How to Draw Manga Chibis & Cute Critters: Discover techniques for creating adorable chibi characters and doe-eyed manga animals (Walter Foster Studio)

Draw a Chibi Girl Face

Step 1

Sketch the basic head shape and guidelines. We drew the ears even though the hair covers them. It’s always good to draw the shapes for all of the features, even if they aren’t visible in later steps.

Step 2

Draw the eyes, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Next draw the hair, mouth, nose, and accessories. Pay attention to how the guidelines help establish where the other details sit.

Step 3

Erase unnecessary sketch lines and add your base colors, followed by shading and highlights. Add dark blue pupils to the center of the eyes along with highlights so they seem full of energy. For added flavor, give your chibi girl a few freckles. The options for adding characteristic flair are many. Use your imagination!

Draw a Chibi Boy Face

Step 1

Sketch the basic head shape and guidelines. Make sure the boy’s shoulders are broader than the girl’s.

Step 2

Add the eyes, noticing how the boy’s eyes rest directly on the centerline, whereas the girl’s eyes are set slightly lower. The boy doesn’t have eyelashes, but he does have thicker eyebrows. Next, add the nose and mouth, remembering to leave more space on the chin area than you would on a girl chibi. Add a boyish hairstyle, with two little tufts standing on end.

Step 3

Erase unnecessary guidelines. Then add your colors and highlights. You can give the boy brown hair and green eyes, or any colors you like. Add highlights to his hair to make it appear shiny and round. With dark green pupils and brighter highlights, his eyes seem alert. Add a pink flush to his cheeks so he appears as if he’s been playing outside.

Chibi Critter Action Poses

Running Puppy

Most critters run on four legs. The size of the head is exaggerated and the legs narrow to tiny paws. Note how the ears appear to fly behind the dog’s head, showing movement and speed. Next, visualize a line indicating the ground below the dog’s legs to see how all four legs are suspended in the air. The way the toes tilt downward makes this action clearer.

Rolling Kitten

Begin by drawing the chibi kitty’s large head, exaggerated ears, small body, mitten-like paws, and chunky tail. Pay attention to the curved line of action. The head faces one direction and the body curves into a C shape, so the kitty appears to be in mid roll. Tuck both front paws under the chin and stretch the hind legs toward the sides. Finally, draw the cutest chibi kitty face possible.

Hopping Rabbit

This chibi rabbit has a large head, simplified ears, a small body, and a tail exaggerated in size and shape. The two front legs taper toward the paws, and the much larger hind legs have long simplified feet. The ears bend backward as if she’s running against the wind. If you drew a line representing the ground below her body, her right front limb would barely touch the ground, and the others would be about to do the same.

Be sure to draw the body angled upward, with the head lower than the body. The tail sits high on the backside, and the bottoms of both back feet face up and outward.