Free Guide

How to Draw Anime Eyes for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide by Japanese Pro Artists

The short answer: Box it in first. Draw a wide rectangle the size of the eye, fill it with a diamond-like eye shape, add the upper lid, then the iris, then the lashes, and shade the iris last. When the eye looks up, down or sideways, the lids and lashes move with it.

Eyes are one of the places where an artist's own style shows the most. This guide takes one eye from an empty box to a finished, inked eye looking straight ahead. Once that feels solid, it shows what changes when the eye moves.

Six stages of drawing an anime eye, numbered 1 to 6, from a pink guide box to a finished inked eye — From an empty guide box to a finished eye in six stages.

The seven stages at a glance

Guide boxPick the eye's size and draw a wide rectangle split by a cross.

A diamond-like eye shape filling the guide box

Eye shapeFill the box with a top and bottom line. Think of a diamond.

The upper eyelid line added above the eye shape

EyelidsAdd the upper lid. The height of the outer corner sets the mood.

A tall oval iris with a small pupil oval inside the eye

IrisA circle or a slightly tall oval that reaches from lid to lid.

A thick upper lash line with upper and lower lashes added

LashesA thick upper lash line, a few lashes above and below.

The finished eye with a black pupil, dark top of the iris and two white highlights

Finished irisPupil, highlights and dark ink bring the eye to life.

Four eyes looking up, looking down, looking sideways and closed

Eye movementLooking up, down, sideways or closed: the lids move with the iris.

Step 01 · Guide box

Where do I start when drawing an anime eye?

Decide the size first, then draw a wide rectangle that fits it exactly.

Before any curves, lock the eye's size with a guide. A rectangle that's wider than it is tall, split by one vertical and one horizontal line, gives you the eye's edges and its center in one go.

Everything after this stays inside the box. That's also how you get two eyes the same size later: you just draw the same box twice. Boring? A little. But it's the step everything else stands on.

Red-pen checkDecide how big the eye is first, then make the box match it. The box should be wider than it is tall.

A wide rectangle guide box split by a vertical and a horizontal line — The pink lines are guides. You erase them at the end.

Step 02 · Eye shape

What shape is an anime eye?

Think of a diamond: one line arching over the top, one curving underneath, filling the box.

Draw the top and bottom lines of the eye so they touch the edges of the guide. Let them peak near the middle and taper toward the corners, like a soft diamond.

Use the whole box. The guide is there to set the eye's size, so let the eye fill it.

Red-pen checkFill the box. The top line should reach the top edge of the guide.

A diamond-like eye shape drawn inside the guide box, labeled Think of a diamond shape — The top and bottom lines fill the guide box.

Step 03 · Eyelids

How do I draw the eyelids?

Add a line above the top of the eye for the upper lid, then decide how high the outer corner sits.

Draw the upper eyelid just above the top line and let it flick out a little at the outer corner. Add a lower lid line only if the design needs one.

The outer corner is where personality starts to show. Raise it and you get the sharp, upturned eyes of a cool rival. Drop it and they turn soft and droopy. The inner corner sits at the edge of the box.

Red-pen checkSettle the height of the outer corner before you add lashes. Once the lash line is inked, it's much harder to change.

The upper eyelid added, with labels for the outer corner and the inner corner — The height of the outer corner decides upturned or droopy eyes. The inner corner sits at the edge of the box.

Step 04 · Iris

What shape should the iris be?

A circle or a slightly tall oval. Those are the basic choices.

Draw the iris as a big oval that reaches from the upper lid almost down to the bottom line. Add a small oval in the middle for the pupil.

Keep both as outlines for now. Shading comes last, once you know the shape is right.

Red-pen checkKeep the iris a circle or a slightly tall oval. Those are the shapes to start from.

A tall oval iris and a small pupil oval drawn inside the eye — The iris reaches from the upper lid almost to the bottom line.

Step 05 · Lashes

How do I draw anime eyelashes?

Thicken the upper lash line, add a few lashes above and below, and draw a double-lid line here if you want one.

Darken the upper lid into a solid band that's thickest toward the outer side, then let a few lashes flick off it. Under the eye, a couple of short lashes is enough.

If the character has double eyelids, draw that crease now. The guide box is still there, so you can check the eye hasn't drifted.

Red-pen checkDouble eyelids? Add the crease at this stage, together with the lashes.

A solid upper lash band with lashes above and two short lashes below, guide box still visible — The iris is still an outline. Only the lashes are inked.

Step 06 · Finished iris

How do I shade the iris and add highlights?

Draw in the highlights and the pupil properly, and the eye is done.

Erase the guides. Draw in the pupil and leave one or two small highlights white. A highlight is light reflected in the eye.

Then add the dark areas and fine pen lines inside the iris. Black ink and white paper are all you need.

Red-pen checkThe eye isn't finished until the highlights and the pupil are clearly drawn in.

The finished anime eye with a black pupil, dark upper iris, white highlights and fine lines in the lower iris — Solid pupil, dark top of the iris, two white highlights.

Step 07 · Eye movement

How do the eyes change when a character looks up, down or to the side?

Move more than the iris. The eyelids and lashes move with it.

A common slip is sliding the iris around while the lids stay frozen. Real lids follow the eyeball, so the whole shape of the eye changes.

Red-pen checkWhen the gaze moves, check that the eyelids and lashes moved too, not just the iris.

Looking up

The iris rises and the upper lid lifts with it.

An anime eye looking up, side view, labeled the eyelid moves with the iris

Looking down

The upper lid drops over the iris, and the lower lid moves too.

An anime eye looking down, side view, labeled the eyelid and the lower lid move too

Looking sideways

Both irises slide, but not by the same amount. The eye on the far side, away from the direction they're looking, moves more.

A turned face with both eyes looking to the side

Two eyes looking sideways, labeled the far eye moves more

Diagram of the two eyes turning by different angles when looking to the side — The two eyes turn by different angles. The blue arrows show the direction of each gaze.

Eyes closed

The lashes point down, and the closed lid shows the round shape of the eyeball underneath.

A closed anime eye, front view, labeled lashes point down

A closed anime eye, side view, with the eyeball shape shown in pink under the lid

The shape of the iris changes the whole character

Eyes are what make a character memorable. There's no fixed rule for the iris, and a tall oval looks natural. Stretch it sideways, though, and the character starts to look a little unhinged.

Tall iris: reads as natural.

The same anime eye with a wide horizontal iris

Wide iris: reads as unsettling.

Where people usually get stuck

Why don't my two eyes match?

Draw the same guide box for both eyes first, at the same height, then fill them in. Matching two boxes is easier than matching two finished eyes.

My character's eyes look frozen when they look around. Why?

You probably moved only the iris. When the gaze moves, the eyelids and lashes move with it. Looking down, the upper lid comes down over the iris.

Can I skip the guide box once I'm used to it?

Sure, once you can place the eye by eye. If the size starts to drift, bring the box back.

Anime eye drawing FAQ

What is the easiest way to draw anime eyes as a beginner?

Start with a wide rectangle the size of the eye, fill it with a diamond-like eye shape, add the upper lid, then the iris, then the lashes, and shade the iris last. Working in that order keeps the size and shape under control.

Should an anime iris be round or oval?

Either. A circle or a slightly tall oval is the usual choice. Avoid a wide, horizontal iris unless you want the character to look unsettling.

How do I draw anime eyes looking up or down?

Move the eyelids with the iris. Looking up, the upper lid lifts. Looking down, it drops over the iris and the lower lid shifts too. When the eye closes, point the lashes down.

How do I get feedback on my eye drawings?

When you join an Anime Art Academy course, a professional Japanese artist gives you personal advice and draws red-line corrections directly on your drawing. There is no limit on how many times you can submit. The only rule: post one drawing at a time, and wait for your teacher's reply before posting the next.