How to Draw Anime Eyes

In this drawing guide, we will tell you how to draw anime eyes. We will try to present to you the basic principles of anime-style eye drawing so that you can create your own character to your taste.

As you know, anime is a rather unusual style. Many anime artists prefer to simplify many details, such as clothing, interiors, or even the faces of the characters. However, one detail in an anime style is always drawn quite carefully.

We are talking about the eyes. The eyes in the anime often convey the mood of the character and the atmosphere of the whole picture as a whole. This is the most important and crucial step in drawing any anime character.

How to Draw Anime Eyes Step-by-Step

Step 1: Sketch the horizontal guideline

The eyes should be on the same plane. This is one of the basic rules for drawing eyes in many styles. Therefore, first, we determine the approximate location of the anime eyes and draw a horizontal line in this place. Also, you can sketch shorter lines to determine the location of the eyes.

Step 2: Draw the anime eyes outlines

After indicating the approximate location of the eyes, you can draw the contours of this part of the face. Choose the eye shape based on your preferred style. These can be vertically elongated eyes or more realistic horizontal ones. We chose an almond-shaped eye design, which is quite common in anime that use more complex drawing techniques.

Step 3: Add the pupils and irises

So now we have the approximate outlines of the external contours of the eyes, and we can move on to drawing the basic internal details. The eye consists of several membranes that cover the light-refracting structures. Externally, we can see part of the choroid called the iris, which determines the eye color. Inside the iris is an opening called the pupil. Let’s draw these two parts. Keep in mind that the position of the pupils determines both the direction and the emotional tone of the gaze, so this is a very important detail.

Step 4: Sketch the eyebrows

Another feature that affects the direction and expression of the gaze is the eyebrows. Anatomists describe eyebrows as part of the eye’s auxiliary apparatus. This is accurate, as eyebrows help protect the eyes from moisture and dust particles. In this step, outline the contours of the eyebrows. You can choose the shape according to your preference, but keep in mind that their position will influence the character’s emotional expression.

Step 6: Draw the eyelashes and add folds

We continue the guide on how to draw anime eyes by making the gaze more expressive. To achieve this, add the contours of the eyelashes, making the contours of the eyes from the previous steps thicker. Then, draw short eyelashes the corners of the eyes. You can adjust the thickness and length of the individual eyelashes.

Step 6: Detail the eyebrows

Now, make the anime character’s eyebrows look more complete and refined. To do this, add single-layer hatching within the eyebrow contours. As you move laterally, the strokes should become increasingly diagonal. This simple hatching will represent hair of eyebrows.

Step 7: Add shadows and highlights to the anime eyes

Now we’ve reached one of the most important steps. In this stage, we’ll use hatching to give the anime eyes drawing a more finished appearance. First, fill in the pupils using the darkest and most saturated hatching. Be sure to leave a small white highlight inside each pupil to represent the reflection of light. Next, add hatching inside the iris. You can create a large crescent-shaped highlight at the bottom of the iris, as shown in the example. Use lighter hatching for the rest of the iris for a more realistic look.

Practice Drawing Different Variations

The tutorial on how to draw anime eyes is complete, and now it’s time to practice drawing anime and manga eyes in different shapes and with various expressions. In this variation, we show a more intense and focused look. The eyebrows are lowered and angled inward, giving the character a serious expression. The bold upper eyelids and clearly defined pupils help strengthen the overall impact of the gaze. Use this example as a reference when training to draw sharper and more expressive eye shapes.

As we already said, this is a lesson about the basic principles of anime-style eye drawing. You can easily change the mood of your character and the direction of his gaze by changing the shape and position of the eyes. To convey especially strong emotions, use wrinkles that look like a lot of short lines.

You’ve now learned the basic steps for drawing anime eyes, from outlining the shape to adding internal details, shadows, and expressions. With this foundation, you can begin practicing different styles and experimenting with various eye shapes, angles, and emotions. Don’t forget that small adjustments in the eyebrows, pupils, and eyelids can completely change the character’s expression.

Also, visit our anime drawing tutorial, where we show the basic principles of this style and demonstrate how to create authentic anime and manga characters. Use the skills you’ve gained in this tutorial on how to draw anime eyes to make your anime drawings look really professional.

Keep refining your technique, study references, and try drawing anime eyes in a wide range of moods to build confidence and control in your sketches.