How to Draw an Alien

Finished friendly alien drawing with a large head, thin body, and shading

We are all familiar with the characteristic image of an alien with a large head and huge eyes. In this step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to draw an alien and convey this classic appearance.

How to draw an alien step by step

Step 1: Outline the alien’s head

First, outline an oval shape similar to an inverted egg. When drawing people, we often begin their heads with this shape and then refine it. Here, the alien’s head will remain egg-shaped throughout the tutorial.

Outlining the alien’s large head with an inverted egg shape

Step 2: Mark the face and body

Mark the face with two guidelines. The horizontal line shows the position of the eyes, while the vertical line indicates the center of the face. Note that the eye line is below the visual center of the head and much closer to the chin than the forehead. Also, sketch the alien’s basic body framework.

Marking the alien’s facial guidelines and simple body framework

Step 3: Build the alien’s figure

Now draw the alien’s figure. Shape the arms as cylinders and mark the joints with rounded forms. Under the head, outline the neck, which is slightly longer than a human neck. Below it, draw the torso, making it slightly wider toward the bottom. Form the legs with cylindrical shapes.

Building the alien’s neck, torso, arms, joints, and legs

Step 4: Draw the eyes and mouth

The alien is drawn in a very simple style, so the facial features should not cause any difficulty. Draw the eyes in the shape of rugby balls, then add the mouth with a pair of curved lines.

Drawing the alien’s large oval eyes and curved smiling mouth

Step 5: Refine the alien’s outlines

Erase the extra lines from the previous steps. Draw a few short lines under the eyes and another line just below the mouth. Add a pair of lines to the chest and mark the knees with short strokes. Clean up the entire drawing and refine the contours.

Refining the alien’s clean contours and adding facial and body details

Step 6: Add light hatching to the alien

To give the alien drawing a finished look, add some shadows. The light falls on the character from the front, so shade the areas where it does not reach, including the back of the head, torso, and legs. Apply the shadows with very light hatching.

Finishing the alien drawing with light cross-hatching and soft shadows

The familiar image of an alien with a large head and oversized eyes was shaped by urban legends and popular culture.

The humanoid proportions of its body follow the same basic construction principles used for drawing a human figure.

The main differences are in the details. Instead of realistic eyes, the alien has large, simplified ones, and its head is much larger than that of a human.

From a scientific perspective, this appearance is unlikely to reflect what extraterrestrial life would actually look like.

However, these design choices make the character more convincing to us. Although the classic alien from popular culture is entirely fictional, it is the believable, realistic features that make it feel plausible.

By understanding the fundamentals of drawing, you can recreate those convincing features in an authentic way.