How to Draw Manga
Manga is a style that has characteristic features such as simplification and exaggerated proportions. In this tutorial on how to draw manga, you can try three methods and see how the same style changes with different proportions and poses.
Prepare to Draw Manga
Manga characters often have unusual proportions, and the large head is the main feature to notice here. The body is much smaller, which makes the figure look younger and gives more space to the face.
The eyes affect the whole expression, so their position matters more than small differences in their shape. If they sit too high, there will not be enough room for the hair above them.
This subject is good practice for simplifying the human figure without losing its basic construction. Small changes in the hairstyle or clothing are fine, but the relationship between the head and body should remain clear.
Manga Drawing Tutorial
Materials
- Pencil
- Paper
- Eraser
- Coloring supplies (beige, purple, blue, and gray)
Time needed: 30 minutes
How to draw manga step by step
- Outline the manga character’s head.
Start with one curved line that forms the sides, chin, and upper edge of the head. Make the lower part narrower than the top so the face has a clear manga shape.
- Add the manga hairstyle.
Across the upper part of the head, sketch the hair with several pointed locks. Let the outline extend slightly beyond the skull so the hairstyle does not look flat.
- Sketch the manga facial features.
Inside the face, add two large incomplete ovals for the eyes. Use short curved lines for the eyebrows, nose, and mouth, placing these small features near the lower half of the head.
- Form the character’s small torso.
Below the head, use two short curved lines to outline the sides of the torso. The body should be much shorter and narrower than the head to preserve the simplified manga proportions.
- Draw the manga character’s arms.
Extend one arm downward beside the torso and raise the other slightly to the side. Use simple curved outlines and make each hand small in relation to the character’s head.
- Outline the T-shirt and legs.
Add the curved neckline and short sleeves across the upper body. Continue below the shirt with two simple leg shapes, leaving a small space between them near the feet.
- Add the eyes, ears, and shoes.
Place small circles inside the eyes for the pupils, then add the ears at the sides of the head. Finish the lower part of the figure with short lines that shape the shoes.
- Clean up the manga drawing.
Erase the guidelines and any lines hidden by the hair or clothing. Darken the remaining outlines so the facial features and small body are clear before coloring.
- Color the manga character.
Use beige for the skin, purple for the hair, and blue for the shirt. Fill the pants and shoes with gray, or choose another simple color combination for the clothing.
Manga Drawing Printables
The printable PDF includes the main drawing stages in a shorter format. You can use it away from the screen or keep it beside your paper as a quick reference.
More Ways to Draw Manga
The first character uses a simple standing pose and very short limbs. The next methods use different proportions and give you more room to work with the figure’s movement and clothing.
Manga Character Drawing Tutorial
This version places the manga character in a more active pose. The head still provides the main guide for the figure, but the tilted torso and limbs make the body feel less stiff.
Pay attention to the direction of the shoulders and hips. Their angles help the arms and legs follow the same movement instead of looking like separate parts.
Detailed Manga Drawing Tutorial
This method divides the character into more stages, which gives you extra time to check the head, face, and body proportions. The hairstyle is also built with more individual locks.
The additional steps do not make the drawing much harder. They simply separate closely related parts so you can correct the figure before adding the final outlines.
Conclusion
The large head is the main feature that sets the proportions in this manga drawing. If the body becomes too tall or wide, the character will lose the simple style used in the example.
You can change the character without rebuilding the whole figure. A different hairstyle, expression, or shirt design is enough to give the same basic construction a new look.
For more practice with facial proportions, try drawing a manga face. That guide gives the eyes, hairline, and lower part of the face more space.
You can continue with drawing manga hair, or use a fuller figure guide by drawing a manga boy.
