50+ Free Chibi Art & Drawing Tutorials For All Skill Levels
The chibi art style is just plain adorable. It’s derived from a Japanese term describing the process of “making something shorter”.
If you’ve ever looked into chibi work that description should make plenty of sense.
But you don’t have to learn the chibi art style on your own. That’s why I put together this list of fun chibi tutorials that anyone can follow. These are all free tutorials from YouTube and you’ll find lots of variety.
A complete noob at drawing and a pro artist could both follow these tutorials and learn a whole lot. If you’re trying to chibify your drawings keep this post bookmarked for future reference ‘cause there’s a lot of content to go through.
5 Ways to Draw Chibis
YouTuber Nautica Williams teaches you how to draw many different styles of chibi characters in this video.
It’s basically the perfect introduction for anyone who’s wanted to do chibi drawings before, but never quite found their “groove” with the style.
Regular chibi work has a unique style but there are variations on that. With Nautica’s video you’ll start with a few styles to try out some different ways to approach the artwork.
3 Bored Students at School
The fastest way to learn something is to do practice exercises.
That’s the main goal here with a 20-minute guided video tutorial on chibi drawing.
You’ll learn how to create a chibi art scene with 3 bored anime-style students hanging out at school.
Follow along the whole way and I guarantee you’ll learn a thing or two.
Yamio Chibi Tutorial
Sometimes the best content comes in strange packages. That’s how I’d describe this incredible tutorial featuring a guided chibi drawing lesson.
It spans about 30 minutes long and you’re studying from someone who never does any narration. That’s kind of difficult if you’re trying to draw and watch at the same time.
But you can either run split-screens with the video and your drawing software taking up 50% of the monitor… or you can run two monitors. I know, tough options.
This specific video uses Photoshop and Paint Tool SAI so if you have either of those programs you’ll be good.
Chibi Eyes Tutorial
When you look over chibi artwork there’s one specific feature that jumps out: the eyes.
Every single chibi drawing I find online has some crazy looking eyes. If you’re struggling to nail down the eye design have a look at this video.
It’ll teach you how to design chibi eyes from start to finish with plenty of guidance for newbies.
Female Chibi Head Tutorial
Another area you should focus on is the head. Typically most chibi characters have larger heads with odd proportions.
Check out this 10-minute clip teaching you how to draw a chibi head from scratch.
It covers most aspects of the female head but you can apply these lessons to both genders and mostly all ages too.
5 Top Tips For Drawing Chibis
The YouTube channel Chibi Village released this short video offering 5 awesome chibi drawing tips over 5 minutes.
Seems pretty simple right? Well it mostly is simple since chibi drawing is fairly easy to pick up.
But these tips will help you get there faster with less stress. I think that’s what every artist is looking for.
Chibi Girl In PJ’s
Now moving back into the more practical side of things we have this drawing tutorial on a little chibi girl wearing pajamas.
Want to master the chibi art style? Well then you’ll need to draw characters many times over to get the feel for it.
Try saving this video for later and follow along every week, every couple weeks, whatever you can do. Repetition breeds success.
Learnin With Bin – Chibis!
The popular BinOfTrash YouTube channel has a bunch of great drawing tutorials.
But few are as detailed or clearly explained as this free clip. It totals about 15 minutes of runtime discussing the absolute basics of chibi art.
Definitely a solid starting point for novices who want to draw fun chibi work fast.
Chibi Hatsune Miku
Hatsune Miku is one of the most recognized characters in the anime/manga style.
And thanks to Mark Crilley’s chibi video you can learn how to chibify Miku from start to finish.
It’s a lengthy video with just over 30 minutes of real-time audio instruction guiding you along the way. But by the end you’ll have quite a sense of accomplishment and the work to show for it.
How To Draw Chibi Hair
Earlier I mentioned the difficulties of chibi eyes. But those are usually the easiest features to start with.
If you want to draw chibi hair then check out this video. It’s a massive tutorial spanning almost a full hour of content focused on this one area.
But you’ll learn how to draw chibi hair in 6 different ways so it’s the best intro for beginners.
6 Ways To Draw Chibi Hair
Want another way to tackle chibi hair techniques? Then check out this brief video which is really an awesome follow-up to the previous video.
This vid also covers 6 techniques for chibi hair just like the one I mentioned above.
But in this video you’ll work traditionally with pencil and paper. This might be easier for anyone who doesn’t have a tablet and prefers working in graphite.
Chibi Edward Elric
Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the more popular animes that caught on with English-speaking audiences. That means the character Ed Elric is widely known among anime fans.
If you want to draw some chibi FMA art have a look at this video.
It only shows you one way to draw Eric but you’ll study everything including his hair and his distinct outfit.
Draw a Chibi Autumn Scene
This tutorial gets a little more detailed focusing on an entire autumn scene in chibi form.
Mark Crilley once again walks you through the process in a step-by-step fashion. He shows you how to draw the characters, arrange your lines properly, and how to color the scene with colored pencils.
A truly fantastic video for learning chibi through live example.
How To Draw Chibi Characters
If you’d like a little more variety then try this character tutorial focused on chibi art.
You’ll learn how to draw a few chibi-styled characters from scratch in a short time.
You can do this with any digital art software so it’s not about the tools here, but rather the focus and attention to detail.
Surprised
Facial expressions are tough to match and they’re especially tough for anime-style artwork.
But if you have a look at this drawing tutorial you can learn to make a surprised anime girl expression from start to finish.
This mixes the chibi style with traditional anime but the techniques can be applied to all chibi work.
Crying
In a similar manner as the previous video have a look at this one also focused on expressions.
Here you’ll learn to draw a crying girl with a very exaggerated face. This all comes down to understanding the art style and knowing how to replicate those faces.
The more you practice something like this, the more comfortable you’ll be with similar expressions.
Devious
We’ve also got a funny devious chibi character with one heck of a facial expression.
This isn’t something you’ll pull out all the time but it’s a really fun project. I do think it’s reasonable for beginners to work with this tutorial and still keep up no problem.
Just follow Mark’s advice along the way and pause the video if you need time to catch up.
Kiss On the Cheek
I’d call this video a fun mix of anime and chibi styles.
But at the end of the 20 minute tutorial you will absolutely have a better understanding of the chibi style & how to draw your own characters with strong linework.
Draw Chibi Facial Expressions
I wanted to find a tutorial covering all major facial expressions but there isn’t any single “best” tutorial for that.
Instead I did find this short video covering a bunch of chibi expressions over 2 minutes.
This won’t make you a master of chibi drawing but it will show you the various chibi expressions and how to approach them.
Drawing Chibi Step by Step for Beginners
Artist & author Christopher Hart has published hundreds of books across many different styles. He’s taught cartooning, illustration, and plenty of manga-style books that blend nicely with chibi art.
If you want instructions from a pro check out this chibi video featuring Chris Hart. It runs about 6 minutes long and it’s the best way to move into chibi work from scratch.
The step-by-step process does move quickly so it helps if you already have foundational skills developed. But even a novice could re-watch the video to pick up these lessons.
Chibi Detailed Lesson
Getting a little more technical we have this lengthier guide to chibi drawing.
Over a total of 17 minutes you’ll learn how to draw chibi characters in a step-by-step fashion. The goal by the end is to have the process in your mind with some familiarity & comfort.
You certainly won’t be an expert after this video but you should have a clearer idea of chibi drawing techniques.
Tips and Tricks: Chibi Basics
I’m a sucker for videos that cover unique art tips.
And that’s exactly what you’ll find in this 40-minute video talking about basic chibi drawing techniques.
You can pick this up from any skill level and learn a lot along the way. But these tips are best applied to your practice work so don’t try taking this all in at once.
Save it and keep coming back to it over time. You’ll be surprised how much you can improve.
Draw Sasuke
Redoing character designs can be some of the coolest exercises for artists.
If you’re a Naruto fan then you’ll probably enjoy this chibi drawing video teaching you how to draw Sasuke from start to finish.
The final version is pretty darn impressive and the artist does a great job chibifying this little guy.
Draw Harley Quinn
Going in another direction we have this Harley Quinn tutorial ready & waiting for chibi lovers around the world.
This one’s long totaling just over 20 minutes of step-by-step instruction.
You can find your own reference photos online if you want to follow along with a different photo too.
But when you’re brand new just follow this tutorial exactly to get the hang of it.
Halloween Chibi Witch
If you’re in the Halloween spirit and want to create a neat chibi piece then check out this video.
Over 9 minutes you’ll watch YouTuber Debby Arts draw a super adorable chibi witch girl.
You not only get to learn how to draw the character but also how to color and polish up the final piece.
Santa Chibi
In the spirit of seasonal drawings we also have this cool santa tutorial chibifying the man(er, woman?) from the north pole.
This one video is quite a bit different since it’s sped up and doesn’t feature too much voice over content. So you’d really need to watch the screen to follow along.
Not to mention the final design is a girl version of Santa Claus that looks crackerjack. How progressive!
Belle Chibi Version
Another tutorial by Debby Arts teaches you how to draw chibi Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
The final piece is magnificent and it’s a really unique pose for Belle. You can also tell at a glance that the design is definitely in the chibi style.
Replicate this tutorial as best you can because I do think you’ll pick up some practical drawing ideas along the way. And it’s a great place to start if you want to draw Disney characters in your own style.
Wolfboy
So you want something a little more creative than cartoon characters. Well how about a wolf boy in chibi form?
This quick chibi tutorial runs about 11 minutes long and shows you how to draw a little boy dressed as a wolf.
It’s a fun guide but it’s only meant to be the first pass.
Use this mostly as a guide to learn your pencil techniques and move onto coloring when you’re ready.
Chibi Minecraft Steve
Lovers of Minecraft will absolutely enjoy this chibi tutorial focusing on Steve from Minecraft.
It does move rather fast so you have to keep your eyes on the screen. Don’t worry if you get lost, just pause and rewind to catch up.
If you put in an honest 30-60 minutes of practice with this video I guarantee you’ll see yourself making progress.
Chibi Goku
Chibi Goku is perhaps the least threatening character redesign compared to the original.
But if you wanna draw Goku in chibi form this video has you covered. It’s a much longer video than the previous one totaling about 13 minutes for the whole drawing.
Dragon Ball Z fans who love chibi art should definitely make time to work through this classic tutorial.
Chibi Sora
If you’re more of a Kingdom Hearts person then why not dive into this Sora tutorial.
It’s not the best quality video but the final result is gorgeous. It’s probably one of the most creative chibi designs I’ve seen.
Absolutely worth your time if you love the KH series and can work through the potato quality video.
Chibi Tidus(FFX)
Final Fantasy is perhaps the largest RPG on the planet. And if you’re an FFX fan then you’ll certainly enjoy drawing Tidus in chibi form.
The tutorial guides you along the process from initial sketching to detailed coloring.
Unfortunately there is no voiceover so you have to make this into your own tutorial as you work through it.
Chibi Cloud and Tifa(FFVII)
With the announcement of an FF7 remake there is plenty of excitement from FF fans.
And if you wanna show your excitement with art you can follow this video for some FF7 chibi goodness.
It’s a really fun design with Cloud and Tifa riding on a Chocobo—all chibi of course.
Kawaii Pokémon
I won’t say this tutorial is 100% chibi but it still belongs in this list.
The style is similar and the colors feel right, but there is something a little off about the designs.
Either way this quick video teaches you how to draw cute chibi-ish Pokémon from start to finish.
Granted we did cover other tutorials on drawing Pokémon but those just aren’t as fun or chibified.
Chibi Goth
For a truly unique character design check out this chibi goth video.
It shows you how to design a simple goth character from start to finish, all using just a pencil and paper.
Not everyone will like this style but if you do it’s certainly worth mimicking.
Captain America
Who doesn’t love Captain America? He’s a patriotic superhero with glutes for days.
And in this video you’ll learn how to turn that muscular man into a tiny chibi creature.
Super fun with a really cool end result, but note this video moves fast and it’s not exactly step-by-step. You’ll have to put in a little work to follow along.
Jason Voorhees
The deranged star of Friday The 13th makes his way into chibi form in this tutorial.
Over 10 minutes you’ll get to see exactly how Jason can become a cartoon of his former self(literally).
Pretty easy to follow along and the video quality is superb.
Fionna from Adventure Time
Adventure Time is one of the best cartoons with some of the most creative artwork on TV.
Fionna is the counter to Finn and she’s probably the most fun to chibify. You can learn how in this tutorial if you’re willing to follow along.
It blasts music most of the way but you can mute the video while just copying what’s on screen.
Smurfette
Out of all the little blue Smurfs in the village, I think we can agree Smurfette is the cutest.
If you’d like to make her even cuter try following this video.
You’ll have a chibi Smurfette on your paper in no time and you can even use this style to draw some of the other Smurfs.
Princess Daisy
The infamous Princess Daisy gets chibified in this tutorial by the YouTube channel Chibi License.
They publish a ton of guides and tutorials for beginners who want to draw spot-on chibi characters.
Just note part of this video runs at a higher speed so you have to watch closely to follow along.
N from Pokémon
After searching for 15-20 minutes I couldn’t find any better anime character tutorials than this one featuring N from Pokémon Black & White.
He’s a newer character and not someone that you’d definitely know about if you never played the later games.
However his design is perfect for chibi since he’s got a lot of features to accentuate.
Total Shock!
I’m adding this tutorial into the mix because it shows you how to design shocked characters in a unique way.
You can take these lessons and apply them to any other characters you draw. Most of the time facial features are easy to swap if you know what you’re doing.
Note the background is not part of the tutorial so that’ll take a bit more practice to really get it down pat.
Lips For Manga & Anime
While this video doesn’t exactly focus on chibi alone, it does focus on the anime style with a very particular feature: human lips.
These are tricky in anime because they vary from a line to a more complex shape.
In this video you’ll learn how to draw lips over a full 40 minute session. Perfect for anyone who wants to draw chibi, anime, manga, or anything similar.
Chibis Wearing Animal Outfits
The furry community loves animal outfits in their drawings. But even non-furry fans can add cute little costumes onto their characters.
Have a look at this video spanning just over 8 minutes long. It’ll teach you not only the basics of chibi drawing, but also how to draw chibi with some neat animal costumes.
It doesn’t get more absurd and more adorable than this.
Draw Chibi in 2 Ways
Everybody likes real-time tutorials because they’re more exact and easier to follow.
That’s what you’ll find in this 15-minute video teaching you how to draw 2 distinct styles of chibi characters.
If you’ve made it this far into the list you’ve probably already seen a couple videos you like. But I do recommend saving this one too because it’s packed with oodles of info.
Draw Yourself As A Chibi Character
Let me start by saying that drawing yourself in any form is just hard.
It requires a lot of practice doing self portraits and learning to draw from life. So a 7 minute video isn’t going to replace all of that experience.
But if you want a place to start check out this tutorial on chibifying yourself. It really does help if you already have some artistic prowess but it’s worth a try no matter what your skill level.
Photoshop Chibi Tutorial
So you wanna go digital and start drawing awesome chibi art on your computer.
Adobe Photoshop is the premiere choice for most people and it’s why I’ve added this 20-minute video into the list.
You can learn how to draw chibi features all day long with some paper and a pencil. But that won’t always translate to drawing software so these kinds of video tutorials really do help.
Chibi Skin Coloring Tutorial in SAI
Here’s one more software-oriented tutorial with a focus on Paint Tool SAI.
Note that SAI is very popular in Japan so it makes sense that chibi artists would frequently use this program. And if you want to learn skin coloring with SAI get a look at this tutorial.
It’s pretty quick with just about 8 minutes of runtime but you’ll learn a lot from this video.
And the skin coloring techniques can apply to pretty much any software outside of SAI too.
Chibi Ice Climbers(Speedpaint)
Let’s wind down the list with a few speedpaint videos. These aren’t full tutorials but they are super fun to watch and educational if you can follow along.
I really like this speedpaint created by YouTuber JisuArt. It’s a full chibi version of the Ice Climber characters, two snow parka’d kids from the video game of the same name.
Whether you loved the game or never played it in your life, this speedpaint is well worth a watch from start to finish.
Chibi Link(Speedpaint)
Now this is a video game character everyone should recognize. Link from The Legend of Zelda gets the chibi treatment in this 8-minute speedpaint.
Again this is a sped-up video and it’s not meant to be a clear step-by-step tutorial.
But if you’re able to follow along you can replicate this same design on your own. The whole tutorial runs in Photoshop so if you already paint in Adobe software you’ll be familiar with the interface.
Chibi Knight(Speedpaint)
Here’s one final character design tutorial running in Clip Studio Paint. The video spans just over 10 minutes but it works like a speedpainting video.
Artist Rothana shows us how he designs a chibi knight character from start to finish in Clip Paint Studio. This includes the initial line work, digital inking work, and the whole digital painting tutorial.
If you’ve never done any chibi work before then these speedpaint videos will be intimidating. And that’s okay!
Maybe save these for later and start with some of the easier vids I mentioned in the beginning of this post.
But it doesn’t matter what kind of chibis you want to draw or where you’re starting from. I guarantee there’s a few tutorials in this list that’ll help you improve.
