The famous Japanese manga comics and their “film adaptations” (anime) have always been and will be the cause of heated debate. Actually, why the big-eyed characters did not please the Russian people is not at all clear.

But no matter what happens, young artists will always be drawn to learn how to draw comics like the famous mangaka. One of the main attractive features is a certain simplicity of the anatomy. A very vague definition, but in anime there are a huge variety of styles with their own artistic canons. And since multi-part battles are mostly in use, the drawing style for them is certain, very specific. Many classical laws visual arts for the heroes of these films are simplified. By the way, based on how you can accurately determine both the semantic and emotional load of the film.

Let’s take for comparison any work of the famous animator Hayao Miyazaki, for example, “Spirited Away”, and “Sailor Moon”, known to us from childhood. Both cartoons come from Japan, but how different they are! There are, of course, something in common, but the drawing is completely different, as well as the impressions received from watching it.

But today’s youth rarely come across a serious work; everyone learns how to draw anime using the examples of such comics as “Naruto”, “Bleach” and “Reborn”. Despite the great popularity of these works, manga artists often neglect some important details, simplifying the bodies of their characters, and sometimes depicting them in completely absurd ways. For example, the author of the Future Diaries manga very often drew only one eye.

This is how we come to an important attribute of Japanese cartoons and comics. How to draw eyes for anime characters? This is one of the main questions young artists. Large expressive eyes are the most important distinguishing feature of this style, and the correct image of this detail has great importance.

When thinking about how to draw eyes for an anime character, throw away all your old
knowledge of classical drawing. In this sense, it will be much easier for a beginner than for a skilled artist. If in the second case the eye should be as natural as possible, then in the first the emphasis is placed on its unreality.

A characteristic detail of anime-style eyes is a large amount of glare. As a rule, there is one big emphasis and many small ones. The largest reflection is placed in close proximity to the pupil; its presence is mandatory. But it is recommended that only skilled artists place small accents, otherwise the eye will look ridiculous. However, the more glare, the more naive the character’s look seems.

As for the form, there is no system here. The main thing is to maintain proportions, because even if the eyes occupy half of the face, no one has canceled the basic laws of drawing.

If his character doesn't quite fit with the big naive look? In this case, preference is given to an elongated, narrowed shape. Feel free to highlight unnatural angles, this will make your look more tenacious and piercing.

Play with shapes. Your main task is to convey the character of the hero as much as possible. No one can tell you how to draw anime eyes correctly. Everyone has their own secrets and tricks. Find a way that is convenient for you and go for it. Everything is much simpler than it might seem at first.

To begin with, some general information about the eyes:

Eyes are extremely important to me. They give life and add emotion to the character. I believe that if the eyes are not finished, the whole painting will look flat and gray. Therefore, I advise you to draw beautiful eyes. This will bring your drawing much closer to success!

I will also note that all eyes are different. The color, shape and structure of the iris give the character his distinctive and unique features. It is very important to change eye drawing styles. I've seen too many times where people draw the same eyes for all their characters and they all end up looking the same. >_
So let's get started!

1. Vector

Use the Pen tool to draw the basic shapes of the eyelashes and iris. I used the Circle tool to cut a hole for the reflection. For the eyelashes I used #240609 and for the iris I used #380002. I masked some of the lines under the iris to make it lighter. Also, I prefer using vector masks instead of Shape Layers because you can draw on them (which you can't do on the shape layer itself). To create a vector mask, use the Pen tool in Paths mode, and when you close your shape, right-click and select Create vector mask. Tadaa! Now you can draw/draw/do whatever you want on the layer, and anything outside the shape's border will be hidden. 8D As you can see, I have already drawn the skin here. I used the same colors as on the skin to add shadows inside the eye. Otherwise I would have used more gray colors, but this picture is made mainly in pink, so I decided to stick to this style. :R

2. Add a pupil

Quite simple. On a new layer in Multiply mode, using a 30 px Airbrush Soft Round, draw the pupil in a circular motion. The color used for the pupil is #010000.

3. Draw dark areas

I create a duplicate of the pupil that I just drew on a separate layer. This new layer also saves a vector mask in the shape of an iris, which will be useful to us later. (You can erase everything on the duplicated layer. The main thing is that the vector mask remains.) Use the same color as before and apply round shadows using a Soft Round brush with Opacity 50%. Go over the lines with your Smudge tool at 70% intensity.

4. A little red

On a new layer (with a vector mask) set the blending mode to Simple lightening (Llinear dodge). Use the same brush and technique as before to add a small amount of red #7c0608. Process the lines with your finger (Іmudge tool). Use the dark lines as a guide to know where to add red. Now use the Dodge tool with 20% intensity on the highlights and paint the rays coming from the pupil with the same brush (soft round).

5. More shadows

Simple stage. Use an Airbrush Soft Round to add a little more shadow around the pupil. Use the same red color as in Step 4, but set the blending mode to Multiply.

6. Light spots

Click on the picture to view the image in full size and 100% quality.

Take the purple color from the skin (#ba668e) and on a new layer, using a 10 px Soft Round brush, go over the places where the red should be brighter. If you're using a tablet, adjust the pressure to get thick or thin lines. Set the blending mode on this layer to Color Dodge. Then apply the Gaussian blur filter with a value of 0.2-0.3 pixels.

7. Soften the edges

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Now we have 6 layers (not counting the eyelashes). Merge the iris layers into one group. Make two duplicates of this group, placing one copy ABOVE the original group and the other BELOW it. Or simply merge the layers with the iris (Merge layers) and create 2 copies. But remember that in this case it will be impossible to draw on layers, so personally I prefer to work with groups so that in the future, if anything, you can make changes to the drawing. One way or another, on top layer Using the Smudge tool, go over the edge of the iris so that it looks like the picture on the left. On the copy located at the very top, apply a Gaussian blur filter with a value of 3-5 pixels. This will create a soft ring around the iris. It might be darker on some eyes, but for this image I'll leave it like that. XP

8. Reflections

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My favorite part. :) Decide where the light source is and where you want the reflections to be. The round highlight is from a bright flash (maybe from the camera?!), the long highlight is from the rest of the surroundings (I really like it because it makes the eye look three-dimensional). Choose a color that is similar to your background colors because those colors will also be reflected in the eyes. I could have chosen yellow because the main light source in the whole painting is yellow, but the blue #947cee goes better with the red. :D Use a Soft Round brush about 30 pixels in size and smudge the highlight a little. Set the blending mode to Linear dodge and the Opacity to 59%. Duplicate the layer at maximum opacity so that the reflection is white, but erase or mask out the long highlights near the pupil so that the blue tone is visible.

9. Blue sky light

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The sky is also reflected in the eyes. :) I decided to use the same one Blue colour from step 8. Use a soft round airbrush (Airbrush Soft Round) with a size of approximately 45 pixels and opacity (opacity) 50%. Gently apply the blue color over the eye. Change the layer mode to Hard light, Opacity 49%, Fill 83%.

10. And finally a little yellow XD

Click on the picture to view the image in full size and 100% quality.

Yes, yes, for contrast and in order to make the red lighter, and also because there is yellow in the picture. Using an Airbrush Soft Round and Opacity 30% on a new layer, lightly add some yellow (#f1ed4d) on top of the red lines. Remove any excess that extends beyond the iris. Set the blending mode to Color Dodge.

11. Soften the lash line

Duplicate the vector eyelashes layer, rasterize it, and then smudge it with a Soft Round brush around the edges and even more on the bottom edge to enhance the shadows on the top of the eye. Place this layer above the original eyelash layer, reducing the Opacity to 66%.

12. Add volume to eyelashes

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Duplicate the blurred eyelash layer from step 11, apply the Gaussian blur filter and paint the eyelashes with a light brown color (#704e31) using a Soft Round brush. Smear where necessary. Set the layer to Linear dodge mode with Opacity 78% and Fill 97%.

13. First adjustment layers

Now you need to lighten it a little and add warmth to the eye. :) Here 3 layers are applied: Invert (Invert) in mode Soft light (Soft Light) with opacity (Opacity) 63% and fill (Fill) 33%; orange-purple gradient in Screen mode with Opacity 34% and Fill 62%; tan color (#c7b87b) in Soft light mode with Opacity 62% and Fill 39%.

14. More highlights

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Merge all layers. Use the Blur tool at 24% intensity to blur some of the sharp edges. Now we will add another layer to enhance the eye color. Use an Airbrush Soft Round and apply yellow (#eaf1d2) near the round highlight and a little on the red area of ​​the iris. Then add some blue (#89b7f3) to the top left corner of the eye. Set the layer blending mode to Vivid light, Opacity 52%, Fill 66%.

15. OH MY GOD, final adjustments!!

It all depends on your taste how much you want to enhance the colors and contrast. But in my case, the adjustment layers appeared in the following order: black and white gradient in soft light mode, Opacity 28%, Fill 62%; Color balance, shifted more towards the green tint in Color mode, Opacity 69%, Fill 44%; Levels; Hue and Saturation, Opacity 83%; cool blue photo filter, Opacity 65%, Fill 23%. And then another adjustment to Hue and Saturation. In between there are textures that can be excluded, but sometimes you want to make the most of the advantages of colors that appear in some textures. :) To complete all this, I created a new layer and did the following: Image – Apply image, I also used the Unsharp mask filter with an intensity of 25% and increased the Sharpness in some places. with a radius of 10 pixels and Contrast. This layer with sharpness (Sharp) is superimposed with opacity (Opacity) 47%.

You can continue to add more detail, but I thought the eye turned out pretty good at this stage. LOL

Thank you for your attention!

Have fun creating tons of eyes! 8D

Click on the picture to view the image in full size and 100% quality.

Let's divide the topic into several pages. Eyes in anime style are given a lot of importance. They can differ in shape, color, highlights, eyelashes, type of iris, and so on. But there is no doubt that they must be very well studied and skillfully worked out. Eyes in anime are the main carrier of a character’s emotional state and character. Explore everything in order. From the most simple way drawing eyes in ascending order.

There are many ways to draw eyes in anime style. The easiest, simplest and most understandable way to draw eyes in anime style:
We consider two eye shapes. To begin, draw the arch of the upper eyelid. Either the first or the second - as in the picture below. Next, draw intersecting guides, lightly. They may be slightly curved. The final character of the eye will depend on the angle you take at the beginning. Here the first drawing is more likely female or childish, the second is male:

Now you need to draw the lower eyelid - it will not touch the upper one. The lower eyelid in anime style is conveyed quite conventionally. How you label it will also affect the final character of the eye. For now, do as I do:

Now we draw the iris. The iris of the eye, of course, should extend beyond the upper eyelid. Moreover, in few cases it is drawn round. We draw an oval - in the first version, in the second version - a circle:

Drawing highlights. Most often, one large and several small highlights are placed, located on opposite sides of the center. The main, larger highlight is always turned towards the lighting:

So how? Does it look like an eye? I have nothing either. Painting the pupil:

Now we draw the eyelashes. In this version there should be from 2 to a maximum of 5 eyelashes; you can generally limit yourself to a solid line. Draw and paint:

This is something we should get. Did you like it? Me too. The most important. The excess guides can now be erased.

First, learn how to draw like this. This will give you the opportunity to get used to or understand the process itself and give your hand the opportunity to develop the correct movements in which each line will turn out beautiful.

Now let’s continue drawing the eyes, which are more picturesque and less graphic. Let's draw a simple anime fish eye. Next, draw in the steps below:

When you draw with a pencil, it is possible, and it would not be superfluous, to use the techniques that we studied earlier when studying

Let's start with a warm-up. Below is a step-by-step demonstration to help you get used to the process we'll use later to learn draw anime.

Eyes are a great place to start when drawing anime, as they are key to this type of character. The lesson is so simple that you will succeed even if you have never drawn before.

You will need:

• paper
• ruler
• eraser
• 2 pencils
• sharpener
• black gel pen or liner

Step 1:draw 2 horizontal pencil lines 1 inch (25 mm) apart. Connect them with four vertical lines at equal distances from each other. You should end up with three rectangles, the height of which is slightly greater than the width.

Step 2:draw eyebrows, upper and lower lash lines.The angle of each line tilts slightly towards the center of the drawing. The curves of the upper lash lines are more pronounced. The guidelines made in the previous step help to get the correct distances for the lash lines, but for drawing the eyebrows you need to use your eye to get the correct distance between the eyebrows and the lash lines below.

Step 3:add the iris of each eye, leaving a small white circle at the top for highlighting.

Step 4:write an oval in each iris. Add a smaller oval inside each of these ovals to represent the pupils. Make the bottom of the large ovals flatter. Add two smooth lines above each eye to indicate the crease of the upper eyelid.

Step 5:Take a black gel pen or liner and carefully fill in the lines along the contours.

Step 6:Once the ink is dry, erase all pencil lines.

Pencil lines should be light and easily erased after inking!

Addition to the main lessons on eyes.

In this lesson you will find a description different styles how to draw anime eyes with a pencil.

When I started drawing in anime style, I ended up with boring eyes without emotions (like in the picture). Over time my technique has improved and I made this guide to help you avoid some mistakes and bring your character to life.

I always prefer to start drawing the eye with the iris. The shape of the iris is usually a circle. One of the advantages of drawing an anime eye is that there are no hard and fast rules except for some basics. So you can change the shape (make it oval or round) or even remove some lines at any time.

Now, let's add some flavor. Let's draw one or two highlights of light that are reflected on the surface of the eye.

Tip: If you are drawing a mysterious or disinterested character, then his eyes should be free of glare.

The trick to backlighting or how to avoid mistakes

The eyes reflect each other, don't they? Not really. When drawing highlights on the eyes, pay attention to the light source. Make sure the highlights are on the same side of the eyes.

Try not to overdo the highlights unless you want your character's eyes to look like they're covered in confetti.

Finally, we draw in the eyelashes and shadow at the top of the iris. We also add a few lines above the eye to show that the eyelid is relaxed.

Other types of eyes

There are many different styles of drawing eyes. We will look at some of them below.

This style is usually used to draw girls' eyes.

A large iris and a large pupil with glare are drawn.

This style is more suitable for a gothic character.

Iris without glare.

The shape of the eye is pointed and raised upward.

The eyelashes are long and sharp (peak shaped).

This style is suitable for characters who are indifferent to their surroundings or are under hypnosis.

A large iris without a pupil is drawn.

Angular eye style.

The iris, shadows and highlights of the eye are all drawn using small angular areas.

If you love angular shapes, then this style is for you.

This style is usually used to draw male eyes.

Typically, the eye shape is wide and the iris is small.

The glare on the eyes is not pronounced.

In addition, eyelashes are drawn with thick lines, without detail.

Eye style for young guys or older girls.

Wide elongated shape.

The glare on the eyes is pronounced.

Eyelashes are drawn with thick lines with detail.

This style is usually used to draw an adult and is also used for an angry or serious character

The basic shape of the eye is a parallelogram.

And finally, simple style. Shape for male and female eyes.

For artists who draw manga and publish in magazines, simplicity is the key to meeting deadlines.

The simple style usually doesn't use overly complex eyes, so don't worry about pretty simple and boring basic lines.

A simple shape for women's eyes is also presented here.

If you are not particularly interested in drawing extravagant and complex eyes, then a simple style is a good choice.

This is where I end. Basically the guide pretty much covered everything you need to know. Don't be afraid to look a new style when watching anime and manga, and feel free to experiment! Anyway, drawing eyes is fun. And practice, practice, practice will help you make your characters' eyes more expressive and beautiful.

Translation: Prescilla

This material prepared for you by the site team

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