Hello friends! today, I’m going to show you step-by-step how to perfect your drawing side profile of anime faces in a simple and enjoyable way. This method will help you quickly develop your skills and fully enjoy your drawing hobby without stress.
Drawing the face from the side is a fundamental skill for anyone aiming to learn how to draw anime professionally. The face reveals the character’s personality and brings them to life—making your artwork feel more dynamic and expressive.
Step One: Establishing the Base
Start by drawing a basic circle to form the head. Then, gently add the chin extending from the bottom of the circle, using soft, curved lines to create a harmonious side profile. Make sure to keep your pencil strokes light so you can easily adjust proportions later. Practice drawing the circle several times—it’s the essential base for accurate drawing side profile work.

Step Two: Placing the Facial Features
Lightly draw two horizontal lines across the middle of the circle to indicate where the eyes will go. Then, draw a vertical line from the center down to where the ear will be positioned. Don’t forget to sketch a diagonal line extending from the face center to indicate the nose’s direction and length. This basic structure helps you maintain accurate proportions and prevents common mistakes in eye placement or ear size.

Step Three: Drawing the Facial Details
Now it’s time to outline the features with a fine black pen or an inking tool to give your drawing side profile clean, defined lines. Draw the eye along the horizontal guides, keeping in mind that eyes in side view appear slightly narrower. Outline the ear along the vertical line, and add a curved eyebrow above the eye to match the expression you’re aiming for.

Step Four: Drawing the Bangs and Upper Hair
Move on to drawing the bangs. In this phase of your drawing side profile, sketch curved lines starting from the top of the head and flowing downward across the forehead. Consider the angle of the face and the head’s tilt to keep the hair looking natural. The bangs play a major role in balancing the character’s design and adding beauty, so draw the strands with variation in length for a lively and spontaneous look.

Step Five: Adding the Lower and Back Hair
Next, draw the back and lower parts of the hair. Whether the strands are short or long, shape them to match the character’s personality. Use soft curves or wavy lines to suggest movement and volume—this adds a dynamic and stylish flair to your drawing side profile and makes your characters stand out.

Step Six: Coloring and Bringing the Face to Life
Once inking is done and the structure is clear, the most enjoyable part begins—coloring! Start by choosing the appropriate skin tone and adding subtle highlights in the eyes to reflect light. Select a hair color that matches the character’s theme, and don’t forget to add shading under the chin, behind the ear, and under the hair to create depth.
Using bright, vibrant colors makes your character more attractive and helps emphasize the unique details in your drawing side profile.

As you continue improving your drawing side profile, try experimenting with various facial expressions—joy, sadness, anger—to make your characters feel more alive. Practicing this improves your speed and helps your drawings become more expressive and unique.
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Daily Practice for Long-Term Improvement
Daily practice—even for just a short time—can significantly improve your skills. Keep a dedicated sketchbook just for drawing side profiles. Over time, you’ll be amazed by the progress you make in this technique.

Try applying these steps in your drawing session today. It’s essential to repeat them daily for at least two weeks. Don’t hesitate to reopen the lesson daily and keep practicing—it’ll help you learn faster and become a more creative anime artist.
I’d love to see your results—share your drawings with your friends or on your pages, and I’ll be thrilled to see your progress and your artistic evolution in drawing side profile with more confidence and precision.
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