How to Draw Anime Body Proportions
In a previous lesson, we talked about how small changes to the shape of the face and its features can change the perceived age or gender of an anime and manga character.
This is also true of body shape. Here, we'll discuss how to draw anime body proportions for babies, children, and adults, males and females.
Take a look at the proportions guide in our illustration. The first image in the reference is of an anime baby. You'll notice that the head is very large and the body is small by comparison.
The head is more rounded than it is with older characters and the overall form of the body is triangular. This base can be used with either male or female characters.
The baby body base can also be used to create chibi characters. Chibi is a Japanese slang term that describes someone who is short. It has also come to signify the particular cuteness of the exaggerated caricatures in which the head and eyes are abnormally large and the body very small.
Next, we have the child anime outline. The proportions of this character are more normalized, but they are slighter than those of adult characters. Anime children characters are also shorter than adults.
This child base can be used for either gender, so long as the child is a pre-teen.
Learn the step-by-step details on how to draw an anime boy body.
To make a male teen character, you can use similar proportions but make the juvenile anatomy drawing a bit taller in comparison to the adults. Female teenage characters are drawn in a manner similar to adult females.
The adult female anatomy drawing shows that the body is curvier, with the hips extending wider than the chest.
Learn the details on how to draw an anime girl body base.
Male characters are often tall and more muscular. The overall shape of the torso is v-shaped, as the shoulders are wide and the body narrows across the abdomen. The shoulders are generally wider than the hips.
For further details on how to draw an anime male body, see this drawing tutorial.
What to draw next?
Now that you know all about anime and manga body proportions, it is time to test your skills. Take out your drawing of the little anime kid from the previous lesson. We’re going to have some fun with this character…
First, draw him in chibi style, with a large head and a tiny body. Change his facial expression to display an extreme emotion.
Then, let the little boy grow up - draw him as a teenager and as an adult. What body proportions will you have to change?
Finally, gender swap your character and make him a little anime girl kid instead. Will you change his hair? His clothes?
You can also give your characters some extreme personality with these guides: Vampire Girl, Christmas Anime Character, or Cool Anime Demon Picture.
We have over 100 anime and manga drawing tutorials that you can use for free to learn to draw anime characters. See all our cute anime drawings on this page.