Chibi: Visual Workbook

How to Draw Chibi a Visual Workbook Guide

A compact companion to your modular chibi workbook. Context, not lectures. Flip a page, get inspired, draw.

Table of Contents

  1. Head Shapes
  2. Eyes
  3. Eyebrows
  4. Mouths
  5. Expressions
  6. Ears
  7. Hair
  8. Dimples
  9. Chins
  10. Art Styles
  11. Hands & Feet
  12. Accessories
  13. Blush Marks
  14. Noses

Introduction

This guide explains what each image grid is doing and how to use it. One intent per page. Mix and match, don’t overthink it.

1. Head Shapes

Four families by four mass distributions. Pick a silhouette that sets the vibe; everything else stacks on top.

Chibi Heads 2

Chibi Heads 1

Remix
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2. Eyes

Eye families by openness/detail. Swap shape first, then dial highlight and lash attitude.

Chibi Eyes Reference 2

Chibi Eyes Reference 1

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Remix

3. Eyebrows

Shape families by thickness/tilt. Tiny changes, big emotion. Test extremes first.

Chibi Eyebrow Variations

Chibi Eyebrow Variations 2

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4. Mouths

Shape families by openness/emotion. Keep it graphic; silhouettes read best at chibi scale.

Chibi Mouths Blueprint 2

Chibi Mouths Blueprint 1

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5. Expressions

Primary emotions by intensity. Compose eyes, brows, mouth; keep spacing clean.

Chibi Expressions Reference 1

Chibi Expressions Reference 2

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6. Ears

Ear families by tilt/orientation. Float them; keep the forms readable without heads.

Chibi Ear Grid 1

Chibi Ear Grid 2

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7. Hair

Hairstyle families by volume/bangs. Use a faint head guide; silhouette is king.

Chibi Hair Grid 2

Chibi Hair Grid 1

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8. Dimples

Mark families by placement/intensity. Small accents—stop early.

Chibi Dimples Grid Reference 2

Chibi Dimples Grid Reference 1

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9. Chins

Contour families by drop/width. Underside lines only; choose the chin that suits the face weight.

Chibi Chin Variations 1

Chibi Chin Variations 2

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10. Art Styles

Style families by lighting variants. Same face, different rendering attitudes. Try a full row as your palette.

Chibi Art Styles 2

Chibi Art Styles 1

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11. Hands & Feet

Simplification families by pose. Keep them iconic; clarity beats anatomy.

Chibi Hand-Foot Grid 2

Chibi Hand-Foot Grid 1

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12. Accessories

Accessory families by style/scale. Float items; size for chibi heads.

Chibi Accessories Grid 1

Chibi Accessories Grid 2

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13. Blush Marks

Mark families by intensity/placement. Gentle by default; go big for chibi humor.

Chibi Blush Variations 1

Chibi Blush Variations 2

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14. Noses

Nose families by definition. A dot can be enough; stylize sparingly.

Chibi Nose Variations 2

Chibi Nose Variations 1

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Conclusion

Pick a row, pick a column, draw one tile. Stack choices and move on. When in doubt: simpler shapes, cleaner spacing, bigger contrast.