How to draw Disney characters. How to draw cartoon characters with a pencil: learn to draw Disney characters step by step

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 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: 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 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 the character in different poses, situations and in different clothes until you find something for him. perfect proportions.

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 need to define the structure of the skeleton. If you are drawing 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 - 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 are amazingly able to hide their real motives.

In animation everything is different. Your character's physical condition and posture should be easy to read without any dialogue or setting. 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 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 shapes, relying 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 can 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 dummy. 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 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.



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
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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.


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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 are popular heroes of the 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.


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Patrick - character 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 big body and large features faces larger than ordinary people.


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


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 bright colors or colored pencils.


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The most vivid childhood memories are somehow connected with cartoons. We tried to imitate our favorite characters, getting up earlier on the day off to watch “Merry Carousel.” And when “DuckTales” began, there was generally a holiday. Today we will learn how to draw cartoon characters. Even adults will find it interesting.

Let's get ourselves a Dalmatian

You can't argue about tastes. Someone likes it soviet cartoons, where the wolf is a dangerous but very kind hero, and the bunny is a positive and cunning character. And some people simply adore the cartoons of Walt Disney, who became famous throughout the world. You can list the names of your favorite cartoons endlessly.

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Remember this adorable cartoon about 101 Dalmatians? Mischievous, funny, funny and cheerful puppies every now and then misbehaved or fought with evil. Today we will tell you how to draw cartoon characters step by step with a pencil. Let's start with one of the main characters of the fascinating Western cartoon - the Dalmatian. You can come up with a nickname for him yourself.

Necessary materials:

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

  • Draw a circle at the top of the sheet.
  • Let's shift 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 shape of an unfinished oval we will draw two eyes.
  • In the middle, in the shape of an inverted triangle with rounded corners, draw a nose.
  • We need to immediately draw the line of the muzzle. Let's begin to remove it from the right eye.
  • By inside eyes, draw a line and draw it outside the circle in a straight line.
  • Now let's draw a small arc, a connection and another arc. If you look closely, these are ovals of the letter “B” upside down.

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

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

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

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

  • At the bottom of the paws we will draw divisions to add volume.
  • On the neck we will draw a collar consisting of two parallel lines and an oval pendant.
  • We randomly distribute elongated spots throughout the body.

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

Bambi the elephant - favorite character

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

Necessary materials:

  • a simple pencil;
  • eraser;
  • colour pencils;
  • black felt-tip pen;
  • paper.

Step-by-step description of the creative process:

  • We will start drawing by drawing a large oval diagonally. This will be the torso.
  • Draw a circle on the right side of the oval. This will be the baby elephant's head.
  • On both sides of the head circumference we draw ears, 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 joyful expression.

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

  • You need to draw a hat on the baby elephant's head.
  • First, let's draw a small oval, and from it upward - a rectangle with rounded corners.
  • The tip of the cap resembles a triangle and hangs back, so we will bend it to the left.

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

  • On the baby elephant's paws we will make small parallel strokes in the middle. They will resemble folds.
  • Let's draw the claws on each paw in the form of unfinished ovals.
  • Draw a small tail in the form of an oblong triangle at the back.

  • Once again, use a pencil to outline all the contour lines.
  • On the baby elephant's face we will draw eyes, a mouth and a tongue.
  • Let's give the appearance expressiveness and believability.

  • Let's look at the sketch. If there are any auxiliary lines left, wipe them off with an eraser.
  • First let's color the background.
  • Take a blue pencil and shade it across the entire sheet.
  • You can remove shavings from the colored pencil rod with a blade and shade it with your fingers.
  • Paint the inside of the ears beige.
  • Paint the scarf with a bright color.
  • We color the claws with a blue pencil.

  • Using a black pencil or felt-tip pen, carefully outline the outlines.
  • Let's make all the lines expressive and clear.
  • We color the body and head of the baby elephant with a blue pencil.
  • Let's paint the hat and add expressiveness to the eyes and mouth.

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

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