How to Draw Anime Facial Hair – Beards & Mustaches

This tutorial will show you how to draw anime facial hair, including mustaches, beards, or sideburns. Like other features on the face, hairstyles, a specific type of facial hairstyle can highlight a particular style of character.

Anime facial hair examples

There are many methods to draw manga or anime hairstyles. This guide will go over some of the most basic and simple examples. It could be particularly useful if you’re an amateur artist.

The Common Shape of Facial Hair

Anime facial hair shape example

Before drawing your mustache or beard, it is important to know the general form of facial hair.

Although facial hair may vary in form, for the purposes of this article, we’ll take a look at a common instance. In the image above facial hair is usually trimmed from the sideburns and some facial hair growing on the cheeks. After that, the hair grows down from the nostrils, curling around the upper lip. The hair grows downwards from the bottom lip towards the chin. There are open areas between the lips that go towards the lower part of the lips.

If you’re looking to draw someone who seems like they haven’t had a haircut in a few days but doesn’t have a beard, or a mustache, begin by sketching out the form of hair as explained above, and then gently shade around the shape. It is not necessary to draw an outline visible of the hair’s shape since hair is too short to be able to be clearly drawn out, but what you can create is a couple of small hairs.

Drawing an Anime Full Beard

Anime full beard example

For a full-faced beard, begin by drawing the overall shape of the hair in the manner described in the previous illustration. Then, you can draw the hair downwards and finally draw clumps that branch out at the ends. The clumps should be drawn in opposite directions for an edgier look.

This kind of facial hair can be a great choice for someone who is in the wild for a time away from the rat race.

Drawing an Anime Beard With Mustache & Sideburns

Anime beard with mustache and sideburns example

The facial hair of this type is like the previous example, but with shaved cheeks and a shorter length. It gives a character look that is more “manly” but at the same time, a more “civilized” look.

To draw this kind of facial hair, draw the overall form first (but using the cheeks, shave) and then draw downwards. Create a few tiny hair clumps at the ends.

Drawing an Anime Beard & Mustache

Anime beard and mustache example

This type of beard or mustache can give the character a sophisticated appearance that resembles an academic or doctor.

Drawing this type of facial hair like the examples previously shown begins with the overall shape of the top portion of the hair, and then moves downwards.

Drawing an Anime Beard With Sideburns

Anime beard with sideburns example

Sideburns and a beard can give an individual an extra “spiritual look” like a monk, for instance.

For drawing this type of hair, you’ll need to keep the cheek and mustache regions “blank”. Draw the sideburns that are connected to the beard as well as the part where the facial hair falls from the area of the chin.

Drawing an Anime Goatee

Anime goatee example

A goatee can be fairly easy to draw since it’s simply a scruff of hair on the bottom of the cheek. In manga and anime, it is often found as “delinquent” type characters.

For the goatee to be drawn in the above illustration, draw the hair that is growing downwards from the lower lip, not touching (leave plenty of space), and then spreading outwards as it falls down. Make a few clumps of light hair at the end.

Drawing an Anime Mustache

Anime mustache example

In terms of manga and anime mustaches, those like the ones above are not common, but it is possible to spot some characters with retro themes.

To draw this kind of mustache, draw it under the nose and leave a little gap between it and the lips (this is where the upper lip is supposed to be, however lips are typically absent in animation). And the hair. If you’re looking to have a mustache that is longer or even a fuller mustache, then you can make it completely cover your mouth.

Conclusion

Hairstyles for facial animation aren’t difficult to draw, but similar to real hair there are a lot of variations. This tutorial will teach you the fundamentals, but for more help, you are able to look through works by other artists or look at real hair examples.

To draw different kinds of male anime characters, see:

How to Draw Anime & Manga Glasses

How to Draw Male Anime Characters Step by Step

16 Examples of How to Draw Chibi Anime Facial Expressions

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