Anime eyes are perhaps one of the most expressive and important traits of any character. Learning to draw them can be quite enjoyable and easy as you get to know the right techniques. Here’s a simplified step-by-step guide on how to draw anime eyes.

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Step 1: Figure Out Eye Placement

Before you start drawing, you need to decide where the eyes should go on the face. Here’s how:

• Middle of the Face: Most characters have the eyes in the middle of the face from a front view.
• Spacing: The width between the two eyes is approximately equal to the width of one eye. The space between each eye and the side of the face is also approximately equal to the width of one eye.
• Symmetry: Don’t worry too much about getting those two eyes exactly the same. Human faces are not symmetrical either, and that is okay! To get your eyes balanced, feel free to flip your drawing horizontally.
• Side View: From the side, the eye tilts slightly because the eyeball is nestled in the eye socket.

Step 2: Draw Eyes from Different Angles

Drawing eyes from many view angles adds depth and dimension to your character.

• Curved Surface: A face is not a plain structure; it is more like a contoured plane. : If started from an angle, the eyes will appear slanted or will not even look equal in size.
• Moving Pupils: Pupils lie on a round eyeball, so pupils have the tendency to go along with the movement of their respective characters as the latter look around a room. This means the external shape of the eye may shift, based on the movement of the pupils.
• ¾ View: if a face is rotated to one side then draw its eyes by assuming the eyes orbit on a spherical surface. Recall that the eyelid has the depth to make it look 3D.
• Profile View: In a side view you could see only the eye opening, the curve of the eyelash, and a part of the eyebrow. The eye also turns somewhat towards the bridge of the nose and rotates the face entirely to the side.

Step 3: Draw Expressions

Anime eyes have lots of emotional experiences. Here are some tips to make your characters’ eyes emotive:

• Use the Eye Mask: Envision an imaginary “mask” around the eyes that consists of the brows, lashes, and muscles around it. This helps keep the features connected and looks more natural while featuring emotions.
• Eyebrows Are Key: The position and shape of the eyebrows play a large role in facial expressions. For example:

Lowered eyebrows = strong or angry feelings

Raised eyebrows = surprised or fearful.

• Muscle Action: Even slight signs of muscle tension around the eyes can be very dramatic. Suggest more extreme changes, such as squinting or opening the eyes wider by exaggerating them.
• Pupil Position: Pay attention to how much white space is visible around your pupils. Too much white will often make the face indicate shock, fear, or madness, so use this sparingly.

Step 4: Various Eye Shapes

Anime eyes have various shapes and styles, which is what makes them special and fun to draw.

Don’t draw symmetric shapes; uneven forms make eyes look more dynamic and organic, from the peak of the eyelid, the lash curve, or the pupil position.

• Girls’ eyebrows are located further from the eyes and are generally softer.
• Men’s eyebrows are closer to their eyes and are more angular.
• Older characters will have droopier eyes or wrinkles.

Simple vs. Detailed Eyes:

For animations or quick sketches, simple shapes work well.

On close-up, or on detailed illustrations, you can add more detailed features like eyelashes and highlights.

Closed Shape Method: Don’t worry even if you leave gaps in the corners. When you are drawing eyes, always imagine them as closed shapes. That will make you produce volume and position the eyes properly from every angle.

Try out different eye types to find what suits your characters best.

Step 5: Detailing and Colouring 

Details add life to the anime eyes and make them pop.

• Cornea and Iris:

The cornea is the transparent lens above the pupil and the iris. While drawing eyes from a skewed angle, pay attention to the position of the pupil inside the cornea, making it look natural.

Large pupils often indicate poor lighting or looking off into the distance. Smaller pupils may indicate bright light or focus on something close.

• Shading and Highlights:

Darken the whites of the eyes a bit. Deepen the shadows so that the bright edges pop out. Add light reflections or spots within the iris to give a lively sparkle. Play with soft or bold-edge iris to create depth. Use some creative combinations of color for striking impact.

How you shade and color the eyes can dramatically change their mood and style, so be creative in this task!

Final Tips:

Highlight your eyes, but do not forget about the rest of the drawing; your character’s final design needs to be balanced, even if the central focus is the eyes.

• Draw eyes from different angles and with different expressions to get better.
• Don’t overthink it- just start simple, adding details as your confidence builds.
• With a little patience and practice, you can make gorgeous anime eye drawings in no time!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)