Since our childhood, we have been more or less fed on comics, cartoons, manga or others.
And drawing your favorite heroes has probably crossed your mind. In this video, I will give you the main principles of this guided method to draw and imagine your first characters. Then, you will see how to apply it step by step. It does not require any prior knowledge.
So take note of the steps that will follow, and if you apply them all, you will significantly improve your ability to draw and invent characters and create your illustrations.
Complete tutorial to draw characters and invent them step by step
1 / Be able to start from scratch (start your drawing well)
Unlearning may be the hardest part. At first, we tend to pick up bad habits.
And alas, after a while, they are stubborn.
Forget what you have learned about anatomy, proportions.
Do not immediately seek a high level of realism (details, outline, etc.) In the beginning, the more demanding you are, the less it works. So instead, build with simple shapes and assemble.
Remember the characters you used to draw as children (you know, when creating was natural to us). I’m afraid I disagree with those who see only the naïve aspects of this creative period. On the contrary, they naturally contain this essential beauty, making it possible to build a compelling character.
A square structure for the body, around or oval for the head, legs and arms in wire, etc. The idea is to put everything together in a fundamental way to create your avatar.
Of course, you can already customize and find variations on this first structure. Think of this first step as a puzzle. Draw it several times by modifying the pose of the arms and legs to integrate this structure well until you can learn about drawing for kids.
2 / How to make a more evolved and structured drawing
Drawing is a game.
The best way to progress is never to lose sight of that.
The first thing is to have fun with your robot. Change the proportions of the head or the body. And above all by integrating dynamics and movement.
Broad topic.
But watch the cartoonists or the cartoons. Movement is an impression, which is generally represented by the flexibility of the line. Avoid lines that are too straight and rigid. In general, this desire for perfection detracts from the liveliness of the line. Accentuating by deformation is very effective. When we try to simulate the speed and movement, for example, an ellipse is much more explicit than a perfect circle.
3 / Integrate perspective to draw a character quickly
It is a normal spread of what we have just seen.
We often make a mountain of perspective.
But not to mention complex views, it can be suggested and easily enrich a character. Emphasizing the proportions is a great way to simulate this effect. Two points can simulate the base of the drawing in space. The body in space is never more than a distorted perspective square.
Here is a straightforward example:
To visually create this effect, it is enough to increase the size of one foot or hand slightly about the other. In the illustration, the significant differences between a 3/4 face and a full face are not very important. All you have to do is first change the proportion of the ears and the direction of gaze.
4 / How to add details to a character in a drawing.
Again, I’m not talking about classic or realistic drawing. Most Pixar or Disney characters don’t feature a very complex level of detail. For the simple reason that they must be easily identifiable, recognizable by the general public, and in any scene and position. There are standards and different ways to quickly draw eyes, a nose, a mouth and make a character expressive. Then, starting from the robotic base you built before, add the different elements of the face. And some clothes and accessories that characterize it.
Last tips for applying and integrating this method.
Drawing and inventing characters does not mean working without a net. All the most excellent comic book designers, professional illustrators use references to understand how objects are designed and save time. So take pictures to help you create more pushed robots and characters in different positions.