When it comes to cartooning, so-called two-dimensional animation and illustration can sometimes feel like a bit of a misnomer. After all, with the power of perspective, figures still appear to live and breathe in three-dimensional space.
With this aspect in mind, Mike Morris, storyboard artist on The Simpsons, demonstrates how illustrators of all kind can work to achieve the layer of depth they need to bring their characters to life by “drawing through.”
The act of “drawing through” means giving consideration to not just how the character looks from the front, but also the back. By working to balance line placement and actively avoid tangents, artists of all skill levels can amp up a given character with a form that’s anything but flat.
You can follow along with Morris as he uses SketchBook Pro to demonstrate his technique in the video below:
