Learn how to draw anime the easy way, from the head shape and big eyes to hair and expressions. A beginner-friendly, step-by-step guide with no experience needed.
Anime characters look complicated, but they follow a friendly set of rules. Once you learn where the eyes sit and how the hair flows, you can draw face after face. In this guide you'll learn how to draw anime step by step, starting with a basic head shape and a few guide lines, then adding the big expressive eyes and spiky hair that make the anime style instantly recognizable. No experience needed.
We'll focus on a front-facing anime head, since that's the best place to start. Keep your lines light so you can fix the guides later. Let's begin.
What you'll need
- A pencil and an eraser
- Plain paper
- Optional: a black pen for outlining, plus markers or colored pencils
How to draw anime step by step
Step 1: Draw the head shape
Draw a circle for the top of the head, then add a curved line down each side that meets at a soft, pointed chin at the bottom. Anime faces are usually a rounded shape on top with a narrow, slightly pointed jaw. Keep it light.
Step 2: Add the guide lines
Draw one line straight down the middle of the face (the center line) and one line across the middle (the eye line). These guides keep both eyes even and help you place the features. The eyes sit on the horizontal line; everything mirrors across the vertical line.
Step 3: Draw the big anime eyes
On the eye line, draw two large eyes, one on each side of the center line, leaving about one eye-width of space between them. Anime eyes are tall and rounded, with a bold upper lash line, a big shiny pupil, and a small highlight left white. Add light eyebrows above. The eyes carry the emotion, so take your time here.
Step 4: Add the nose and mouth
Anime noses are tiny: a small dot, a short line, or a soft "L" shape below the center of the eye line. The mouth is a simple curved line a little lower. A small open smile adds personality. Less is more with these features.
Step 5: Draw the hair
Hair is what gives an anime character its style. Start at the top of the head and draw the hair in clumps or spikes that flow out from a center part or a cowlick. Let some strands fall over the forehead and frame the face. Keep the points sharp and the shapes varied so it doesn't look flat.
Step 6: Add the ears and neck
Place the ears on the sides of the head, roughly between the eye line and the nose. Then add a short neck and the start of the shoulders. The neck is usually thinner than you'd expect in the anime style.
Step 7: Outline, erase, and color
Trace the lines you want to keep with a firmer stroke or a black pen, then erase the center and eye guide lines. Color the eyes a bright shade, leaving the white highlight untouched so they sparkle, and pick a fun hair color. Anime hair can be any color at all.
Pro tips and common mistakes
- Use the guide lines every time. Skipping the center and eye lines is the most common beginner mistake, and it leads to crooked, mismatched eyes.
- Leave space between the eyes. Anime eyes are big, but they still need about one eye-width of gap between them.
- Don't forget the eye highlight. That little white spot is what makes anime eyes look alive. Color around it, not over it.
- Build hair in chunks. Draw clumps and spikes, not individual strands. It's faster and looks more like the style.
Fun variations to try
- A chibi character: Use a huge head, tiny body, and oversized eyes for an adorable mini version.
- Different expressions: Tilt the eyebrows and change the mouth to show happy, surprised, or angry.
- A side profile: Draw the face from the side with the eye placed back from the pointed nose and chin.
- Anime eyes only: Practice drawing pairs of eyes on their own until they feel natural.
Frequently asked questions
How do you draw anime for beginners? Start with a rounded head and a pointed chin, add a center line and an eye line, then place big eyes on the eye line, a tiny nose and mouth below, and flowing hair on top. The guide lines are the secret to keeping everything even.
How do you draw anime eyes? Draw a tall, rounded eye with a bold upper lash line, a large pupil, and a small white highlight left uncolored. Add a light eyebrow above. Big eyes with a bright highlight are the heart of the anime look.
Is anime hard to draw? Not once you learn the rules. Anime uses simplified shapes and clear guide lines, which actually makes it easier for beginners than realistic portraits. Practice the head and eyes a few times and it clicks quickly.
Keep drawing and coloring
Anime is a whole world to explore. Try how to draw a dog in a cute cartoon style to practice big eyes, then browse our free coloring pages to fill in characters and creatures of your own.