How to Draw Uta from Tokyo Ghoul

Finished Uta drawing with tattoos, loose clothing, and light hatched shadows.

Drawing an anime figure follows the same basic principles as drawing the human body, with certain changes in shape and details depending on the character and style. In this tutorial, we will apply these principles to show you how to draw Uta from Tokyo Ghoul, taking into account his slender build and other features of his appearance.

How to draw Uta from Tokyo Ghoul step by step

Step 1: Sketch Uta’s basic skeleton

First, draw a basic stick figure of Uta. In the first steps, it can be quite difficult to guess that we are drawing an anime character. Sketch three rounded shapes for the head, chest, and pelvis. All three shapes are asymmetrical because of the angle. Pay attention to the position of these three main masses in relation to one another. Then use simple lines to indicate the spine, arms, and legs.

Sketching Uta’s head, chest, pelvis, arms, and legs with simple construction lines.

Step 2: Add volume to Uta

Now add volume to Uta’s stick figure, but first sketch the anime face guidelines. Draw vertical and horizontal lines to indicate the center of the face and the position of the eyes. After that, draw a slender neck and connect the head to the shoulders. Using long, thin shapes, draw the contours of the arms. Also, outline Uta’s torso. It should be slender and taper slightly at the waist. Using curved cylinders, draw the legs. Do not make the arms and legs too muscular.

Building Uta’s slender torso, arms, legs, neck, and facial guidelines.

Step 3: Sketch Uta’s main details

Now add Uta’s basic details using the same light lines. Outline the facial features and the contours of his short, tousled hair. After that, move to the body and sketch the casual clothing and the neckline of the shirt. At this stage, draw anime clothing over the volumes constructed in the previous step.

Sketching Uta’s facial features, tousled hair, shirt, pants, and clothing details.

Step 4: Draw Uta’s ghoul face

If you have not watched this anime, then we are sorry for the spoiler. Uta is a ghoul. That is why his eyes look a little different from those of many other anime characters. Notice the unusual appearance of Uta’s ghoul eyes and pupils. However, the rest of his facial features and hairstyle are quite typical of an anime character. Use the facial guidelines from the previous steps to draw the anime eyes, nose, and mouth correctly.

Drawing Uta’s distinctive ghoul eyes, facial features, and short tousled hairstyle.

Step 5: Refine Uta’s torso and shirt

Now let’s move on to Uta’s torso. Using dark, smooth lines, carefully draw its contours. Next, draw the folds in Uta’s shirt fabric around the chest and remove all unnecessary lines. Keep the volume of the torso in mind when drawing the shirt. The folds should follow the form of the fabric and appear mainly where the material bends or changes direction. Do not forget to draw Uta’s pendant around the neck.

Refining Uta’s torso, shirt folds, neckline, and pendant with clean lines.

Step 6: Draw Uta’s arms and tattoos

Draw the visible fingers of his right hand. Establish their direction from the form of the hand then draw the individual contours. Also outline the tattoo on Uta’s left shoulder. Since the tattoos lie on the surface of the arms, their contours should follow the cylindrical volume rather than look like flat patterns.

Drawing Uta’s arms, visible fingers, and characteristic tattoos with clean contours.

Step 7: Draw the loose anime pants

Now we have one of the easiest parts of this Tokyo Ghoul character drawing. Draw Uta’s loose pants. Outline the fly and add several folds in the fabric. Most of the folds are located near the feet. Also add a couple of folds around the knees. Notice that the fabric hangs more freely between these areas, while the folds become more pronounced where the pants bend at the knees and gather above the feet.

Drawing Uta’s loose pants with folds around the knees and lower legs.

Step 8: Add shadows to Uta

We will avoid the dark, contrasting shadows that you may have seen in our comic book drawing tutorials. In this case, light shadows made with simple hatching work better. Place the darker areas under Uta’s hair, inside the folds of his clothing. On the arms and other visible parts of the body, let the hatching follow the volume of the forms.

Adding light hatched shadows to Uta’s hair, clothes, arms, and pants.

Drawing Uta in different looks

Uta appears in different clothes and hairstyles throughout Tokyo Ghoul, so you do not have to repeat the exact look from our example.

You can choose another outfit or pose, but retain his most recognizable features, especially the unusual ghoul eyes, tattoos, and slender figure, just as in the steps above.

We have drawn other characters from this dark anime as well. After Uta, you can draw Ken Kaneki, then draw Touka Kirishima, or draw Koutarou Amon.

We love Tokyo Ghoul and will be glad to draw more characters from this anime.