How to Create a Female Anime Character

Drawing anime characters takes some practice

The hardest part about drawing a female anime character is understanding the structure of the human body. Since anime characters follow real human anatomy, it can be difficult for a beginning artist to get a handle on how to draw a female character. The best way to cross over this learning gap is to learn the basics of figure drawing. Understanding these basic drawing principles allows aspiring artists to begin creating their own female anime characters.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Drawing paper
• Eraser
• Black pen
• Reference picture of female anime character

Instructions

Study Your Subject

1. Review your reference picture of a female anime character. Study the structure and anatomy of your subject's body. Take note of any attributes which seem challenging or stick out to you.

2. Practice drawing the female figure with a pencil. Press lightly and try not to erase any mistakes. Concentrate on memorizing the form of the female body and face. Focus in on areas such as the lips and stomach to get a better handle on creating a female character.

3. Take note of any areas, such as the forehead and chin, which bring out the feminine characteristics of your character. Practice drawing rounded cheek bones, small noses and longer legs for a better understanding on how to draw a female anime character.

4. Continue practicing and studying until you are comfortable and familiar with the anatomy of a female anime character.

Drawing Your Female Character

1. Create the rough draft of your anime character. Draw a circle to map out the character's head. Sketch a line from the bottom of the circle to map the spine. Curve the spine to fit the correct pose desired for your drawing. Map the torso and hips of your female character by drawing two boxes along the spine. Draw the box for the hips wider than the torso for a more feminine look.

2. Map out the arms and the legs of your anime character. Draw two lines extending from the torso, and two lines extending from the hips. Curve the lines to match the pose desired. Allow the lines for the legs to be slightly longer than normal to amplify the feminine quality of your character.

3. Sketch the shape of your female character using your rough draft as a guideline. Do not add any clothes to the character, focus on creating the proportional organic outline. Exaggerate the feminine qualities of your subject by drawing her thighs and hips large, making the arms thin, and curving the sides of her waist.

4. Erase the markings of your rough draft. Add the facial details of your female character. Draw her eyes large and her eyelashes thick. Sketch her lips and nose small for a cute look. Press lightly with your pencil and work slowly.

5. Look over your drawing and adjust any mistakes you find in the body and face of your character. Sketch the clothes of your subject using your outline as a guide. Allow the character's clothes to fall naturally over the body for a realistic look. Erase any part of the body which is now covered by clothing.

6. Draw the details of the clothing with pencil. Work lightly and add folds and textures to the clothing where needed. Add extra accessories to your character such as bags, purses and belts. Create folds where the clothing and accessories touch for a realistic look.

7. Review your drawing and erase any smudges and extra markings found. Darken your entire picture by tracing over your lines hard with a pencil. Check over your drawing a final time and adjust details as needed. Ink your drawing by following over your lines with a black pen. Add shadows to the character using a cross hatching method with your black pen.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a reference picture when first starting to draw your female anime character. It is very difficult to create a character's body from memory at first.

• Practice drawing frequently. The more you practice, the better your drawings will become.

• Look at other artists' techniques and styles for drawing female characters. This will give you new ideas for your own drawings.

• Each artist's method of drawing will vary. Explore different techniques to see what works best for you.

References

• Deviant Art; Female Sideview Tutorial; January 2010
• Deviant Art; Anime Anatomy v2.0; July 2009