Anime eyes are large, expressive and have exaggerated features. They are actually quite simple to draw, as they only consist of a few basic shapes. The exact shapes and sizes are different depending on whether you are drawing male or female eyes, but the process is similar for both. Once you are comfortable drawing a basic anime eye you can make changes depending on the expression you wish to convey, such as happiness, sadness, anger or surprise.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Example
Step 1. Example of an anime style female eye
Part 2 of 4: Female Eye
Step 1. Draw a downward curved line for the upper eyelid
Make the length of the line as wide as you want the eye to be. The line needs to be thick near the center, so make it gradually thinner as it gets closer to the ends.
Step 2. Draw a horizontal line that curves at the ends for the lower lid
Place this line under the upper lid so that there is a space equal to two thirds of the length of the upper lid between them. This line should be about half the length of the upper eyelid and centered below her.
Female anime eyes are usually rounder and wider than male ones. The greater the distance between the upper and lower eyelids, the larger the eye will be
Step 3. Draw a partial oval that comes down from the upper eyelid to make the iris
Center the oval under the upper eyelid and draw it so that the upper fifth is missing, as that part of the iris is covered by the eyelid. Leave a space between the lower part of the oval and the lower eyelid equal to approximately one quarter of the length of the lower eyelid.
Step 4. Add two circles inside the iris for the effect of light reflecting on the eye
Place the circles on opposite sides of the iris and make one twice the size of the other. The largest circle should be about one fifth of the size of the iris. The exact placement of the circles will depend on where the light is coming from in the drawing.
- If you want the light source to be on the left, draw the large circle on the left side of the iris and the small one on the right. If the light is on the right, do the opposite.
- If the lighting is above the eye, draw the large circle at the top of the iris and the small circle at the bottom. Do the opposite if the lighting is under the eye.
Step 5. Draw an oval in the center of the iris for the pupil and fill it
Create this oval about half the height and half the width of the iris. Do not trace the parts that overlap the circles you drew for the reflection of the light; those parts of the pupil will be covered. After drawing the pupil, shade it with the pencil so that it is as dark as possible.
Advise:
you can use a pen or marker to make the pupil even darker. It should be the darkest part of the eye.
Step 6. Draw three thick "tails" at the end of the upper lid to make the lashes
Starting from the right end of the upper eyelid, draw a kind of thick, upward curved "tail" that tapers at the end. Make it about a fifth of the length of the upper eyelid. Then draw another tail of the same length directly to the left of the first. Repeat one more time so that you have three tails in total.
Thick and defined lashes are one of the distinguishing features of female anime eyes
Step 7. Shade or color the iris
If you are shading the iris with the pencil, make sure it is lighter than the pupil. Leave the 2 circles white. If you are coloring your design, choose an eye color, such as blue, green, or brown, and shade the iris using that color.
You can use a colored pencil, crayon, marker, or even gouache to fill in the iris
Part 3 of 4: Male Eye
Step 1. Draw a horizontal line with a slight curve to make the upper eyelid
Make this line as wide as you want the eye to be. Curl the ends slightly down and draw a slight curve in the center. Pass the line with the pencil a few times to make it thicker.
Did you know that?
Male anime eyes are generally not as round and exaggerated as female ones. They have a narrower and more angular shape.
Step 2. Draw a shorter horizontal line that curves at the ends to create the lower lid
Draw this line under the upper eyelid and leave a space between them equal to half the length of the upper eyelid. This line should be about half the length of the upper eyelid and centered below her.
Step 3. Draw a semicircle protruding from the lower part of the upper eyelid to make the iris
Center the semicircle and make its width equal to the length of the lower eyelid. Draw it so that the upper quarter is missing, as that part of the iris is covered by the upper eyelid. Make sure that the lower part of the semicircle just touches the lower eyelid.
Step 4. Add two circles inside the iris for the light reflection
Make a circle twice the size of the other and place them on opposite sides of the iris. You will need to decide where the light is coming from in your drawing to determine exactly where to draw the circles in the iris.
- If you want the light source to be on the left, draw the large circle on the left side of the iris and the small one on the right. If the light is on the right, do the opposite.
- If the lighting is above the eye, draw the large circle at the top of the iris and the small circle at the bottom. Do the opposite if the lighting is under the eye.
Step 5. Draw a circle in the center of the iris to make the pupil and shade it
Place it half the height and half the width of the iris. Do not draw the sections that overlap the circles of the light reflection. Shade the pupil with the darkest tone you can using a pencil, pen or marker.
Step 6. Fill the iris
You can shade the iris using a pencil. Just make sure its color is lighter than that of the pupil. Alternatively, you can choose an eye color and color the iris.
You can use a colored pencil, crayon, marker or gouache to color the iris
Part 4 of 4: Drawing Different Eye Expressions
Step 1. Narrow your eyes and curl your lower lids to show sadness
Draw the lower lids higher than you normally would, so that the lower fifth of the pupils are covered by them. Instead of curving the ends of the lower eyelids upward as you would for a normal expression, curve them downward - this will give the eyes a sad look, almost as if your character is about to cry.
Step 2. Enlarge your eyes to create a surprised look
Draw the upper lids higher and the lower lower than normal, so that there are gaps between the top and bottom of the pupils and the eyelids themselves. This will make it look like your anime character is opening his eyes wide in shock.
The larger the eyes, the more pronounced the character's sense of surprise will be
Step 3. Tilt your upper lids down to create an angry expression
Starting at the outer corners of the eyes, draw the upper lids as you normally would, but draw a steep downward slope once you reach the inner half of each eyelid. Your character will appear to frown in anger.
The more pronounced the drooping of the eyelids, the angrier your character will seem
Step 4. Draw closed eyes to show happiness
To draw closed eyes, simply trace the upper lids as you normally would: a downward curved line for female anime eyes or a horizontal line with a slight curve for male ones. Do not draw the iris, pupil or lower eyelid. Eyes like this will suggest that your character is closing them while smiling happily.
