How to Draw a Chibi Eye

Reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson

Last Updated: December 19, 2024

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Are you that person who is struggling to find the perfect spot for eyes and who is finding it hard to draw the "perfect" eyes?

Part 1

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Drawing the Eyes

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Usually, this oval is a bit taller than it is wide. You can change this; just remember that a chibi eye is large and round!
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Draw the eyelids. Draw a thick curve on top of the oval that curves outwards to one side. The outside edge should hang out from the oval; this leaves room for the sclera. For the bottom eyelid, just add a thin curved line on the bottom of the oval.
- Chibi eyes are exaggerated, so make the top eyelid curve outwards significantly.
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Colour and highlights will be added later; it's easier to do the black now than try to colour in crevices later.
Look at the photo; a thick coloured "C" seems to be on its side. This should be at the bottom of your oval and surrounded with black. A bright colour is best.
Pick a slightly darker shade, and colour the bottom of the C with this. This is an easy way to add depth and light perception.
Use black or a different, darker colour, add small lines inside the coloured C. Although this step is optional, it will add the pupil to the eyes which will make it look more human.
Depending on where your light source is, use white to add lines and little specks of light to the whole eye. For added authenticity, the highlights should be in both the black and the coloured area.
Usually, chibi eyebrows are just thin curved lines. Small curved spikes on the upper eyelid can be eyelashes.

Part 2

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Placing the Eyes

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The cross will not only help you place the eyes, but it will also help you place other facial features in the correct spot as well.
Even though there are two lines below the cross in the image, you don't need to draw them. To place the eyes, all you need to do is to draw your eyes above the horizontal line.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I draw the eye if it's looking in a certain direction?

Mark Weiser
Artist
Mark Weiser is an Artist and Gallery Manager for DKW Art Gallery based in Marion, Iowa. He and his wife Deb manage the gallery, which boasts a variety of art, including paintings, ceramics, and photography. The gallery also provides art classes for the community, hosts shows, and runs events that build awareness of regional artists of all ages. Mark has also owned and operated art galleries in Florida and Georgia. He creates carved slate and wood pieces inspired by Irish and Celtic art, featuring the Gaelic language done in the ancient Ogham alphabet. Some of Mark's previous clients include CNN, Pinnacle Bank, and Collins Aerospace. He received a BS in Business Administration with minors in Education and Psychology from Emporia State University.

Mark Weiser

Artist

Expert Answer

First, decide where your character is looking. This determines how you angle the iris and pupil within the eye. If the subject is looking straight at you, the iris should be centered, with the top and bottom partially covered by the eyelids. If they're looking elsewhere, position the iris and pupil slightly toward the direction they're gazing. Also, consider the light source because light will influence the location of the reflections in the eye. One reflection mark placed discreetly inside the iris or pupil adds depth and draws attention. For example, if light is coming from the left, the reflection must be on the upper left of the eye. Reflections also subtly guide the viewer to understand where the gaze is directed.

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Question

How to I make the eyes more feminine?

Community Answer

Sometimes adding more eyelashes and making the lines curvier can help to make the eye appear more feminine.

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Question

Can you add your own details such as using regular anime eyes but bigger? Does it still count as chibi?

Lemonsters

Community Answer

It depends which eyes you use. Smaller anime eyes will probably not work, but big and lively anime eyes will still do the job. If you want to use anime eyes on chibis in general, it is recommended to scale them to fit the proportions of the head. It still counts as chibi, but you might get the look you were trying to achieve if you follow these steps.

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Tips

Try out your own style. Sometimes you will appreciate your method more than how others seem to do it.

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To make the chibi more beautiful, make sure your eyes are symmetrical.

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You can also use a shading stick to make the strokes a little neater.

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Warnings

Always be aware of how hard you press. If you press too hard and you erase it, you will leave an unwanted mark on the paper.

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