In this article, illustrator Yatomi shows us how to draw male characters, explain the differences between male and female characters, and give some tips for facial hair and haircuts.

 

[1] How to draw the face

■ The facial features of a male character

 

The typical features of a male character are high set eyes, a strong jawline, a thick neck, thick and straight eyebrows, and a long nose.

Because the bones of a man's skeleton are thicker, the jawbone of the character seems more pronounced when facing sideways.

You can draw a more masculine face if you pay attention to these small details.

 

 

 

■ The differences between male and female characters

 

Let's compare the differences between male and female faces.

The typical features of a female character include low set eyes, round shapes, a thin neck, thin and arched eyebrows, and a small nose.

Compared to men who are drawn with straight and sharp lines, women tend to be drawn with smooth, rounded lines.

 

If you draw without understanding the differences between the proportions of men and women, your male characters may end up looking more feminine than you intend. Pay attention to these features when drawing to bring out the masculinity or femininity of your characters.

 

[2] Various kinds of beards and hairstyles

■ Facial hair

 

Facial hair is an important factor in a character’s design, as the impact of a character can change greatly based on their facial hair.

Facial hair grows in three main areas of the face: above the lips, the chin, and the cheeks.

Short facial hair can be represented by lines. When you want the facial hair to appear longer, you can draw it the same way as you draw hair.

 

As shown in the illustration on the right, you can also connect the facial hair to create a full beard.

When the facial hair is very long, you can make the eyebrows thicker or connect the beard with the sideburns to make your character look hairier.

 

 

 

■ Types of hairstyles

 

Straight hair

Draw the hair from the crown of the head and continue to draw the rest by following the shape of the head. For haircuts with simple lines like this, take care that the shape of the head stays natural.

 

Wavy hair

Unlike straight hair, draw while thinking about how the hair curves and curls. You can create a ruffled look to your character by flicking the hair tips upward. This hairstyle is distinct for the randomness of the hair at the top of the head when the character is facing sideways.

 

Hair with raised bangs

The hair is pushed backward which is reminiscent of slicked-back hair.

When the bangs are raised like this, consider the front and the back areas as different parts. By drawing the hair pushed backward, you can create a slightly different impression than with an ordinary hairstyle.

 

[3] Body features

If the character is an adult man, the proportion of the figure should be between 7 and 7.5 heads tall, while the size of the head should be about a third of the width of the shoulders. Linear and sturdy lines are used to draw men's bodies because their skeleton and muscles are typically wider than those of a woman. The muscles of the neck, shoulders, and torso are particularly important when portraying the masculinity of a character.

If you want your character to appear more masculine, emphasize the width of the neck, arms, torso, and abdominal muscles.

In addition, the most obvious difference between the skeleton of a man and a woman lies in the waist.

A man’s waist is lower than a woman’s, which makes the torso look longer. Because men have a narrower pelvis than women, the muscles stand out more and the lines are more straight.

Regardless of weight, it is rare for a man to naturally have a narrow waist like a woman's.

 

Now we’ve covered the main different features of male characters.

Drawing a face or body while understanding the difference between the proportions of a man and a woman makes it easier to express the masculinity of a character. In the below Palmie video tutorial, I also show you the process of drawing a male character's body, so please check it out!

Note: This video is in Japanese.

 

Over 100 free lessons are available on the drawing course website Palmie! Don’t miss the opportunity to check it out!

Note: The website is only available in Japanese.

 

Artist profile: Yatomi (やとみ)

It is a pleasure to meet you! My name is Yatomi.

I like to draw girls and I mainly upload my work on pixiv.

I am currently studying hard to be able to draw creative drawings.