area below the line with a lighter tone.
- Leave the small circles white.
- If you want to improve your drawing skills, consider finding a skilled drawing teacher in your area.
- Practice sketching and read about drawing techniques.
- Try to develop the 'eye' of an artist.
Tip: Avoid adding eyelashes to male characters' eyes. Eyelashes can make the eyes appear more feminine.
