Free Guide

How to Draw Anime Hands (Male vs Female Proportions): A Step-by-Step Guide by Japanese Pro Artists

The short answer: Split the hand into two parts, the fingers and the palm. On a man's hand, the palm (wrist to the base of the middle finger) is a little longer than the fingers. On a woman's hand, the two are about the same length, roughly 1:1.

Hands look like potatoes, or every hand you draw looks the same? Check two things: the finger-to-palm ratio, and how many lines you put on the joints. This guide covers both, for male and female characters, from the palm side and from the back.

A male hand and a female hand side by side, with guide lines at the fingertips, finger bases and wrist — Male hand (left): the palm is a little longer than the fingers. Female hand (right): fingers and palm are about the same length.

The four parts at a glance

The back of a male hand with knuckle creases, tendons and the ulna marked

Male hands: palm and backThick joints, slim sections between them, an angular outline.

An open male hand with guide lines showing the palm a little longer than the fingers

Male hand proportionsThe palm is a little longer than the fingers.

The back of a female hand with only a few short lines at the finger bases

Female hands: palm and backHidden joints, curved outlines, very few lines.

An open female hand with guide lines showing fingers and palm at about the same length

Female hand proportionsFingers and palm at about 1:1.

Step 01 · Male hands: palm and back

What makes an anime hand look masculine?

Thick joints, slim sections between them, and an angular outline.

On the palm side, there is padding at the finger bases and at the base of the thumb. The wrist is sturdy, and the tendons show. Let the base of the thumb and the base of the pinky make corners in the silhouette, and the hand reads as male.

The back of the hand has more parts that stick out. Draw the creases at each joint and knuckle, plus the tendons, and the hand gets that bony, strong look. The knuckles sit lower than the finger bases. From the back, the webbing between the fingers hides nothing, so the fingers look longer than they do from the palm side. On the pinky side of the wrist, the bump of the ulna makes the wrist more convincing.

Red-pen checkMale hand looks soft? The fingers are probably straight tubes. Widen each joint a little and pinch in the parts between them.

A male hand from the palm side and from the back, with the joints, knuckle creases and ulna marked — Left: palm side. Right: back of the hand, where the knuckle creases, tendons and the ulna show.

Step 02 · Male hand proportions

How long are the fingers on a male hand?

Split the hand roughly in half: the palm is a little longer than the fingers.

Measure from the wrist to the base of the middle finger. That's the palm, and on a man's hand it comes out slightly longer than the fingers. Draw three guide lines (fingertips, finger bases, wrist) and compare the two parts.

From the index finger to the pinky, the fingertips make an arch that peaks at the middle finger. The finger bases follow the same arch; they don't sit on a straight line. When the hand opens, the fingers fan out to the left and right. The thumb crease drops steeply across the palm from between the thumb and index finger. The other creases follow the finger heights and cross the palm at a gentle angle.

Red-pen checkFingertips lined up in a flat row? Raise the middle finger, and let the finger bases arch too.

An open male hand with three guide lines and a bracket showing fingers and palm — Three guide lines: fingertips, finger bases, wrist. The palm section is a little longer.

Step 03 · Female hands: palm and back

How do you draw soft, feminine hands?

Hide the joints, curve the outline, and use fewer lines.

Don't show knobby joints. Let each finger swell gently at the joint instead, and keep the outline of the whole hand curved, not angular. Leave out most lines at the finger bases and joints. Fewer lines take away the rugged look.

The palm side is soft and full: it dips in only at the creases, and everything else is a curve. The back of the hand doesn't carry much fat, so keep its outline a little flatter. Draw the fingers fairly straight, without much bumpiness, and the hand looks slender.

Red-pen checkCopied the male joint lines onto a girl's hand? Erase most of them. A short curve at each finger base is enough.

A female hand from the palm side and from the back, with smooth joints and few lines — Left: palm side, with curved outlines. Right: back of the hand, with only short lines at the finger bases.

Step 04 · Female hand proportions

How long are the fingers on a female hand?

Fingers and palm are about the same length, roughly 1:1.

Use the same three guide lines. On a woman's hand, the fingers are about as long as the palm. Make the fingers thin, and the whole silhouette gets slimmer and more graceful.

The palm carries more fat and the muscles are softer, so it looks full. Three places puff out the most: the thumb pad, the outer edge from the pinky down to the wrist, and the finger bases.

Red-pen checkThin fingers on a square, flat palm look pasted on. Round out the thumb pad and the pinky-side edge.

An open female hand with three guide lines showing fingers and palm at about 1:1 — The same three guide lines. Fingers and palm come out about the same length.

Male vs female: the back of the hand

Same pose, different line count. The male hand shows knuckle creases, tendons and the ulna. The female hand keeps only short curves at the finger bases.

The back of a male hand with knuckle creases and tendons

Male: creases at the knuckles and joints, tendons, the ulna.

The back of a female hand with nails and only a few short lines

Female: smooth joints, straight slim fingers, very few lines.

Where people usually get stuck

My male hands look thin and weak.

Thicken the joints, slim the sections between them, and give the thumb base and pinky base a corner.

My girls' hands look rugged.

Cut the joint lines, curve the outline, and draw the fingers straight on a flatter back of the hand.

The fingers look too short or too long.

Draw three guide lines. Male: the palm is a little longer than the fingers. Female: about 1:1.

Anime hand drawing FAQ

What is the finger-to-palm ratio for anime hands?

Measure the palm from the wrist to the base of the middle finger. On a male hand, the palm is a little longer than the fingers. On a female hand, the fingers and the palm are about the same length, roughly 1:1.

How do you make male and female hands look different?

Male hands get thick joints, slim sections between them, an angular silhouette, and visible creases and tendons on the back. Female hands hide the joints and use curved outlines, slim fingers and very few lines.

Why do fingers look longer from the back of the hand?

From the palm side, the webbing between the fingers covers part of each finger. From the back, nothing hides them, so they look longer. The knuckles also sit below the finger bases.

How do I get feedback on my hand 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.