How to draw cartoon characters with a pencil step by step. How to draw a cartoon character? Simple Recommendations

The most vivid childhood memories are somehow connected with cartoons. We tried to imitate our favorite heroes, getting up earlier on the day off to watch the "Merry Carousel". And when Duck Tales began, there was a holiday in general. Today we will learn how to draw cartoon characters. It will be interesting even for adults.

Let's get a Dalmatian

You can't argue about tastes. Someone likes Soviet cartoons, where the wolf is a dangerous, but very kind hero, and the bunny is a positive and cunning character. And someone just loves the cartoons of Walt Disney, who became famous all over the world. You can list the names of your favorite cartoons indefinitely.

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Remember this charming cartoon about 101 Dalmatians? Mischievous, funny, funny and funny puppies now and then hooligans or fought evil. Today we will tell you how to draw cartoon characters in stages with a pencil. And let's start with one of the main characters of a fascinating western cartoon - a Dalmatian. You can think of a nickname for him.

Necessary materials:

  • simple pencil;
  • paper;
  • eraser;
  • compass.

  • Draw a circle at the top of the sheet.
  • Move the axis a little to the right side and draw two guide lines. They intersect, but not in the center.
  • From these lines in the form of an unfinished oval, draw two eyes.
  • In the middle, in the form of an inverted triangle with rounded corners, draw a nose.
  • We need to immediately draw the line of the muzzle. Let's start drawing it from the right eye.
  • On the inside of the eye, draw a line and draw it out of the circle in a straight line.
  • Now let's draw a small arc, a connection and another arc. If you look closely, these are the ovals of the letter "B" upside down.

  • From the outer side of the right eye, draw another contour of the muzzle.
  • Above the eyes in the form of arcs, draw eyebrows. We thicken them with the help of additional lines.
  • From the previously drawn line of the muzzle, draw a smooth curved line - this will be the dog's mouth.
  • On the left side, in the form of an irregular rectangle with rounded corners, draw an eye.

  • Draw a line down from the left ear - this will be the neck.
  • On the right side of the muzzle, draw a raised ear.
  • In the form of an oval, draw a tongue and divide it in the middle with a smooth line.

  • Draw two circles below the neck. One at the front is larger and the other at the back is slightly smaller. These circles will help us correctly position the puppy's body in space.
  • In the form of four curved lines, draw the paws of the Dalmatian.

  • In the back, we smoothly connect the neck with the outline of the circle, erase the rest of the lines with an eraser.
  • We draw voluminous front paws, making a smooth transition to the body, and then the hind legs.

  • Below on the paws we will draw divisions to give volume.
  • On the neck we will depict a collar consisting of two parallel lines and an oval pendant.
  • We randomly distribute oblong-shaped spots throughout the body.

  • The drawing can be colored with paints or a pencil.
  • It is necessary to paint over with black part of the ear, the mouth inside and the spots on the body of the Dalmatian.

Bambi the elephant is my favorite character

Many children are interested in learning how to draw Disney cartoon characters. The characters of animated series and feature films by Walt Disney are always distinguished by their colorfulness and bright appearance. They are all cute and lovely. In today's lesson visual arts we will learn how to draw a funny baby elephant Bambi step by step.

Necessary materials:

  • simple pencil;
  • eraser;
  • colour pencils;
  • black marker;
  • paper.

Step by step description of the creative process:

  • We will start drawing by drawing a large oval diagonally. This will be the body.
  • Draw a circle on the right side of the oval. This will be the elephant's head.
  • Draw ears on both sides of the head circumference, pay attention to their shape. You can draw rectangles and then extrude and round the corners.

  • Let's draw all the details of the head.
  • Let's draw an oblong proboscis, eyes and mouth. Let's give our cartoon character a happy expression.

  • We erase the auxiliary lines between the body and head with an eraser.

  • On the head of the elephant you need to draw a hat.
  • First, draw a small oval, and from it up - a rectangle with rounded corners.
  • The tip of the hat resembles a triangle and hangs back, so we will bend it to the left side.

  • To make the baby elephant beautiful and stylish, draw a scarf around his neck. Let's depict it with several lines, curved in an arc, under the head.

  • On the paws of the elephant in the middle we will make small parallel strokes. They will look like folds.
  • Let's draw in the form of unfinished ovals the claws on each foot.
  • At the back, in the form of an oblong triangle, draw a small tail.

  • Once again, circle all the contour lines with a pencil.
  • On the muzzle of the elephant, draw the eyes, mouth and tongue.
  • We will give the appearance expressiveness and believability.

  • Let's look at the sketch. If there are auxiliary lines left, erase them with an eraser.
  • Let's color the background first.
  • We take a pencil blue color and do shading all over the sheet.
  • You can remove the chips from the core of a colored pencil with a blade and shade it with your fingers.
  • Color the inside of the ears in beige.
  • Color the scarf in bright colors.
  • We color the nails with a blue pencil.

  • With a black pencil or felt-tip pen, carefully outline the contours.
  • Let's make all the lines expressive and clear.
  • The torso and head of the baby elephant are painted with a blue pencil.
  • Let's color the hat, give expressiveness to the eyes and mouth.

  • We just have to do a couple of finishing touches. On the background around the baby elephant, we will hatch with a yellow or bright orange pencil.

The pleasure of creating a cartoon character is immeasurable. The creation and development of a character is not only about drawing his figure: each character has its own shape, personal traits and characteristics. Great if you are already familiar with the basic proportions of the head and the depiction of emotions. But this knowledge is useless if you don't know how to draw a character's torso. The artist must take into account all these details in order to create a character that is believable to the audience.

There are several different styles for characters in cartoons, such as "doodle" and "hooligan". Do you 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 that we will take today are very simple. First, draw the basic shape of the figure and then add features and other parts of the body. This is a procedure to follow whether you are drawing a person or an animal, or even an object that you decide to bring to life (for example, make a smiling cup).

Each drawing you make will depend on your work in the sketch phase. At this stage, you should improve your sketch until you are satisfied with the final result.

Once you have decided on the proportions, the next step is to develop expression in body movements, arms and legs. Only one hand position can tell the whole story.


Hands are a vast and complex subject (even in animation) that deserve a separate 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 steps because it makes the process so much easier!

2. Proportions

Proportions, one of critical factors, which must be taken into account when creating characters. The artist must remember the relative proportions of the parts of the body, because based on 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 than the body. And all this in round shapes! Other parts such as the forehead and big eyes are responsible for determining the fragility of the individual. And so on...

Animation studios, for the most part, use rounded shapes to gauge a character's height. For example: The head of a child, usually larger than the 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's a good idea to sketch 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 a character in different poses, situations and clothes until you find something for him. ideal proportions.

Examples of puppy drawings.

3. The body is a pear!

A common practice among designers is to use a pear shape - or similar objects - to build the shape of the body, 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 maintain the 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 that the person has an instant association. Especially in the case of children, when everything should be simplified for ease of understanding. Drawing a body in the shape of a pear allows you 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 cartoon style, you need to understand the basic differences in muscle and skeletal structure for different categories such as cats, birds and humans. This knowledge is important and leading to determining the position of the hero's joints, such as elbows and knees.



Pay attention to the main elements: rounded shapes - pear-shaped body - the 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. It does not matter so much if we are talking about photographs or realistic image. For the reason that people miraculously may hide their real motives.

In animation, it's different. The physical state and posture of your character should be well "read" without any dialogue or environment. It is for this reason that it is so fascinating and charming art style!




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

Summing up:

  • Estimate the proportion of your character using round shapes;
  • Generalize the body using the famous pear rule;
  • Track the guide lines that show the main position of the creatures;
  • Finish building your character by adding the final elements to the main structure you have built.

5. Pear twist

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




Fragile little man: the body is a pear. Strong man: the body is an inverted pear. Easy, right?

Can you spot the differences in the "pears" in this picture?

Another interesting analogy that characters can be based on is items 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 the artist, can use whichever method works best for you!

6. Character Blockhead

A "dummy 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 upset guy.


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

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

In principle, these are the main elements that are needed to create a blockhead. Play with it until you've perfected the technique enough to apply it to any character.



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

Not all animals that walk like humans are "boobs". Many of them have a sarcastic or ironic tone. Examples of such characters include Woody Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny.

7. 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 will start 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 have determined the proportions of our character without much effort.



Note that we have used the inverted pear rule here, as our hero is strong!

Step 2

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


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

Step 3

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



Salivating ... 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 correctly add volume in those places where it is necessary.

Step 4

After general structure determined, we can add clothes.


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

Great job, you did it!

Well, that's all! We have covered the process of drawing a character's body in a cartoon style. Moreover, we learned how to use round and oval shapes to form the character's body. We also learned the differences that make the heroic/strong/hooligan versus the helpless/fragile type, and how to apply the pear technique to achieve these results. And finally, we have discovered how to apply the "doodle" technique to people and animals. And finally, we created a heroic character from scratch!


Have you already made sure that you can draw a cartoon character from head to toe? I look forward to meeting him! Share your drawings below, and if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comments.


To understand how to draw a cartoon character, you need to know a few important rules. First you need to decide how the image will be created - from memory or copied from the picture. You should always start drawing a character from the head, which is desirable to be divided into four parts to make it easier to draw eyes, mouth and nose. Then you can finish the neck and body of the hero, add arms and legs. Next, you need to display facial features, a hairstyle or a headdress, add an outfit, shoes and other small details. After all this, proceed to decorate the hero.

from the cartoon "Smeshariki"

Using the example of rabbit Krosh, a simple way to draw your favorite hero from Smeshariki will be described. With its appearance, this character resembles a ball with ears, which simplifies the process of drawing it. It is enough just to correctly depict a round shape and gradually add small details to the image.

We start the drawing with the image of a circle. It should be a circle, but not an oval. At the bottom of the figure we draw circles - these will be the rabbit's legs, and on the sides, on both sides, we depict the same details - the hero's hands. On the right side, the hand can be drawn a little higher. From above to the circle we add two lines curved downwards - future ears. Draw a checkmark inside the circle - this will help to more accurately portray the face of Smeshariki. Next, we outline the contours of the hero's smile, depict the eyes, nose and mouth. Then on the left hand we draw a raised finger up. Add a second arm, legs and ears. We depict Smeshariki's eyebrows at the base of the ears. Then we complete the shape of the eyes and pupil. We delete the contour - and we get a mouth. We finish drawing two large teeth to it, and that's it - the character is ready. You can start coloring.

How to draw Disney characters

Many of us have loved the cartoons of this company since childhood. There are several options for how to draw Disney characters. One of the simplest methods will be considered step by step.

For example, to draw Cinderella, you will need a simple and an eraser, a sheet of paper, felt-tip pens or paints.

It is best to start depicting Cinderella from the middle of the sheet so that there is enough space for future details. First, you need to think about how the heroine of our picture will look like: details of the outfit, appearance, position of the hands. Then on a piece of paper we outline the main contours: the head, neck, upper and lower parts of the body, arms and legs. Cinderella's height will be approximately equal to the height of her six heads.

Getting Started small details, draw a hairstyle, eyes, mouth, nose, ears. In the dress we draw small elements of the dress: bows, jewelry, folds, ruffles. The schematic lines outlined at the beginning of the work must be deleted.

After all the details have been drawn, you can start coloring. Try to decorate Cinderella the way she looks in the cartoon. Or you can create your own unique image.

So, we looked at an easy way to draw a cartoon character. Using this technique, you can depict Cinderella in different outfits every day, in the company of other Disney cartoon characters. For example, you can draw Snow White, Rapunzel, Princess Jasmine and others with her.

How to draw anime

One of famous heroes are How to draw anime, will be explained below.

We begin to depict the picture with a circle. Then we draw a vertical line in it, crossing the center. After that, we divide the circle into two equal horizontal lines. Next, draw the continuation of the vertical line down outside the circle. The line needs to end with a small dash - this will be the character's chin. After we draw two rounded triangles along the edges of the face. The eyes should be placed so that the distance between them is equal to the width of the eye. Draw the nose under the main circle. Under it, a little lower, we depict the mouth. Next, we erase all unnecessary lines on the face and take on the neck. It is necessary to finish the eyes with a glare, slightly turned to the side where the light is located, namely, from above the eye.

The glare should not be larger than the pupil itself. Then draw the eyebrows in the form of an arc. We begin to depict the ears at eye level and end slightly below the nose. You can start doing your hair. It is recommended to draw at your discretion. The main thing is that it does not overlap the eyes, eyebrows and ears. Completing our picture, draw diagonal lines, outline the contours.

Drawing with paper tracing paper

The easiest way to draw fairy tale hero- this is creativity with the help of paper tracing paper. To begin with, we make a sketch, then we place it under a sheet of tracing paper and draw already on it. With this technique, you can change the facial expression of the characters, change the pose, increase the nose or add various objects.

With the help of such paper, you can redraw those you like from various sources: books, magazines, printouts. To do this, just need to impose a translucent top on the desired image. Then just circle the outlines of the picture.

Drawing with paints

One of the most difficult ways how to draw a cartoon character - an image of him with paints, without initial ones. This method requires certain skills.

Using the example of a bear cub, a method of drawing with paints without using a simple pencil will be described.

The image starts with the head. Draw a brown circle for this. We add another circle of a larger shape to it - the future body of the bear cub. We add oval ears to the head, and oblong paws to the body. After drying the picture with black paint, depict the eyes, mouth and nose. You can add a little blush to the muzzle. If you want, then draw clothes for the bear.

This section is dedicated to drawing cartoon characters and only them! Remember how many times your children asked you to teach them how to draw a cartoon? So let's draw!

So, how to draw a cartoon?

The first thing to leave behind the drawing is your problems and bad mood. Toons they literally breathe positive and drawing them is insanely pleasant and exciting. With each stroke of a pencil on paper, a cute cartoon is becoming more and more distinct! It will focus on the small character of the author. The cartoon character, like no other, will point you to the mood of his author. Let's learn how to draw cartoons together with a pencil. A cartoon character can be absolutely anyone ... Sad, cheerful, tired, thoughtful ... And do not worry if a dreary hero comes out from under the author's pen, because the drawing itself will drive away all the author's melancholy. This section contains such beloved cartoons as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob, Family Guy and, of course, Tom and Jerry.

All lessons are adapted for beginners and children, they contain detailed illustrations and necessary tips. We hope that with the help of our lessons, you and your child will be able to breathe life into a cartoon character with just a pencil.

Well? Let's get started and draw our favorite character, shall we? Good luck!

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