Are you aching to bring your pencil sketches to life by drawing a female body anime-style? Drawing anime is a great way to combine your passions for art and storytelling. Anime can be a complex and demanding art form, but with practice and the right reference materials, you can learn to draw female characters that embody the beauty and power of their genre. Here’s how to get started.
Sheet of Sketches
As with many projects, the key to success is preparation. Before you dive into the drawing of your anime-style female body, start with a practice sheet. Take a sheet of paper and use a light pencil to sketch out a few various poses. Focus on the proportions of the body and the way it moves — this will make it easier to envision how you want your female characters to look. Also, don’t forget to draw some hands and feet. Lastly, don’t be scared to sketch a few facial features to get a better feel of the emotion you want your character to convey.
Reference Models
In the same way most painters use references or models for their art, finding the right drawings and photographs of female anime bodies will help you understand the nuances of anime-style anatomy. Research and study drawings from experienced anime practitioners and use their work as a reference when drawing your female bodies. This will help you understand the anatomy of female anime bodies and the emotions their poses — facial expressions and the body language — convey.
Understand Proportion
The most iconic visual feature of anime is the exaggerated proportion and scale of a character’s features compared to that of real-life body structures. When drawing your female anime bodies, understand the level of exaggeration you’re pursuing. From the size of the fingernails and the eyes to the way the hair falls and the ways clothing moves across the body, understanding proportions can make all the difference between a basic drawing and a masterfully conceived anime figure.
Practice Line Quality
The way lines are put together when drawing an anime figure is important in conveying emotion. Depending on the context of the manga or anime, you’ll need to practice various line techniques — thick, thin, curved, straight, jagged — to convey the character’s emotion. Also, subtlety is key. When you’re shading, use light pencil lines instead of hard-pressing your pencil. It’s also important to practice line composition to make sure your characters look proportionate and balanced.
Shading and Coloring
Shading and coloring are essential tools to make sure your anime female figures look visually attractive. With the right palette of colors for the background and for the character herself, you can create an atmosphere and emotion befitting the anime genre. It’s important to use a limited palette of colors and pick those that match the emotion of the scene. For shading, study the light sources and shadows afterwards — the way light affects the character’s features will add depth and realism to your art.
Using Backgrounds
Using the right background for your anime female figures can lend credibility and believability to your art. Find the right elements to contrast your character’s features, so they stand out more. When it comes to these backgrounds, you can use elements like the sky, buildings, trees, the moon and a variety of other elements to create the right atmosphere. In any case, studying existing anime art and understanding their backgrounds will be essential to create a believable and attractive world in your art.
Connecting with the Story
Anime is a form of storytelling, and the female figures you create should fit the story you’re telling. Before you begin drawing, it’s important to understand the context and mood of the manga you’re creating. The personality, poses and expressions of each female figure should reflect the story you’re telling — their looks should convey emotion, so find references and study them to help you create the female figures of your manga.
Patience and Perseverance
Just like anything, drawing anime females is a skill that needs to be developed and trained. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time around. Spend time researching and studying the anatomy of female anime figures and the lines and shapes used to convey emotion. Analyze existing artwork and use them as a reference to help you hone your skills. Have patience and don’t get discouraged. With time, passion and dedication, you’ll be churning out female figures like a pro.
