Make An Anime Figure

The girls in anime usually look large-eyed and youthful.

The style of animation known as anime or manga began in Japan. Before long, it spread to the United States in such popular cartoons as "Spirited Away," "Akira" and "Steamboy." Anime figures are easily recognizable, due to their unique features. Generally, anime characters have expressive eyes and delicate, small-looking noses and mouths. The most notable part of anime characters' appearance is their intricate and edgy hairstyles. Anime figures usually have spiky hairstyles that are either really short or really long and chunky.

Instructions

1. Draw a light circle to create the majority of the head, tapering it into a "V" shape at the bottom to create the chin and jaw.

2. Make two guidelines through the center of the circle of the face; one should be vertical and one horizontal.

3. Make two straight lines extending down from the head to create the neck and connect it to an upside-down triangle shape, which will form the torso.

4. Connect the torso to a sideways rectangle or circle for hips of the anime figure, long ovals shapes for the thighs, little circles for the joints in the knees, and thin oval shapes for the calves of the legs.

5. Use small circles as shoulder joints and elbows and connect them to long, thin ovals for the upper arms and forearms.

6. Use the horizontal facial guideline to center the figure's eyes. The eyes of anime characters are usually disproportionally large, with lots of highlights.

7. Place the nose in the appropriate place on the face, using the vertical guidelines to help. Usually, anime figures have little, upturned noses.

8. Make a little mouth underneath the nose, and eyebrows over the eyes. Feel free to play with eyebrow shapes and expressions until you find one you're happy with.

9. Draw an interesting hairstyle on your anime character's head. Feel free to experiment with sharp shapes and fun designs.

10. Sketch the ears of the figure, if visible, making them start at the level of the eyebrows and end at the nose.

11. Flesh out the figure and add other details like feet, an outfit and hands.

Tags: anime characters, Feel free