This tutorial will show you how to draw manga and anime-style mouth movements from the front view. It includes 15 illustrations.
If properly drawn, mouths are a great way to convey the subject’s mood. They’re also the facial features that be most affected by the expression.
Although generally, manga and anime mouths can be fairly easy to draw, they can be difficult to draw since you need to strike a balance between conveying the right emotion while keeping the look. To assist, this guide provides examples of some of the most common mouth expressions you see in manga and anime and provides the details of drawing them.
Before you look at this tutorial, you might also consider checking:
How to Draw Anime & Manga Mouths Tutorial
How to Draw Anime & Manga Mouths on the Head
To determine the position of an anime’s mouth on the head, you can divide the face into eight pieces and place it just a little above the topmost division. Of course, you don’t have to do this each time you draw since usually you’re able to guess the location.
When drawing the entire face, it is possible to place your mouth slightly above the halfway point that is between the lower end of the nose, and also the top portion of your chin.
The mouth’s position will vary depending upon the expression, however, generally speaking, a closed mouth it’s similar to the picture above.
If you’re interested in drawing lips for an anime-style mouth, you can try:
- How to Draw Anime Lips Tutorial
How to Draw an Open Anime & Manga Mouths on the Head
In the case of a mouth that is open, the jaw may be drawn lower. However, in more stylized characters this might not the norm.
When you divide the head with an open mouth into 8 parts, don’t forget the height increase because the jaw is lower. Instead, determine where the jaw’s bottom is if it was closed (as was done in the illustration earlier).
How to Draw a Normal Expression Anime Mouth
The first illustration is of mouths in their normal/relaxed state.
Create a mouth using a gentle curve. Make it quite small in comparison with the face. You could also add small slits in the middle, but it isn’t necessary.
How to Draw a Smiling Anime Mouth
This image is of a mild smile.
To create this look, make the mouth larger than the one before and raise the corners (basically an extended curve).
How to Draw a Serious Anime Mouth
This kind of mouth can be used to convey an angry or serious expression.
Draw it in a similar way to the flip side of the regular expression, but with more curves in the overall design.
How to Draw a Curious Anime Mouth
This is a good example to describe a character who has an interest that is sudden in something.
In this scenario, the mouth will remain wide with the upper row of teeth a little apparent.
When the mouth is opened, you’ll generally want to pull the jaw to the floor (as was mentioned previously).
Draw it roughly similar in form to a rectangle, with round corners, but it is slightly smaller to the highest point.
It is possible to make the inside of your mouth appear dark.
How to Draw a Yelling Anime Mouth
The example of a mouth that is open or shouting is a bit more complicated than the other examples in this tutorial.
If the mouth is wide-open as in this case, it is also common to bring the jaw lower than an expression that’s open only slightly.
Draw the mouth’s shape by first sketching out its overall shape. Then, add the contours of the tongue and teeth.
Coloring or shading your mouth, the interior is likely to be the darkest. The tongue is slightly lighter, and the teeth are the lightest (usually simply white).
To learn more about how to draw this mouth, refer to:
How to Draw Anime & Manga Teeth Tutorial
How to Draw a Puzzled Anime Mouth
This kind of expression could be used to describe an individual who is confused, thinking, or trying to recall something.
As long as your jaw is open, you’ll usually want to keep the jaw down as you are drawing it.
The shape of your mouth is like the shape of an “O”. You could also include a slight curve below it to hint at the lower lip.
Similar to the example above, you can tint the inside of your mouth so that it appears dark.
How to Draw a Smiling Anime Mouth With Teeth Showing
This is another variation of the anime smile. This one is showing teeth.
This type of smile is used to represent someone who is truly content, but it could also frequently be used to create an imitation smile or smile.
Create this mouth that looks in the shape of an elongated watermelon slice. It is also possible to add an extra space between the two sides at the bottom and top (as is commonplace in anime).
You can also add an idea of the teeth by drawing two curves on either side. Try drawing them in a way that when you extend them, they’d eventually meet one another in the middle and form a single smooth curve.
How to Draw a Sly Anime Mouth
Alongside displaying a sly smile, this kind of mouth is frequently employed to give characters an animal or cat look.
Create such a mouth using a wave-like shape in which it is raised to the corners, and then lowered toward the middle. Try to keep the shape relatively uniform (even across both ends).
How to Draw a Grinning Anime Mouth
This could be used to portray the character has negative intentions, or simply to make them look more competitive.
Draw this expression in the same way as the smile, but with the mouth slanted to one side as well as with your upper lip raised upwards.
To make it clear that this is a smile, you can show a hint of teeth on just one side. If you wish to make your grin appear more threatening, you could show a hint of sharp teeth.
How to Draw an Upset Anime Mouth
This kind of mouth can be used to convey the most embarrassed or upset expression.
For this type of expression, make the mouth broad and draw it as an array of waves. As opposed to the sly, this type of mouth doesn’t have to be unsymmetrical.
You could also draw a small upside-down curve to hint at the lower lip.
How to Draw an Embarrassed Anime Mouth
This is a slightly different take on an embarrassment mouth. It displays more of a shock. In this case, the character is taken by surprise and doing something they do not want anyone else to notice.
This kind of expression is often repeated in the earlier example.
Draw the mouth wide (position it lower) and quite broad. Its bottom should be larger than its top.
How to Draw a Creative Anime Mouth
It is a form of expression that characters can use when drawing or writing.
Although the mouth appears like it’s closed, it’ll require to be slightly open to allow the tongue to be stuck out in this manner. To achieve this, you might need to draw the jaw a little lower.
But this is not required in this specific expression, even for characters from anime that aren’t particularly stylized.
Draw the mouth in an arc that is tilted to one side, with the tongue protruding to the opposite right side.
You may also shade or color your tongue to give it a more finished look.
To draw this kind of mouth on a more stylized head and other ways to draw the tongue, check out:
How to Draw Anime Tongue Out Face Step by Step
How to Draw a Scared Anime Mouth
The mouth drawn by drawing the mouth in this manner is a way to display an unintentionally scared or stated expression. If you wish for the person to appear really scared, you can draw the mouth in the same way as you would draw the mouth when shouting.
When the mouth is opened, it is possible to draw the jaw back to the side. Create the mouth shape itself like an upside-down bean. It is also possible to color it in after drawing the outline.
Conclusion
Mouths are one feature of the face that can be a great way to convey the mood of characters from manga or anime. Since mouths of this type are typically fairly simplified, drawing them isn’t too difficult, but it is extremely enjoyable.
For drawing a complete face check:
- How to Draw an Anime Girl’s Head and Face
- How to Draw Anime and Manga Male Head and Face
For drawing anime mouths on the side, see:
How to Draw Anime & Manga Mouths – Side View
For more similar tutorials look up:
- How to Draw Anime Eyes and Eye Expressions
- How to Draw Anime and Manga Noses
- How to Draw Anime and Manga Hands Step by Step
This tutorial has been revised however if you are searching for older drawings, you can find them below.
