How to draw all the heroes. How to draw a cartoon character? Simple recommendations

The pleasure of creating a cartoon character is immeasurable. Creating and developing a character involves more than just drawing their figure: each character has its own shape, personality traits and features. It's great if you're already familiar with the basics of head proportions and depicting emotions. But this knowledge is useless if you don't know how to draw a character's torso. The artist must take all of these details into account in order to create a character that will look believable in the eyes of the audience.

There are several in animation various styles for characters such as "chump" and "bully". Want to know more about them? This is what I will teach you in this lesson.

1. How to Get Started

By the way, the steps we will take today are very simple. First, draw the basic shape of the figure and then add features and other body parts. This is a procedure that should be followed regardless of whether you are drawing a person or an animal, or even an object that you decide to animate (for example, make a smiling cup).

Every drawing you make will depend on your work during the sketching stage. At this stage, you should improve your sketch until you are satisfied with the final result.

Once you've decided on the proportions, the next step is to develop expression in your body movements, arms and legs. Just one hand position can tell a whole story.


Hands are a vast and complex subject (even in animation) that deserve their own lesson.

In short, there are no secrets in the character creation process. 95% of artists create characters, and they do it by going through certain stages because it makes the process much easier!

2. Proportions

Proportions are one of the most important factors to take into account when creating characters. The artist must remember the relative proportions of the body parts, because on the basis of this we determine structural features our characters. For example, a bully has a warlike character, so he will have a small head, but his chest will be very impressive! His arms and legs are strong and well defined, as are his large cheekbones. In contrast, the modest character is based on the proportions of a child, with a larger head compared to the body. And all this in round shapes! Other parts such as the forehead and large eyes are responsible for determining the fragility of the personality. And so on...

Animation studios mostly use o round shapes to evaluate the character's growth. For example: A child's head is usually larger than other parts. But an adult character has different proportions, which depend on the gender and physical form of the hero.




Psychedelic cartoon? It looks like it.

When designing (or animating) a character's body, it is recommended to make sketches on separate sheets of paper. This makes it possible to have before your eyes a sample of its proportions when sketching other poses and actions.



Rotation example

It is very important to draw the character in different poses, situations and wearing different clothes until you find the perfect proportions for him.

Examples of drawings of a puppy.

3. The body is a pear!

A common practice among designers is to use a pear shape - or similar objects - to construct the body shape, due to common associations. In fact, this is a common technique in animation studios, as several different artists can work with one character, and at the same time they must withstand correct proportions.



The example above shows the effectiveness of this technique. Using one template, you can draw several different characters! The reason why pattern-based drawing is used is because it creates an instant association in a person. Especially in the case of children, when everything should be simplified to make it easier to understand. Drawing the body in the shape of a pear allows us to maintain a dynamic look and makes our hero more interesting!


4. Adding a Skeleton

Now that we know how to define the shape, we must define the structure of the skeleton. If you draw any character in a cartoon style, you need to understand the basic differences in muscle and skeletal structure for different categories such as cats, birds and people. This knowledge is important and leading for determining the position of the hero's joints, such as elbows and knees.



Pay attention to the main elements: rounded shapes - pear-shaped body - position of the joints.

When it comes to animation, it's important to remember that we have to tell a story in every scene we create. This doesn't matter as much if we're talking about photographs or a realistic image. For the reason that people amazingly may hide their real motives.

In animation everything is different. Physical condition and pose, your character should be able to "read" well without any dialogue or surroundings. It is for this reason that it is so fascinating and charming artistic style!




Learn to tell a story in your sketches and you will become a successful cartoonist.

To sum it up:

  • Estimate your character's proportion using round shapes;
  • Summarize the body using the famous pear rule;
  • Follow the guide lines that show the basic position of the creatures;
  • Finish building your character by adding the final elements to the basic structure you've built.

5. Pear Turn

Does the pear rule apply to all the characters we create? Not always. If we flip this shape, we will give a feeling of strength and power to our hero! Look at the examples below:




Fragile little man: pear-shaped body. Strong man: body is an inverted pear. Easy, isn't it?

Can you find the differences in the “pears” in this picture?

Another interesting analogy that characters can be based on is objects that resemble certain physical forms, as in the example below:



In principle, we also use the pear rule. We just use different forms based on the same technique. You, as an artist, can use the method that works best for you!

6. Character Blockhead

A "boob character" is one that walks on two legs (even animals) and looks stupid, clumsy, and generally lazy.

This character is often portrayed as a coward. They usually try to stay out of trouble than everyone else. He can also be presented as a nerd or a frustrated guy.


There is a template that can be followed when creating this type of character, but it is not a defining rule, and may vary depending on the character of the hero.

  • The heads are thinner;
  • Large noses (or muzzles, if an animal);
  • Big teeth;
  • Narrow shoulders;
  • Virtually no chin;
  • Pear rule (never upside down, always up!).

Basically, these are the basic elements needed to create a doodle. Play around with it until you perfect the technique enough to apply it to any character.



What? A lion on two legs? Wait... is that a lion dunce?

Not all animals that walk like humans are "boobs." Many of them have a sarcastic or ironic tone. As an example of such characters, we can recall Woody Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny.

7. Let's Apply Our Knowledge: Creating a Heroic Character

Now we will draw a character together based on what we have learned. Let's get started!

Step 1

I'll start by drawing as a very rough sketch. Don't be afraid to sketch until you find the perfect proportions. It's like a game!

We started by drawing the head and body using round shapes:


Notice that we determined the proportions of our character without much effort.



Note that we used the inverted pear rule here because... our hero is strong!

Step 2

Now let's add lines showing the position of the skeleton joints. Notice that we are giving our hero a common pose where the body weight is transferred to one leg.


It is very important to mark the pelvic area in a bowl shape because this will make it easier to see the movement. This movement in the hips will add dynamics to the pose.

Step 3

Great! Now let's add facial features and muscles for our hero.



My mouth is watering... And this is just a sketch!

To build muscle, you need to have a basic knowledge of anatomy. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to properly add volume in the places where it is needed.

Step 4

Once the general structure is determined, we can add clothing.


Great! Our hero is finished! By adding a costume and some great accessories, we achieved a great result. Can you tell a story with this picture?

Great Job, You Done It!

Well, that's all! We went over the process of drawing a character's body in a cartoon style. Moreover, we have learned to use round and oval shapes to shape the character's body. We also learned the differences that make up the heroic/strong/bully type and the helpless/fragile type, and how to apply the punching bag technique to achieve these results. And finally, we discovered how to apply the boob technique to people and animals. And to top it all off, we created a heroic character from scratch!


Are you already convinced that you can draw a cartoon character from head to toe? I'm looking forward to meeting him! Share your drawings below, and if you still have any questions, I will be glad to answer them in the comments.


Everyone in this world loves cartoons. Even adults, although they sometimes hide it. But not everyone knows. This article will look at some options for portraying characters from your favorite children's TV series.

Copying a design through glass

The easiest way to depict a character you like is to copy. And since it was possible even before the advent of printers and copying machines, it is worth dedicating young artists into this.

Transferring is very easy if you first place a sheet with a sample on the glass, and then clean paper on top of it. The glass must be illuminated from the inside. Then on the sheet where you plan to depict your favorite character, the copied drawing will be visible. Often for these purposes they use an ordinary window during the daytime or a glass door into a lighted room.

Copying using the grid

Sometimes it is not possible to use this option. For example, a drawing is in a book where a picture is also printed on the other side of the page. Then there will be no way to translate the contour. But how to draw a cartoon in this case?

An interesting method of copying using a mesh will be a good way out of this situation. It will also help you zoom in or out on the picture. And since sometimes you need to draw a cartoon not only on paper, but, for example, on a plate or box, in this case it is difficult to come up with a more convenient way.

You can line the sample into squares using a ruler and pencil. True, then the drawing may be damaged. Therefore, it is recommended to make an overlay mesh on a transparent material: cellophane or polyethylene.

The place where the artist wants to transfer the image of his favorite cartoon character should also be lined in a checkered pattern. If the size of the squares from the sample is smaller than here, then the drawing will turn out larger. Conversely, if the aspect ratio is less than 1, the image will become smaller.

Each cell is redrawn separately, carefully ensuring that all the lines are exactly in their places. The more carefully the master works, the greater resemblance to the original he will be able to achieve.

Master class for kids

And how little children love to draw their favorite characters! But here’s the problem: they don’t know how to draw cartoons... For beginning artists, you can offer simple master classes that will make it easy for them to cope with this task.

  • For example, you need to start drawing a cute monkey face from a circle.
  • An oval, elongated horizontally and slightly wider than a circle, will represent the lower part of the face. These two figures overlap each other.
  • Everything that is inside is removed with an eraser.
  • A second circuit is drawn inside, which almost repeats the outer one. The exception is the superior frontal region. It has the shape of two connecting arcs.
  • The eyes are depicted as two concentric circles - one inside the other. Moreover, the inner one has It is also recommended to draw (or leave it unpainted) a tiny white circle inside the pupil - a glare from the light.
  • The ears are also shaped like a circle.
  • And a smile is drawn as an arc in the lower part of the face.
  • The muzzle itself and the inside of the ears are painted over with light brown paint.
  • Everything else should be dark brown.

Master class for fans of the series about The Simpsons

Even those who have no talent for visual creativity can be shown how to draw cartoons with a pencil step by step. And if they try to strictly follow the proposed instructions, then they will be able to feel like cartoonists for a short time.

About who Dasha is

Many children are delighted with the American educational series “Dasha the Explorer” (in the original Dora The Explorer / Dora the Explorer). It is demonstrated as bilingual (English/Spanish) and is intended for Spanish-speaking children to learn English. If a child asks how to draw a cartoon character, you can invite him to portray Dasha. This is a cheerful dark-skinned girl who exists both in the cartoon and on the computer (an interactive version was released simultaneously with the series computer game with this heroine). The atmosphere in both the game and the series is friendly. Dasha is a reasonable and balanced girl. Thanks to this character, she always remains caring and delicate. Each of her lessons begins with the fact that, together with her friend, the monkey Shoe, they ride on tropical vines. The shoe always accompanies Dasha on her travels; she trusts him with her magic backpack. It contains a map that determines the travel route in each episode and many other interesting things. Not only does this girl travel on her own, but every time she takes out a star from her magic backpack and teaches children to cast spells and speak English. In each new episode, Dasha will give children one word to study, which they will repeat after her, first in Spanish, and then in English. The article can help teach your child how to draw cartoon characters step by step.

How to draw cartoon character Dasha: step 1

We draw a round head, dividing it into four equal parts, and outline the mouth and nose of the future face with a stroke. We draw a torso, a skirt, outline arms bent at the elbows with schematic lines, then the same legs in shoes. Having learned how to draw cartoon characters, your child will subsequently be able to draw any character he likes.

How to draw cartoon character Dasha: step 2

At this stage we draw Dasha’s stylish hairstyle, her slanted eyes and a wide smile. We also continue to draw her body, for example, a shirt. We move down, designing the girl’s skirt and her hands. We draw the pupils of the eyes, after which we finalize the lines of clothing, arms, legs and face. Have you already drawn the outlines of all the details? All that remains is to color the drawing to make Dasha come to life.

How to draw cartoon character Dasha: step 3

This is the last stage. All that remains is to color the cartoon character Dasha the Explorer. She has brown eyes with white highlights, a pink blouse with white trim, an orange skirt, white knee socks and white shoes. You can color inside the outline with pencils, paints, felt-tip pens and gel pens. Let the child choose what he likes. If he completed his work on creating a hero, it means he has enough patience and perseverance. Your child has grown up and is ready to further develop his artistic talent. Now you were drawing together a hero invented by someone else creative person, perhaps later he will come up with his own hero.


I already have a lesson on my website about how to learn to draw cartoon characters in manga style. It is made using a simple pencil technique. Unlike the previous lesson, this manga-style drawing on a tablet is very bright and colorful.


Drawing Girl's Eyes in Anime Style
Eyes of drawing cartoon characters in anime style are the basis of this style. All the characters of girls drawn in anime style are distinguished by their huge eyes - black, green, but always huge and expressive.


The beloved cartoon character Sonic the Hedgehog is the symbol of Sega's children's video game. This game was so loved by children that Sonic the Hedgehog “moved” from the game into comics and cartoons. I offer you a very simple one online lesson, how to draw Sonic. Thanks to the fact that the lesson is done in stages, you can easily learn how to draw Sonic the Hedgehog.


Want to cheer yourself up? Then take a pencil and a piece of paper and try to draw the main character of the cartoon about the funny bear Winnie the Pooh. Paint Winnie the Pooh It’s not difficult at all step by step and you’ll definitely get a good picture of Winnie the Pooh.


Pictures of Spider-Man attract with their dynamism and brightness. Usually pictures from the movie "Spider-Man" make a good theme for your computer desktop, but not everywhere you can download them online for free. Let's try to draw Spider-Man ourselves.


Iron Man is a cartoon and comic book hero from the Avengers series. To draw an Iron Man you need to be able to draw not only cartoons, but also a person.


Winx is popular heroes popular cartoon. To make a cartoon drawing more impressive, you need to color it with colored pencils. But first, learn how to correctly draw Flora, the cartoon character from Winx, step by step with a simple pencil.


In this lesson we learn how to correctly draw cartoon characters in manga style with a pencil. Every anime fan wants to be able to draw manga, but it is not easy for everyone because drawing a person is difficult.


There are various types anime used to draw cartoons, such as the well-known Pokemon cartoon. Drawing cartoon characters about Pokemon is very exciting, because the picture turns out to be contrasting, even if you draw the cartoon only with a simple pencil.


Patrick is a character from the children's cartoon "SpongeBob". He is SpongeBob's neighbor and is close friends with him. The cartoon character Patrick has a rather funny, awkward body. Patrick is essentially a starfish, which is why he has a five-pointed body shape.


In this section we will try to draw SpongeBob or SpongeBob step by step, as you like. Spongebob or spongebob is a cartoon character who lives at the bottom of the ocean in the city of Bikini Bottom. The prototype for it was the most common dishwashing sponge.


In this section we will learn how to draw a cartoon Shrek. But first, let's remember that Shrek is a troll who lives in a swamp. He has a large body and large facial features, larger than normal humans.


Every girl has tried to draw at least once. beautiful pictures girls. But, probably, not everyone succeeded. It is very difficult to maintain exact proportions in a drawing, because drawing a person’s face is very difficult.


There are different dolls: Barbie, Bratz and just dolls without a name, but it seemed to me that it would be more interesting for you to draw such a doll that looks like a princess. This doll has a princess-like dress with lots of decorations and a high collar, huge eyes and a smiling, kind face.


Drawings of cartoon Smeshariki should be colorful and bright, it is not necessary to complete the last step of the lesson, shading Krosh’s drawing with a simple pencil. If you know how to use paints, then color the Smeshariki with bright colors or colored pencils.


The drawings of the cartoon characters Krosh and Hedgehog are united by one common detail - the shape of their body is made in the form of a ball. A black and white sketch of a Hedgehog, made with a simple pencil, at the last step you must color it with paints or felt-tip pens, draw a colorful landscape around it, and then your drawing from the cartoon - Smesharik Hedgehog will be like a frame from a cartoon.


This drawing is dedicated to the famous Pokemon cartoon character - Pikachu. Let's try to draw a Pokemon with a simple pencil step by step.

Good old Walter. This man created so many masterpieces that today's animators, for whom the computer does everything, smoke nervously, look to the side and smoke again. In total, he collected 111 films, and was also a producer of 576 films. Below I should show you how to draw Disney, but before that a couple more words about its creator and company. I’ll show you the logo we’ll use right away, everyone knows it very well: Disney is a company of happiness, whose logo depicts the sleeping beauty castle in Disneyland. Over the history of its existence, it has made most of the films you know, starting from and ending with. The creators are brothers Roy and Walt. True stories about Disney:

  • Walt deliberately made his characters super-kind and super-stupid, because the viewer liked and will like it. Adults like the first, because they think that this will make their children the same. And the second one is liked by children, because they see that there is someone even stupider than them, and this is funny;
  • But one character was clearly different from everyone else with his intelligence and intelligence. It was Mickey Mouse. Stickers with the image of which are still put up everywhere they fit in order to increase the number of sales;
  • All Soviet cartoons were voluntarily and forcibly copied from Disney ones. Even .

I have already made lessons based on many works, you can see the list at the very bottom of this article, but now try to draw a logo:

How to draw Disney with a pencil step by step

Step one. There is nothing special to describe here, everything is clear from the pictures. But first, let's sketch a fairytale castle, dividing the paper into sectors. Repeat as in the picture below.
Step two. In each sector we will draw a tower.
Step three. Now we will make the inscription in the foreground. Let's fix the contours of the towers.
Step four. Let's delete the sketch lines, correct the contours and shade for realism. If you want, you can color it using colored pencils, but it’s up to you, I did it like this:
As promised, I give you a list of lessons on Disney characters, try to portray them.