It is important to recognize the differences between male and female characters. Some features do overlap in the manga style, yet certain rules are established to differentiate between the two. For example, male characters have smaller eyes and wider necks. The age of the character can affect how masculine you want the character to be. Young boys have a small, less edgy face with big eyes, while older males have narrower eyes. It all depends on how you want to convey your character and what best suits his personality.
Start by drawing a circle, then add a vertical line to divide the face (the symmetry line). Then draw one horizontal nose line at the bottom of the circle and add another jaw line below it. The larger the distance between the two lines, the longer and edgier the face.
Sketch the jaw, chin and neck. Usually the chin is not as pointy as the female character’s, unless your male character is a young boy. Pay attention to the size of the neck, which portrays a masculine look.
Draw two horizontal lines to be your guide when drawing the eyes. Sketch the ears as shown. A good approach is to place the bottom of the ears on the nose line.
Draw the upper and lower eyelashes in the drawn guidelines. Draw the eyebrows above the upper eye line. Usually thicker eyebrows indicate a more masculine, strong and mature character while the opposite applies for thin eyebrows (it is not a rule, but it’s a common belief).
Draw the iris of the eyes in the center of the eye. As I mentioned, small eyes are better suited for male characters. This circle eye style makes the eyes appear smaller. Sketch the nose in the nose line. Male noses are somewhat longer than female noses. Then sketch the mouth and define it with a lower lip line.
Draw your character’s hairstyle. You may notice that I have gone a little beyond the head circle guide; you may make such adjustments if you find that your face lacks in proportion. This skill of readjustment will come naturally to you with practice, which gives you a good eye to judge and improve your drawings.
Once you are done with your sketch, erase the guidelines. Then ink and color your drawing.
