How to Draw Dabi: Easy Step-by-Step Anime Guide

Ready to capture Dabi’s intense look? This tutorial breaks down his complex features into manageable shapes, making it perfect for anime fans aged 10+. Grab your favorite graphite pencil, a kneaded eraser, and some fine-liner pens to get started on your own villainous masterpiece.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

High-quality finished illustration of Dabi from My Hero Academia.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Establishing the Eyes

Pencil sketch showing the initial eye shapes and nose bridge placement for Dabi.

Sketch two lemon-shaped outlines for the eyes with circles inside for the pupils. Add a vertical line with a hook for the nose bridge and two small dashes for nostrils. Teacher's Tip: Keep these shapes symmetrical to ensure Dabi's intense gaze looks balanced.

Step 2: Defining the Face Shape

Drawing the jawline and initial spiky hair outlines for Dabi.

Draw a banana-like curve for the mouth and two lines for the lips. Outline the face with diagonal jawlines and use quick, jagged strokes to suggest the hair. Teacher's Tip: Use light, flicking motions with your pencil to make the hair look natural and spiky.

Step 3: Adding Ears and Hair Detail

Adding ear details and extending the spiky hair strands.

Continue the hair with more jagged, overlapping triangles. Add a small triangle shape with internal ovals for the ear. Teacher's Tip: Ensure the ear is tucked slightly behind the hair line to create a sense of depth.

Step 4: Building the Hair Volume

Developing the full volume of Dabi's spiky hair.

Add more triangular spikes to the hair, mimicking the look of flames. Repeat the ear structure on the opposite side. Teacher's Tip: Vary the size of your triangles so the hair doesn't look too uniform or stiff.

Step 5: Neck and Shoulders

Drawing the neck and starting the shoulder lines for Dabi.

Finish the hair with a row of triangles across the forehead. Add dashes near the eyes for detail, then sketch the neck using two vertical lines. Teacher's Tip: The neck lines should curve slightly outward to suggest the collar of his coat.

Step 6: Refining the Silhouette

Adding neck texture and shoulder definition to the Dabi sketch.

Draw a triangle and curves on the neck to represent his skin texture. Sketch wavy triangles on the sides of the head and diagonal lines for the shoulders. Teacher's Tip: Keep your shoulder lines bold to help anchor the character's posture.

Step 7: Adding Facial Stitches

Adding the iconic facial stitches and under-eye details to Dabi.

Sketch semi-circles beneath the eyes. Add tiny rectangles for the stitches and three circles near the nose. Teacher's Tip: Stitches are a key part of Dabi's design; don't worry if they look a bit uneven—it adds to the 'rough' aesthetic.

Step 8: Finalizing Facial Details

Adding final facial stitches and connecting lines to the jaw area.

Draw four long ovals beneath the mouth. Sketch lines connecting the mouth to the ears and add more stitches. Teacher's Tip: Use a sharp pencil for these smaller details to keep the drawing clean.

Step 9: Inking and Cleanup

Final ink outline of Dabi with pencil marks erased.

Add dashes across the neck and chin for texture. Trace your final lines with a black ink pen and erase your pencil marks. Teacher's Tip: Wait for the ink to dry completely before erasing to avoid smudging your hard work!

Step 10: Adding Color

Finished, colored drawing of Dabi from My Hero Academia.

Use light tan for the skin, dark purple for the chin and neck, and gray for the stitches. Color the eyes teal and the hair/coat dark gray. Teacher's Tip: Use a light touch with your markers to blend the purple into the tan for a realistic 'scarred' effect.