Anime keychains have been all the rage recently. People who are paying attention will see them everywhere, on keys, zippers, and clips not just across the UK but worldwide.
Love making art and wondering if it’s worth jumping on board with a growing trend? This article includes a basic introduction on how to draw anime keychains for artists of all ages and skill levels.
Deciding on a Design
The first thing to do is to decide on a design. Aspiring artists should feel free to view this new challenge as an excuse to rewatch some of their favorite shows, but they can also check out the popular Blazified anime keyrings available online to get an idea of what’s trending.
Getting Down the Basics of the Style
Anime is a unique animation style, so even experienced artists coming from a different drawing tradition shouldn’t assume they’ll be able to master it immediately. Anyone who has practiced drawing their favorite characters can attest to how much of a challenge it can be to recreate the unique anime style, whether by hand or on a screen. Before starting the design for the keychain, take some time to practice and get the basics down. They include the following.
Large, Pronounced Eyes
Getting the anime style down starts with the eyes. They are more pronounced than cartoon eyes and tend to have larger irises. The eyes are so important in anime because they are the primary vehicle for artists to express emotion.
Exaggerated Expressions
Western cartoonists often strive to reproduce realistic expressions, but anime artists like to have more fun. That’s good news for newcomers to anime drawing. Common techniques like including oversized sweat drops on the forehead to indicate distress, or lines coming out of the mouth when yelling are relatively easy to reproduce even for novice artists.
Elaborate and Distinctive Outfits
Anime characters almost never have basic clothing. Instead, the characters’ personalities are clearly expressed through what they wear. Trying to reproduce all of the details of an elaborate outfit or style of dress can be difficult, but it’s essential.
The Keys to Unique, Professional-Looking Designs
Once artists feel confident that they can reproduce their favorite characters successfully, they can sit down to start creating their keychains. Some people like to use tablets and other tools to create digital art, while others use more traditional media. Either way, they’ll want to make a high-quality digital copy, as that’s the only way to reliably recreate the design without having to draw it all over again each time.
Attention to detail and file quality are both important. Because keychains are so small, some people assume the file quality and the minor details don’t matter, but they’re both key to getting the final design to look crisp, clear, and professional. Plus, larger designs can be reused to make other types of art.
A Passion for Anime
If creating a custom keychain design is too tough, don’t worry. There are still plenty of ways for anime lovers to show others their passion for their favorite characters and artists. Look into professionally designed anime keychains for now and keep putting the work into creating new, custom designs. Remember that even famous anime artists had to go through a long initial learning and practice period before becoming the cultural icons that they are today, and be patient.