Robot Ears
A robot’s ears are a great place to add gadgets. Here are some variations.
Female Robot
The trick to drawing a funny female robot is to give her a feminine physique that is impossibly strong and proportionally improbable. For example, look at how small this robot’s head is. That’s because she doesn’t have a brain to think with—the receiver on top of her head gets command signals, and her head is just a small processing unit. Her arms are spread out far too wide, and her melon-sized shoulders give her a look of strength. Her waist is exceptionally thin, and she’s also way too tall for a real female. All these weird proportions combine to give her an eerie but humorous appearance.
What shall we call her? How about something exotic, like Yoshiko? (By the way, a great place to find names for your cartoon creations is one of those pocket-sized books of baby names.)
Close-up on the Details
Her hands are extremely angular. Here’s her right fist.
And here’s her left hand. At this angle, you don’t need to show all the fingers, just the thumb and index finger.
Helper Robot
Helper robots are harmless little cuties who are short, goofy, and slightly on the nervous side. Their only job is to take care of the household chores—and to avoid short-circuiting themselves while multitasking.
This robot provides a good example of how you can take an ordinary shape—in this case a rectangle—and add bits and pieces to it, until you’ve created a complete character. The simpler the shape, the cuter the character.
When I shaded the final pencil drawing of this character, I pressed down hard on the pencil to achieve an almost black tone for the legs and hand clamps. I made the briefcase and umbrella a softer gray and also shaded the underside of the robot’s body because overhead lighting would leave it in shadow. (That’s also why a dark tone is a good choice for the legs; it just makes visual sense.)
A Simple Rectangle—But with Dimension
Depending on which way this character is turned, you will see two or three sides of the rectangular box.
Tough Little Worker Robot
This geometrically shaped robot is super serious about its mission. Its body is a hexagon—a six-sided figure. But it could just as easily have been an octagon (eight sides) or a pentagon (five sides).
The three caps on top of its basic shape prevent the character from looking like just a shape with eyes. Also notice that this guy is the first robot we’ve drawn that has actual eyes inside its eye slits. To make this work, I’ve blackened the area surrounding the eyes, which makes the effect more mysterious.
Tips and Options
When the robot looks toward the reader’s right, its eyes sweep up toward the right.
And when it looks left, it eyes sweep up toward the left.
Make the arm cylinders rounded, not straight lines.
You can make your hexagon regular (with all the sides and angles the same) or irregular. Your choice!
Cyber Pet
Nothing so warms the heart as seeing a boy and his robot playing fetch. The boy throws a stick, and robot dog sends a ray beam from his helmet to retrieve it. This character is an amalgam of a robot and a dog, which is why he’s a cyber pet. His body is that of a regular cartoon dog, except for that wild ring orbiting its tail. I’ve made his head oversized to show the power of his brain-helmet.
Lightning Bolts
Lightning bolts come in handy for special effects. There are several popular ways to make them look as cartoony as possible. Here are a few good ones.
9
Special Characters: Animals
Everyone loves cartoon animals. They star in comic strips, animated feature films, and animated TV shows.
In this chapter, we’ll look at some of the most popular cartoon animal types, so you will have all you need to get started. The animal personalities range widely, from gregarious to shy and introverted—and everything in between! I’ve matched each animal with its generally accepted personality type.
When drawing a cartoon animal, be as specific as possible. Is it a boy animal or a girl? If it’s a boy, make him look like a boy; if it’s a girl, feminize her. If it’s a dog, make it a specific breed—or perhaps a mutt. Friendly or mean? Sneaky or fun-loving? The more you can say about your character, the more appeal it will have.
THE BASICS
Before we begin drawing specific animals in a step-by-step way, let’s go over some important basics. Think of these hints more as options than as instructions. They’re really just choices that you may not even know you have!
Eye Placement in Profile Views
Because the bridge of the nose is so long on most animals, we often draw them in profile since it doesn’t require us to foreshorten the animal’s lengthy snout. There are several good ways to place the eyes in profile, and some of these are “cheats”—they’re really three-quarter-view eyes placed on profile heads.
Animal Noses
Different animals have different types of noses. That’s only natural. But cartoon animal noses should be exaggerated. Often, you can use a simple oval (as on dogs) or a small triangle (as on cats). But sometimes you’ve got to be more specific to the species. For example, a male lion generally has a specific type of nose shape.
Snouts and Beaks
Most animals have a prominent bridge of the nose (snout or beak). And since cartoon heads are so malleable, you can play with the shape, keeping it straight or curving it up or down. Certain animals lend themselves certain shapes, as you can see.
Animal Teeth
The toothy smile is a cartoon staple, and cartoonists often use a toothy smile to increase a character’s appeal. Some carnivorous animals—sharks, bulldogs, lions—are famous for their teeth. But even plant-eating animals can have funny buck teeth. Here are the cartoon teeth styles I find most appealing.
SHARP CANINES
Make sure they’re curved, not straight.
SOFT CANINES
For a friendlier look, smooth out the sharp points.
UNEVEN BUCK TEETH
For a truly goofy look, keep each pair close together.
HUMAN-STYLE TEETH
Make sure the teeth line up evenly.
Animal Bodies—Four-Legged
By adjusting the curve of the spine and the shape of the tummy and the chest, you can create different body types (and different personalities) without altering anything else. Of course, to create totally different characters, you also have to rework the head, tail, legs, and so on. But here we keep the rest of the dog the same to illustrate just how big a difference the shape of the torso can make to the overall character design.
SKINNY
Arch the back and pull in the tummy, greyhound-style.
ATHLETIC
Bump out the shoulders on top and the chest underneath; narrow the waistline significantly.
NEUTRAL (BUT CARTOONY)
Curve the back, and make the tummy obvious.
CHUBBY
Let the tummy hang down low, and give him a sway back to accentuate it.
BOTTOM-HEAVY
Give him a skinny chest and a big, round butt.
Animal Bodies—Two-Legged
In cartoons, animals that are four-legged in nature can stand up and walk around like people. Generally, cartoonists give them very short legs and long torsos. You can make up any body type you like, but it will usually fall roughly into one of the five categories depicted here. Each type suggests a personality and an attitude.
CLASSIC
He’s got good posture—it’s just that his tummy keeps getting in his way! Never misses a meal.
SLOW WITTED
He’s got deeply bent knees, a concave chest, and a long neck. Make him lean back slightly.
GOOFY
He’s eager, energetic, and forward leaning, with a slightly athletic build.
SMART
He’s pocket-size! His head is nearly half his overall height. Give him
a rounded tummy.
BUDDY—OR BULLY
The classic formula for this type of character is a hunched back with high shoulders and no neck, little legs and teeny feet, and thick, powerful arms. A tiny muzzle on a large skull. A small tail.
HOW CARTOON ANIMALS STAND
One cartoonist may draw an animal on all fours, while another may draw the same kind of animal standing up, like a person. Both are, of course, okay, but different skills are required for each approach. That’s why I present several ways to draw them. Having alternatives opens up more possibilities, which is what cartooning is all about.
Chimp, Gorilla, and Monkey
We lay people tend to think of gorillas and chimps as monkeys, but of course they aren’t really—they’re apes. Even so, there are some definite similarities when it comes to drawing monkeys and apes. Just remember that gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys are different kinds of animals, and their cartoon versions are usually given different personality traits and cast in different roles.
CHIMPANZEE
The cartoon chimp is portrayed as wise, intelligent, even erudite. He can be cast as an adviser to humans (who are less intelligent than he), or he can simply be a funny sidekick. Chimps have longer faces than gorillas or monkeys, and they walk on the knuckles of their hands.
GORILLA
The gorilla can be one mean, nasty dude. Immensely huge and strong, with barn-wide shoulders and teeny-weeny legs, the cartoon gorilla is always a tad on the grumpy side and should look as if he hasn’t slept in days.
MONKEY
The cartoon monkey is a hyperactive, incredibly annoying fellow who gets into everyone’s business, making all sorts of mischief. Bounce him in and out of scenes. Remember that monkeys have tails—unlike chimps and gorillas. I like to give my cartoon monkeys really furry, puffy arms.
Dog—On Four Legs
Man’s best friend is as popular in comic strips, comic books, and animated films and TV shows as he is in the average family home. I like to draw terriers because they have so much vitality. This little Westy is raring to go. His body is compact, and his head is oversized but fluffy—it’s a winning combination.
Dogs should always wear collars, or they tend to look like strays. The exceptions are cartoon dogs that wear human clothes. They don’t need doggy collars.
Get the Details Right
Like all terriers, this West Highland White—or “Westy,” as they’re better known—has pointy ears that stick straight up.
The line from the bottom of the nose and the line at the center of the tongue both sweep downward in the same direction. Terriers have wiry hair, so ruffle the fur of the Westy’s upper lip and cheek area.
Dog—On Two Legs
This sweet little fella is a mutt. Mutts are often depicted as walking upright like people, because they’re smart and live by their wits. After all, they can’t get by on their well-groomed good looks alone, like purebred dogs.
To make the head look three-dimensional, let the far ear dangle behind the head, where we can see it. Note that most of the doggy anatomy has been removed from this pup. His body looks human—except for the paws and tail.
Small Chin or No Chin?
Small chins are cute. No chins are goofy! Take your pick.
A small chin doubles as the lower lip.
When there’s no chin, the lower lip goes directly into the mouth.
Cat—On Four Legs
Cats give a fluffy impression of a soft coat without hard muscles. A cat’s torso calls for a small chest and larger hindquarters. That doesn’t mean it looks fat. It’s just that cats lack the powerful physique that a big chest provides. And they always have small, petite paws.
A full-grown cartoon cat’s head is wide, whereas a cartoon kitten’s head is tall. This cat’s head is based on a wide oval. The muzzle is also petite, with a tiny nose. Cartoon cats’ noses are always small—just like real cats’.
Get the Details Right
The facial fur curves inward, toward the middle.
Some human characters’ eyes are straight up-and-down ovals. That’s how kittens’ eyes are drawn, too. But a mature cat’s eyes are sly, so set them diagonally.
Kitten
There are many ways to draw kittens, but I think the most appealing kittens have oversized heads and miniature bodies. I also leave out the toes in the paws, because the legs are so small they just won’t fit!
A cartoon kitten’s basic features include a big head with small ears and nose, tiny whiskers, ruffled fur on the cheeks, and eyelashes. And don’t forget that adorable bow!
Big pupils are also a must. How do I get those great “eye shines” in the middle of the eyes? First, I make the eyes very dark, by pressing down hard with a regular pencil (a no. 2 pencil is fine). Then I go back and put two small drops of paint on each eyeball, with a fine-tipped paintbrush.
Cartoon Tails
Real kittens have small tails. But cartoonists don’t play by the rulebook. A big, bushy tail is irresistible—so we can use it on a kitten, if we make it fluffy and squeezably cute enough.
Hmm. This adult-style cartoon tail just doesn’t work here.
Neither does this little tail—even though it’s realistic. it’s just not impressive.
This bushy tail is just right. (And by the way, you can also use a bushy tail on adult cats.)
Squirrel—Natural Stance
The stance may be natural, but this drawing of a squirrel is flat, highly stylized, and cartoony. The paws look like they’re floating in the middle of the squirrel’s body, and the feet don’t look as if they’re attached to the legs. These tricks give the character a profoundly two-dimensional appearance, especially when combined with the thick pencil outline. It’s very retro.
Cartoon squirrels have trademark features that distinguish them from other little woodland critters: small ears, buck teeth, wide cheeks, and (especially) that huge, bushy, two-toned tail.
Fur-Line Markings
There are two basic ways of demarcating the fur line on the squirrel’s face. Both ways are good, but one is more modern.
Penguin—Small Head
Penguins are so popular that they have been featured in their own comic strips and their own animated movies. These birds are brimming with personality—always perky, peppy, and on the go. Their rubbery form was just made for cartooning!
In reality, penguins have very small heads on top of seriously thick bodies. In fact, their heads are so small that I have difficulty drawing cartoon eyes within the head’s outline—so I let the eyes break the outline at the top of the head. It gives the character a kooky look.
Also note how I’ve simplified the penguin’s markings: His stomach has a single patch of white. (An important rule of cartooning is to simplify wherever possible.) Real penguins’ wings are surprisingly long, and long wings work well for this more or less realistically proportioned penguin.
Options
Instead of leaving the inseam round …
Draw a curved line attaching one leg to the other.
Penguin—Large Head
Now let’s cute that cartoon penguin up a bunch, by giving him a larger head. It’s a testament to the adaptability of penguin characters that they can be stretched and molded into so many different shapes. We, the viewers, have gotten so used to seeing cartoon penguins with big heads that we don’t even realize how wrong these proportions are.
The large penguin head is a baby-head shape: big and round in the back, with big cheeks and eyes and some baby fat under the chin.
Penguin “Hands”
When you turn a cartoon penguin’s flippers into “hands,” they look a lot like mittens.
Camel—On Two Legs
Is this weird, or what? A camel standing on two legs, with a huge hump on its back. But as long as it’s funny-weird, it works. Many cartoons get by on their quirkiness alone, and this guy is no exception. People look for novelty in today’s cartoons, so if you can find a new way to reinvent a cha
racter, so much the better.
You Don’t Have to Include Everything
An actual camel would have a very thin mane running down the back of its neck, as shown here. But I prefer to leave it out, for a cleaner, simpler look.
Humongous Book of Cartooning Page 5
