Anime Lessons: An Introduction to Anime Drawing

Anime drawing is a fascinating subject that many professional animators have captured online, on TV and in video games. Anime, a word for Japanese animation, includes comics called manga with fictional characters that exaggerate the human form.

The characters are very expressive and therefore have large wide eyes, hair that stands out and either tiny mouths or mouths that are wide open to express feelings. Showing several images of anime characters from books and photos is a great way to introduce the topic and begin your anime lesson.

Rationale and Teacher Notes

Several practice lessons on anime sketching will give the students the idea of what anime is. To teach drawing faces, first try lessons on drawing human faces. Then begin anime lessons by drawing the anime face before trying to teach drawing the proportions of the full body.

Overall Student Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate anime drawing techniques
• Demonstrate technique of drawing anime faces and hairstyles
• Draw different styles of facial parts
• Create expression using anime eyes
• Draw correct body proportions for anime characters
• Design or copy an anime character

Materials

• 9 X 12 cartridge drawing paper
• 4B pencils
• erasers
• rulers
• examples of anime characters

Lesson 1 - Drawing the Head

Pass out one sheet of drawing paper to each student. Using basic shapes to begin with, have students start with a circle for the head, then make it into an oval to create a pointed chin. (The chin should be about the length of the radius of the circle away from the edge of the circle.)

Tell them to mark a line halfway down the head and halfway verically through the circle to help center the eyes.

Have them draw the eyes as large, almost rectangular shapes beginning at the halfway point on the circle and drawn downwards. Within the large rectangle, have them draw a large black oval representing the pupil. They can add a large oval iris and 2 light spots (both on the same side of each eye) on the eyes later. Lines for eyebrows, and 2 upward curving eyelashes can be added also.

Have them draw a tiny nose as a dash mark, halfway between the eyes and the mouth.

The mouth is halfway between the eyes and chin. It can be a tiny triangle pointing downwards. They can add a small line under it.

Next, have them create the hair by drawing blocks of hair locks which move up and out from the head.

Assessment of these drawings can include observations of how well the students place the eyes, nose and mouth; not how expressive the face is.

Lesson 2 – Facial Parts

To practice drawing different sets of eyes, ears, noses, mouths and jaw lines, have the students divide another piece of paper into 5 sections across the page. Practice different kinds of eyes by drawing the example on the board or providing a handout. Then have the students practice drawing them. Go on to the next set of parts.

You can also have them practice different hairstyles and profiles in the same way. Draw only 5 or 6 across the page and remind them it is practice.

On the back of the paper, or on a new sheet, practice different sets of facial expressions such as happy, sad, excitement, worry and other facial features. It is helpful to have a book or handout for students to choose which expression they want to try.

Remind students that these practice drawings will not have a formal assessment.

Lesson 3 – The Eyes

Since the eyes show the most expression, students should spend one lesson on this facial part alone. The objective is to show the students that many shapes are used in anime. Eyebrow placement also creates expression. The student objective is to draw as accurately as possible the eye shape with correct shading techniques.

Students should try to copy different sets of eyes which show a variety of different expressions. Use this as practice. Have them choose the eyes they want to draw from a handout. Point out the sections of the eye where the light spots are.

Students should demonstrate that they shade from the center of the eye outwards to fill in eye color. Both the left and right eye should be drawn. Provide as much time for this lesson as for the other facial parts altogether. This anime lesson should also have no formal assessment as observation should suffice.