How to Draw Anime Boy Eyes

The steps in this tutorial will show you how to draw anime boy eyes and explain the main distinguishing principles behind drawing them.

The eyes of different characters are drawn in a fairly distinctive and characteristic way, and anime boy eyes also have their own defining features.

These features, with slight variations, are used today by nearly all artists working in anime and manga styles when creating characters in these genres.

This tutorial is entirely based on our main tutorial on drawing anime eyes, where we covered the fundamentals that apply to drawing any eyes in this style.

Here, we focus on a specific, narrower topic in order to examine it in as much detail as possible.

How to draw anime boy eyes step by step

Step 1: Sketch the horizontal and vertical eye guides

The most important task in this step is to determine the shape and placement of the eyes on the paper. To do this, draw three intersecting lines. The distance between the horizontal lines will help define the height of the eyes, while their position will determine where the eyes are placed on the page. Try to draw these lines without using any measuring tools or guides.

Step 2: Draw the upper eyelids of the anime eyes

Draw the upper edges of the anime boy eyes. It will be easier if you first sketch them with light lines and then refine them with darker, more confident strokes. The upper edges appear as wide, slightly asymmetrical arches. Follow the guidelines from the first step to achieve accurate placement.

Step 3: Sketch the lower eyelid shapes

Draw the lower edges of the anime boy eyes. As before, start with light lines to establish the correct outlines. Note that the final contours become thinner toward the inner sides. Overall, the shape resembles two obtuse angles, with the lowest points aligning with the lower horizontal guideline.

Step 4: Draw the pupils inside the anime boy eyes

The pupils are one of the key elements when drawing eyes, especially in the anime style. Their shape and placement have a strong impact on the character of the gaze and the overall emotional tone of the image. Draw rounded pupils positioned approximately in the center of the eye outlines.

Step 5: Refine the eyelids and remove the guides

Continue refining this guide on how to draw anime boy eyes. Check that all proportions and shapes are accurate, and pay attention to the character and direction of the gaze. If everything matches your intention, remove the guidelines. Then define the eyelids using smooth lines that run parallel to the eye outlines.

Step 6: Add hatching and draw the anime eyebrows

Do not try to make the shapes perfectly symmetrical. The eyebrows also have a strong influence on the character and direction of your anime character’s gaze. Use dense, single-layer shading to darken the pupils. Notice that the hatching in both pupils follows the same direction.

Step 7: Check the proportions and finalize the drawing

Evaluate your entire anime boy eye drawing and try to identify any mistakes that may have occurred during the process. Pay attention to the symmetry and proportions of the eyes, as well as the overall style. The eyes should clearly reflect a distinct anime style.

Important aspects of drawing anime boy eyes

Now let’s go over the key features of drawing anime boy eyes and try to remember these aspects. A clear understanding of them will help you draw the exact look you have in mind with more confidence.

One of the main differences from female eyes is the thickness of the eyelashes. In female anime eyes, the eyelashes are usually much more pronounced.

Another difference is that anime boy eyes are typically not opened as wide as female eyes. You can see this for yourself by comparing this tutorial with our tutorials on drawing anime girl eyes or drawing anime female eyes.

Compared to more mature male characters, anime boy eyes mainly differ in the number and prominence of folds around the eyes.

Adult male anime eyes are also often drawn with a slightly harsher look, although this depends on the specific character. We cover this in more detail in our tutorial on drawing male anime eyes.

However, all of these are only partial conventions, since specific characters can be drawn very differently depending not only on stylistic canons but also on the individual artist’s approach.

To understand this more deeply, be sure to practice drawing anime boy eyes yourself, trying to vary your work as much as possible.

Notice how differently the same principles shown above can be interpreted. The appearance of the eyes can vary greatly depending on the shape of the iris, the direction of the gaze, or the angle of the head.

Try to repeat all of this by going through each step again and again, changing certain aspects each time.

And of course, try to develop your work further by drawing the face of an anime boy with the eyes rendered in detail. The next stage would be to draw a full-body anime boy, applying all of the same skills.