Note: This tutorial is an English translation tutorial, and the software is not skilled in operation, so try it carefully. If there are any deficiencies in the translation or typos, make up for it yourself.
1. Preparation
Step 1
Save the image below
Step 2
On File > New Layer (Ctrl+Shift+N), use the Pen Tool (P) to set to Path, and use Stroke Path to draw a line down in the middle of the face. This is your main guideline. It is used to help correct positioning of the eye, as the eye tends to be equidistant from this centerline. The path can be deleted after a stroke.
Step 3
Next, use the Pen Tool (P) to draw two horizontal lines – one between the top of the ear and the other between the base of the ear. In a normal (real) human, the base of the nose will be at the bottom line, while the eyebrows will be at the top line. Although anime-style characters follow the same basic guidelines, their large eyes and often smaller noses mean that they can have a certain artistic license – the characters' eyes sit between these lines, but they are not yet ready.
Step 4
Before tracing the path, they need to be bent to follow the shape of the head and provide guidance for the shape and angle of the eyes. Now, the bottom line should be above the nose and follow the angle of the head, while the top line should follow the curve of the bottom line. Imagine the eyes inside the lines to help you figure out the right curve.
Step 5
When you're ready and satisfied with the curve, right-click > stroke path and delete the path. You'll get something similar to the example below, which means we've completed the guidelines and are ready to start sketching!
2. Eyelashes
Step 1
To start drawing eyes, you first need to define their size. Start sketching on File > New Layer, and then use the curves of the alignments to create a rough sketch of the top and bottom of the eye. Keep in mind that they should be equidistant from the centerline and about the middle of each "edge" of the centerline.
Step 2
Next, draw a curve between the top and bottom lines that you have drawn. The red line on the left eye represents the straight line between the top and bottom – designed to keep the curve within these boundaries. These curves create the iris.
Step 3
Continue to sketch around the top line on the outside of the iris as shown. I've also added some line widths to the top and bottom of the iris shape to give you a feel for what your eyes look like.
Step 4
Continue to bend the line at the top little by little towards the center, slightly downward, but at a distance too far downward. I also added eyelashes, three on each side, to make my character look more feminine.
Step 5
Once you're done sketching, check that they appear to be in the right place and make any necessary changes before moving on to the line art stage.
3. Create artistic lines
Step 1
Hides the guide layer and reduces the opacity of the sketch layer to 25% opacity. Now you need to select the Pen Tool (P) and make sure it is set to Shape Layers instead of Paths from the previous step.
Step 2
Use the Pen Tool (P) to draw the lines of the eyes. I don't include the bottom sketch line in my line drawing, it's all a matter of personal choice – sometimes I add it, sometimes I don't!
Step 3
When you're done, add two thin lines, one above each eye, as shown below – these represent the eyelids. Hide your sketch layers to see what the line drawing will look like, and make any edits you want or need. Now, it's time to add some color!
4. Whitening of the eyes
Step 1
Opt for off-white, I usually choose light blue and then create a shape for the whites of the eyes. As shown in the example, they should extend out on both sides of the iris line, not the inside of the eye. Remember to keep the line art layers on top of all the shaded layers!
Step 2
Choose a darker, more saturated shade for the shadow, which will be added along the top of the white of the eye. This is the shadow created by the eyelids and eyelashes, which should be added just above the corresponding shape of the whites of the eyes. With a shadow layer selected in the Layers tab, right-click > Create Clipping Mask to anchor the shadow shape layer to the white eye-shaped layer below it. Both eyes do this.
Step 3
Below the first shadow layer, add a second hatch at 50% opacity. Adding that shadow under the first shadow means that a clipping mask is automatically created. When you're done, the whites of your eyes are done!
5. Color and color the iris
Step 1
Choose a base color and draw a shape for the iris. With anime, you can be as bold and bright as you want, so it's a great opportunity to experiment with your favorite colors.
Step 2
Use a darker and more saturated color to add the first shade used as a pupil. The shadow should cover most of the eye and retain the horseshoe shape in the lower half of the iris and retain the original base color.
Step 3
Add a similar shape of the same color, but this time with a 50% opacity and a little longer, so you can see it below the first shade.
Step 4
Add a third layer of shadows, again at 50% opacity, and again below the second layer.
Step 5
Again, choose a darker shade and add a thinner crescent around the bottom edge of the first layer of shadow, which is slightly longer on one side.
Step 6
Using the same dark color, add a layer of shadow around the top of the iris, which is covered by the eyelids.
Step 7
As shown in the example, with the same color, but with an opacity of 50%, a second shadow is created for the darkest areas - one below the eyelid and another at the base of the pupil. And so the shadow is complete!
6. Add highlights to the eyes
Step 1
Use the Ellipse Tool (U) to create a circle in your original base color in the lower-left corner of the pupil's shadow. The circle should just touch the original basic shape.
Holding down the Shift key while using the Ellipse Tool (U) will create a perfect circle.
Step 2
Add a larger circle to the top of the right iris. Reduce the opacity of this circle to 80%.
Step 3
Using a white with an opacity of 40%, add a circle inside the larger circle.
Step 4
Add a second smaller white circle on the inside, this time with an opacity of 80%.
Step 5
Here I've added a small circle below the big circle. For this, I chose a nice green tone.
Step 6
Use a color that's slightly lighter than the original basic color to add a subtle highlight to the bottom of the iris in the shape shown in the example. The opacity of this shape should be 50%.
Step 7
When using the same color, but with opacity of 100%, add a second highlighting layer at the bottom of the iris. This time, as shown in the picture, it is a thin and thin strip. This will be your final shape.
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