How to Draw Chibi
Chibi is a special style of drawing anime characters, and in this article I want to show you how to draw chibi in three different ways.
How to Draw Chibi: Basic Information
Drawing chibi characters involves mastering their iconic features, especially their exaggerated proportions which are a hallmark of chibi style. To learn how to draw chibi effectively, start by sketching an oversized head that is nearly as large as the rest of the body. This key characteristic emphasizes their whimsical, youthful appearance and is crucial for achieving the correct chibi aesthetic.
When you start your chibi drawing, focus on the head as the main component. In your sketch, the eyes should be large and expressive, taking up a significant portion of the face. This style of eyes is essential for conveying the character’s emotions, which adds significantly to the chibi’s charm and appeal.
In the body drawing phase, keep limbs short and the torso compact. As you draw chibi, choose simple clothing designs to maintain the figure’s overall cuteness and clarity. Following these steps will help beginner artists to illustrate chibi characters in really professional way.
So, the basics are clear, so let’s get down to the details and learn how to draw chibi.
Chibi Drawing Tutorial
Materials
- Pencil
- Paper
- Eraser
- Coloring supplies
Time needed: 45 minutes
How to Draw Chibi
- Draw the head of the chibi character.
Begin by sketching the basic outline of the chibi character’s head. Draw a large, slightly oval shape with a rounded bottom, resembling a balloon. The head should be quite large in proportion to the body, typical for chibi characters. Ensure the lines are smooth and the shape is symmetrical.
- Add the torso and legs.
Next, draw the outline of the chibi character’s body. The body should be much smaller in proportion to the head, emphasizing the chibi style’s characteristic cuteness. Sketch a simple, elongated shape starting from the bottom of the head and extending downward.
- Draw the chibi facial features.
Start with large, rounded eyes that take up a significant portion of the face. Position the eyes slightly lower on the head for a more youthful appearance. Add small, curved eyebrows above the eyes and a tiny, simple chibi-style mouth below.
- Illustrate the ears and neck.
In this step, add small, rounded ears on either side of the head. The ears should be positioned slightly below the horizontal midpoint of the head. Draw a short, narrow neck connecting the head to the body. Then add the sleeves of the T-shirt at the sides of the body.
- Draw the arms of the chibi character.
Sketch the arms extending from the sides of the body. Chibi arms are typically short and slightly rounded to match the character’s overall cute and simplistic style. Position the arms to hang naturally by the sides, with hands drawn as simple shapes at the ends.
- Illustrate the hair.
Start by sketching the outline of the hairstyle, keeping it simple and rounded. Chibi hairstyles often have large, exaggerated features. Draw the hair extending from the top of the head and down the sides, framing the face. Include some spikes or curves to give the hair volume and style.
- Illustrate and feet and bottom edge of the T-shirt.
Now, draw the details of the character’s clothing. Start with the upper part, sketching the bottom edge of the T-shirt. Then draw the shoes in the shape of two simple geometric shapes. Keep the clothing details minimal and rounded to match the chibi style.
- Refine the head and body.
Smooth out any rough lines and ensure all elements of the chibi character are symmetrical and proportionate. Add small details such as creases in the clothing to give it a bit more realism. Make sure your chibi drawing is clear and ready for coloring.
- Color your cute chibi art.
Choose bright or pastel colors typical of chibi characters to illustrate their cute appearance. Start with the hair and skin, coloring them in any color you prefer. Then color the eyes with vibrant hues, adding small white spots for a shiny effect. You can use shading to create more volume.
Additional Content
To help you to train drawing beyond the screen, I’ve crafted a complimentary PDF file to accompany this chibi drawing tutorial. This concise edition is portable, giving you the freedom to practice your newfound skills anywhere, with or without an internet connection.
Inside this PDF, you’ll find additional materials that are specifically designed to train your drawing skills. It’s the perfect next step after you’ve completed the main lesson, allowing you to deepen your understanding and finesse of the chibi style.
Alternative Drawing Methods
In addition to the primary pathway outlined in our session, I’ve developed a series of alternative chibi drawing techniques to enrich your practice and elevate your artistic capabilities. Each variant technique offers a new perspective on the chibi form, encouraging you to try different styles and expressions, enriching your artistic repertoire.
These additional methods are your stepping stones towards greater versatility in your art. By engaging with a variety of chibi styles, from the subtly nuanced to the boldly expressive, you expand your ability to convey emotion and character through your drawings, sharpening your skills with each iteration.
Let these alternative techniques be a playground for your creativity, where you can experiment and refine your chibi drawings. They are tailored to push your boundaries and invite you to discover new ways to bring these adorable characters to life, ensuring your chibi creations are as unique and dynamic as your imagination allows.
Drawing Chibi in 12 Steps
This additional tutorial provides an alternative way to draw a chibi character, offering a slightly different style and sequence of steps compared to the first tutorial. While both tutorials focus on creating a cute chibi character, this one is a bit more detailed.
To begin, draw a large, rounded head, slightly oval in shape, followed by a simple, elongated body that tapers towards the bottom. The third step adds basic leg outlines, ensuring the character maintains its chibi proportions with a small body and large head.
Next, sketch the arms extending naturally from the shoulders, followed by refining the arm placement and adding minimal clothing details. Then detail the facial features, starting with large, expressive eyes, followed by a small mouth and simplified ears. Then add the hair and refine the overall shape, adding small details. Finish by coloring the character with pastel hues.
Drawing Chibi in a Fight Ready Pose
This additional tutorial provides a different approach to drawing a chibi character, focusing on a more dynamic and stylized appearance compared to the first tutorial. The key differences lie in the overall style, which emphasizes a more expressive facial expression. The sequence of steps is also simplified, making it easier for beginners.
To start, draw a curved line for the base of the face, then add spiky hair that extends beyond the head outline. The body is drawn with simple, broad shapes to suggest clothing, followed by the addition of basic limbs. Facial features, including large, intense eyes and a determined mouth, are added to convey a specific emotion.
Further, the character’s outfit is detailed with minimal but distinct lines. Finally, color the character with bold, contrasting shades to enhance the dynamic look. This tutorial is ideal for those looking to create a more expressive chibi character with really simple steps.
How to Draw Chibi: Advanced Technical Tips
Chibi characters thrive on exaggeration. Oversize the head, make the eyes disproportionately large, and keep the body small and cute. This exaggeration helps emphasize the character’s cuteness and makes their expressions more impactful. Play with different levels of exaggeration to see what fits best for your style, and remember that the larger the eyes, the more expressive they can be.
When drawing chibi characters, simplicity is key. Reduce intricate details to their most basic forms. For instance, draw hands as simple mitten shapes or single lines to represent fingers. This simplicity keeps the focus on the overall charm and makes the drawing process faster and more approachable, especially for kids.
Even though chibi hands and feet are simple, they can still convey a lot of emotion. Use open hands to show excitement or clenched fists to depict determination. Position feet slightly apart to suggest a stable stance or point them inward for a shy, reserved look. Small adjustments in these elements can make the sketch more interesting.
Adding cute accessories like bows, hats, or glasses can make your chibi drawing more interesting. These small additions help tell a story about the character. For example, a chibi with a chef’s hat might be depicted as a cook or a character with a katana can be a little cute samurai. Keep these accessories proportionate and simple to maintain the overall chibi aesthetic.
Chibi characters are perfect for learning a wide range of emotions due to their exaggerated features. Practice drawing different expressions such as happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise. Use the eyes and mouth primarily to convey these emotions, as their simplified style makes subtle changes very noticeable. A small change in the eyebrow angle or mouth curve can significantly alter the character’s mood.
Conclusion
This tutorials on chibi drawing may be concluding, but don’f forget that there is a lot of styles and characters that you can master with my website. For example you can draw Spider-Man if are a fan of comic books or continue learning anime style with my tutorial on how to draw an anime character.
I’d love for you to be part of our growing artistic community on social media, where the latest lessons and creations are always at your fingertips. And your voice matters to us – under this lesson, leave a comment with your wishes for future tutorials. Your ideas fuel our creative fires, and together, we’ll keep the art flowing.
