When drawing character illustrations, you may be able to draw characters with normal head proportions well, but when you try to draw a chibi character, have you ever had trouble drawing it the way you wanted?
In this tip, we will explain how to draw chibi characters in three parts, using simple lines and colors so that even beginners can draw without making mistakes.
We will proceed in the following order: "1. How to deform"
"2. Cute poses and motifs"
"3. How to actually create a chibi character"
Please use this as a reference!
This tip is also explained in a video on YouTube.
It explains how to draw with a time-lapse video from rough sketch to finished product, so please take a look if you're interested.
1. How to deform
The biggest feature of chibi characters is their simplicity and cuteness, which comes from their small size.
Today, we will explain how to draw chibi characters in a simple style using thick lines and solid colors.
By reducing the number of lines and using creative colors, you can easily draw cute chibi characters!
■ Hairstyle deformation
1. Capture it in a simple form
For hairstyles, omit complex details and stick to simple, rounded shapes.
Try to keep the number of strands of hair to a minimum.
② Highlight features
Don't omit the parts that express the character's individuality (the frills on the top of the head, hair accessories, horns, etc.) and make them larger and more prominent so that the character's personality is conveyed even in a deformed form.
■Face and body balance
① Head to body ratio is 1.5 to 2 heads
In the style we will explain today, a head-to-body ratio of 1.5 to 2 heads will produce a cute character.
By drawing the head large and the body small, the character's cuteness will stand out, and because the body is small, you can draw it without any problems even if you are unable to express the three-dimensional effect well.
② Position your facial features low
Drawing the eyes large and drawing facial features (eyes, mouth, and ears) downward will create a cute impression.
A small mouth is easier to balance.
When drawing chibi characters, it is often cuter if you do not draw the nose.
Depending on the expression, it is okay to omit eyebrows. Eyebrows are close to the hair, so it is often better to not have eyebrows to avoid lines becoming too crowded.
If you want to draw a sulky expression, try drawing eyebrows as it is difficult to express the expression with just the eyes.
3. Consider how to express the eyes of your character!
We'll capture the characteristics of the character's eyes in a simple way.
Eye expressions can be expressed in a variety of ways!
Depending on the character's personality and expression, it's fine to leave out highlights.
The most important and fun part of drawing chibi characters is being able to capture the character's characteristics.
Use your imagination and try to create your own unique deformations!
2. Cute poses and motifs
Movement and situation are important for chibi characters.
Here we will explain the key points to consider when choosing poses and motifs.
■Hold something
It's easy to make your character look cute by having them hold something like a heart mark or a stuffed animal.
If there is an item that symbolizes your character, be sure to have them hold it!
■ Make them sit
Sitting flat on the ground gives a sense of stability and is suitable for chibi characters.
Sitting poses, whether they are frontal, diagonal, or sideways, are all suitable for expressing a cute chibi character.
■ Draw with food
Drawing chibi characters with food, like parfaits or ice cream, is a classic but very effective technique. I also think pizza is super cute!
3. Actual Chibi Character Creation
From here, we'll go through the specific steps to draw a chibi character.
I'll start by showing you a time-lapse video.
You'll see that there are few steps and it's easy!
■Step 1: Rough sketch
Draw the general shape while keeping in mind the ratio of the head and body.
For lively characters, use poses with movement, while for quiet characters or characters with dissatisfied expressions, use poses with less movement.
The key is a round head and a small torso.
It's easier to draw the arms and legs as rectangular parts rather than three-dimensional. **
■ Step 2: Line drawing
I ink using thick lines based on the rough sketch.
It's important to make the lines smooth and simple.
It's also a good idea to use a strong image stabilization function.
Keeping the thickness of the lines consistent is also effective in creating a sense of unity.
I use lines that are 1.25mm thick for parts I want to emphasize, such as the outline, and 0.8 to 1.00mm for parts I want to draw thin, such as the inner lines of hair.
The brushes I use for inking are available on CLIP STUDIO ASEETS, so please feel free to use them!
■ Step 3: Coloring
Use solid colors to create a bright, pop color.
The key is to keep the number of colors you use to a minimum and keep it simple.
You can change the colors at any time, so keep painting and adjusting!
① Color tracing of lines
Use a color that is a little darker than the color you will use for the solid color.
However, the color of the fill and the color of the color tracing do not necessarily have to be the same color.
The purple line may match the yellow hair.
②Solid color
Paint in a solid color with bright, slightly desaturated colors.
Using highly saturated and bright colors can easily throw off the overall balance, so if you're having trouble with color schemes, try to use desaturated, milky colors.
③Highlights
Draw highlights on the hair and on the edges of the character.
When highlighting hair, don't draw too many highlights, but draw thick lines from the top of the head to the outside.
Adding highlight lines to the outline of the body will also improve the detail.
Try using a light pink or lemon yellow highlight color instead of white, as this will make it easier to harmonize the colors.
Finished!
I think the trick to not making mistakes when drawing chibi characters is to "keep the amount of detail to a minimum."
With this style, there is almost no three-dimensionality to the body, so even beginners will be able to draw chibi characters easily, and I thought so today I'd publish these tips.
Please keep these points in mind and try your hand at drawing chibi character illustrations that are packed with the character's personality and charm!
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