![\"Creating](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/EunbiKangFeature-400x284.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure><\/span><\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"Etherington-How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/12\/Etherington-How-to-draw-comics.jpg\" "\\"Etherington-How")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tHow to draw comics
How to draw comics
<\/strong><\/h1>\nEtherington Bros\u2019 Comics Crash Course<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe Etherington Bros<\/strong><\/a> are well-known as one of the greatest teams of drawing teachers around \u2014 their How to Think When You Draw<\/a> series of books, and their blog, have helped millions of artists learn how to draw essentially everything.<\/p>\nIn addition to the free drawing tutorials on their blog, they\u2019ve released a free ebook just for young, beginning artists \u2014 How to Think When You Draw Junior. You can download the entire ebook here for free<\/a>, or read on to get a sample of the tutorials<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents<\/b><\/p>\n\n- How to draw heads<\/a><\/li>\n
- Draw hair and head shapes<\/a><\/li>\n
- Character design and costumes<\/a><\/li>\n
- Storytelling through character design<\/a><\/li>\n
- Concept Art: Designing the rest of your comic\u2019s world<\/a><\/li>\n
- More from the Etherington Brothers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
![\"Etherington](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Etherington-1-Feature.jpg\" "\\"Etherington")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#1. How to draw heads<\/h2>\n
Here\u2019s an easy approach to placing the features \u2014 eyes nose, ears, and mouth \u2014 on your character\u2019s\u00a0head.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Heads-1.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFirst, draw a rough circle. Then divide it in half twice \u2014 once with a vertical line and once with a horizontal line. The eyes go on the horizontal line, with each eye roughly one eye width apart. Then, the tip of the nose goes just below the eyes, on the vertical line. The mouth goes just below that, and it\u2019s typically about the same width as the center of the eyes. Ears then go on either side, just about between the middle of the eyes and the tip of the nose.<\/p>\n
And there\u2019s your basic face! Of course, everyone\u2019s face will look different, and you can exaggerate certain features, but this should serve as a rough guide.<\/p>\n
Now, in comics, being able to draw your characters from lots of different angles is really useful. Remember, the head is a 3D shape! Here\u2019s how to draw the head at different angles:<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Heads-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tImagine your character\u2019s head as a sphere, like a ball, with that vertical and horizontal line drawn onto the surface of the ball. If we turn the ball to the side, the vertical line will appear curved. If we tilt it up and down, the horizontal line will appear curved. Since you know where the features sit on the lines, you can now draw the face looking up! Remember: the nose sticks out!<\/p>\n
Extra tip: if the eyes are circles, then when we see them from an angle, they become ovals.<\/p>\n
Ready for practice? Here\u2019s a practice sheet. Feel free to download it, and then input it into your favorite drawing program. With your Wacom device, you can get started practicing digitally right away.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Heads-3.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRemember, the entire PDF of How To Think When You Draw Junior<\/a> is available here. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick Comics tutorials.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"Etherington](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Etherington-header-2.jpg\" "\\"Etherington")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#2. How to draw hair and head shapes<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s tempting to draw hair styles as lots of single hairs, because that\u2019s what they\u2019re made up of in real life! However, since comic hairstyles are vital for helping us recognize each individual character, try drawing the overall shape of the hair first.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Hair-1.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tAs an exercise, just draw a bunch of circles and add hair shapes to them \u2014 the wilder the better. You can see how dramatically it will affect the character\u2019s look, even when their head is just a circle.<\/p>\n
Now that you have some hair style shapes, add in a few interior lines, thinking about the direction the hair grows. Draw a shape, think about the hair direction, and add some individual hair lines.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Hair-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe character\u2019s head shape will also help people recognize the character. Changing the shape of your character\u2019s head, in particular their jaw, will totally alter their look.<\/p>\n
You can also use the crossed lines you learned in the last tutorial to place your character\u2019s features, just like you did with the round heads.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Shapes-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tReady for practice? Here\u2019s an exercise sheet. Feel free to download it, and then input it into your favorite drawing program. With your Wacom device, you can get started practicing digitally right away.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/06\/Shapes-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFirst, draw a rough rectangle on a page, and fill it with as many different head shapes as you can, fitting shapes into every\u00a0space.<\/p>\n
Then, add faces to these shapes. Try to match the overall shape of the features to the shape of the head: a rounded face can have rounded features, and an angular face can have angular\u00a0features.<\/p>\n
Finally, for another drawing experiment, quickly sketch a set of similar faces on a piece of paper. Then draw the head shapes afterward, leaving space around them and playing with the position of the face on the\u00a0head.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington-header-3.jpg\" "\\"Etherington")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#3. Character design and costumes<\/h2>\n
Characters come in all shapes and sizes. A range of \u201ccharacter designs\u201d is really important for making each one stand out in your comic. A great approach for designing a wide range of distinctive characters is to create a rectangle that will represent your character\u2019s body, then divide each of them up into three sections. The following exercise can help you experiment with different character designs.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington3-1.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFirst, begin by randomly choosing the height of each section as either short, medium, or tall. Next, randomly make the width of each section narrow, medium, or wide. If you draw each of these sections as three-dimensional standing boxes, you can already see the range of body proportions.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington3-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThen, connect the shapes using either curved or angled lines. With your proportions in place, draw small thumbnail sketches of characters within them. Try lots of designs for each shape. It alway sworks!<\/p>\n
Also very important to character design: clothing and costumes. Your character\u2019s clothes or costume are an important part of who they are, so spending a little time thinking about the details will help a lot! Keep these ideas in mind:<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington3-3.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRemember that fabric has weight, so it hangs. Keep the top area smooth, and remember that crease lines taper out from the top. Clothes can be made of all sorts of materials, such as fur! Ask yourself: does your character have a bag? What\u2019s it like? What\u2019s in it? Make sure your character\u2019s head actually fits inside hats or helmets \u2014 try not to draw them too small. Finally, belts and bag straps add interesting details.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington3-4.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNext, think of clothes in layers \u2014 they lay on top of each other. Also, clothes are made up of shapes \u2014 you can stack shapes on top of one another. Finally, remember that clothes don\u2019t always fit perfectly, and clothes that aren\u2019t a perfect fit can tell a story about your characters.<\/p>\n
Remember, the entire PDF of How To Think When You Draw<\/a> Junior is available here. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick comics tutorials!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"Etherington](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington-header-story-through-design.jpg\" "\\"Etherington")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#4. Using character design to tell a layered story<\/h2>\n
Designing a character isn\u2019t just about their look \u2013 their outfit also tells a story itself! We can use our character\u2019s clothing or uniform to tell a layered\u00a0story.<\/p>\n
Choose a type of character \u2013 it can be a human, monster, or your favorite animal. For example, an ogre. Below, we have a pretty normal ogre. He\u2019s very conventional, meaning he\u2019s exactly what we\u2019d expect an ogre to look like. His outfit is traditional fantasy clothing. He\u2019s big, and strong, and he doesn\u2019t look too clever. He doesn\u2019t really seem like he has much of a\u00a0story.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington-Story-through-design-1.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNow, write down a job for your character. It can be boring, or difficult, or tiring, but whatever the case, make it a job that your character doesn\u2019t <\/strong>enjoy! Our ogre below works in a bank. I\u2019ve changed his facial expression to show he finds the job stressful. His clothing doesn\u2019t fit because his job doesn\u2019t suit him. This is called a visual\u00a0metaphor<\/strong>!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington-Story-through-design-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tNow our character has more interest, more of a story, but we need one more layer\u2026<\/p>\n
Imagine a hobby or interest for your character, something they\u2019d much rather be doing! But don\u2019t make it obvious \u2013 try to think of something unlikely, something which has nothing to do with the type of character they are.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/07\/Etherington-Story-through-design-3.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThis ogre secretly wants to be a birdwatcher! He still has to work in the bank, but we\u2019ve added costume details to show his real interest! His facial expression directs us to his interest. This character now has layers of\u00a0interest!<\/p>\n
Try out the technique with this exercise<\/h2>\n
The ogre we designed by mixing in a job and a hobby not only looks more interesting, but he makes it very easy for us to start telling a story. We could tell his story from any time point in the ogre\u2019s\u00a0life.<\/p>\n
The past<\/strong> \u2013 how did the ogre end up working in a bank? The present<\/strong> \u2013 what is a day in the bank like, for the ogre? The future<\/strong> \u2013 how does he become a professional bird\u00a0watcher?<\/p>\nOr, a story about what motivates him<\/strong> \u2013 why doesn\u2019t the ogre like working in the bank? Why do birds love\u00a0him?<\/p>\n\n- Choose a character type<\/li>\n
- Give them a job they don\u2019t like and that doesn\u2019t fit their character type<\/li>\n
- Give them a hobby that they wish was their job. This works best if the hobby has nothing to do with their character type!<\/li>\n
- Draw them, remembering to put them in a uniform or outfit for their job, and add elements of the hobby<\/li>\n
- Write down three different one-sentence story ideas you could tell about your character!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\nRemember, the entire PDF of\u00a0How To Think When You Draw Junior\u00a0is available here<\/a>. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick comics tutorials!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"Etherington](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/08\/Etherington-concept-art-header.jpg\" "\\"Etherington")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#5. Concept Art: Designing the rest of your comic\u2019s world<\/h2>\n
Your best art comes from experimenting and playing with a variety of ideas, so it\u2019s worth taking some time to develop the extra characters, items, and environments within your comic story, before you draw them on the final\u00a0page.<\/p>\n
The designs you create as you work out how you want these elements to look are called concept art<\/strong>, which really just means ideas art<\/strong> \u2014 drawing different ideas for how something could look until you find the one you like the\u00a0best.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/08\/etherington-concept-art-1.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tYou may need concept art for characters, objects, vehicles, places, food, animals, or even hairstyles. Even tiny changes can make a big differences \u2014 changing the lines on a car, for example, can make it feel <\/em>faster, slower, newer, older,\u00a0etc.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/09\/etherington-concept-art-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tDifferent shapes convey different messages, considering what best fits whatever you\u2019re designing! Sharp angles convey a strong and intimidating feeling. Long flowing lines convey sleekness and speed. And rounder, bouncier lines convey playfulness and friendliness.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have to draw completely different designs for each idea \u2014 sometimes changing just one thing will create a totally new character!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/08\/etherington-concept-art-3-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tCompare the original character to the other versions, when the eyes, hair style, hair color, lips, brows, jawline, or nose have changed or been mixed and\u00a0matched.<\/p>\n
\nRemember, the entire PDF of\u00a0How To Think When You Draw Junior\u00a0is available here<\/a>. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick comics tutorials!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"Etherington](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/12\/How-to-Think-when-you-Drw.jpg\" "\\"Etherington")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#6. More from the Etherington Brothers<\/h2>\n
Creators of THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL ART BOOKS OF ALL TIME on Kickstarter. Book makers, tutorial sharers. Clients: Disney<\/a>, Dreamworks<\/a>, etc.<\/p>\nThe Etherington Brothers' books are available for a limited time only on Kickstarter<\/a>. Follow the Etherington Brothers on social media to receive notifications about their upcoming book releases.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
The Etherington Bros<\/strong><\/a> are well-known as one of the greatest teams of drawing teachers around \u2014 their How to Think When You Draw<\/a> series of books, and their blog, have helped millions of artists learn how to draw essentially everything.<\/p>\n In addition to the free drawing tutorials on their blog, they\u2019ve released a free ebook just for young, beginning artists \u2014 How to Think When You Draw Junior. You can download the entire ebook here for free<\/a>, or read on to get a sample of the tutorials<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Table Of Contents<\/b><\/p>\n Here\u2019s an easy approach to placing the features \u2014 eyes nose, ears, and mouth \u2014 on your character\u2019s\u00a0head.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> First, draw a rough circle. Then divide it in half twice \u2014 once with a vertical line and once with a horizontal line. The eyes go on the horizontal line, with each eye roughly one eye width apart. Then, the tip of the nose goes just below the eyes, on the vertical line. The mouth goes just below that, and it\u2019s typically about the same width as the center of the eyes. Ears then go on either side, just about between the middle of the eyes and the tip of the nose.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s your basic face! Of course, everyone\u2019s face will look different, and you can exaggerate certain features, but this should serve as a rough guide.<\/p>\n Now, in comics, being able to draw your characters from lots of different angles is really useful. Remember, the head is a 3D shape! Here\u2019s how to draw the head at different angles:<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Imagine your character\u2019s head as a sphere, like a ball, with that vertical and horizontal line drawn onto the surface of the ball. If we turn the ball to the side, the vertical line will appear curved. If we tilt it up and down, the horizontal line will appear curved. Since you know where the features sit on the lines, you can now draw the face looking up! Remember: the nose sticks out!<\/p>\n Extra tip: if the eyes are circles, then when we see them from an angle, they become ovals.<\/p>\n Ready for practice? Here\u2019s a practice sheet. Feel free to download it, and then input it into your favorite drawing program. With your Wacom device, you can get started practicing digitally right away.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Remember, the entire PDF of How To Think When You Draw Junior<\/a> is available here. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick Comics tutorials.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> It\u2019s tempting to draw hair styles as lots of single hairs, because that\u2019s what they\u2019re made up of in real life! However, since comic hairstyles are vital for helping us recognize each individual character, try drawing the overall shape of the hair first.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> As an exercise, just draw a bunch of circles and add hair shapes to them \u2014 the wilder the better. You can see how dramatically it will affect the character\u2019s look, even when their head is just a circle.<\/p>\n Now that you have some hair style shapes, add in a few interior lines, thinking about the direction the hair grows. Draw a shape, think about the hair direction, and add some individual hair lines.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> The character\u2019s head shape will also help people recognize the character. Changing the shape of your character\u2019s head, in particular their jaw, will totally alter their look.<\/p>\n You can also use the crossed lines you learned in the last tutorial to place your character\u2019s features, just like you did with the round heads.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Ready for practice? Here\u2019s an exercise sheet. Feel free to download it, and then input it into your favorite drawing program. With your Wacom device, you can get started practicing digitally right away.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> First, draw a rough rectangle on a page, and fill it with as many different head shapes as you can, fitting shapes into every\u00a0space.<\/p>\n Then, add faces to these shapes. Try to match the overall shape of the features to the shape of the head: a rounded face can have rounded features, and an angular face can have angular\u00a0features.<\/p>\n Finally, for another drawing experiment, quickly sketch a set of similar faces on a piece of paper. Then draw the head shapes afterward, leaving space around them and playing with the position of the face on the\u00a0head.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Characters come in all shapes and sizes. A range of \u201ccharacter designs\u201d is really important for making each one stand out in your comic. A great approach for designing a wide range of distinctive characters is to create a rectangle that will represent your character\u2019s body, then divide each of them up into three sections. The following exercise can help you experiment with different character designs.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> First, begin by randomly choosing the height of each section as either short, medium, or tall. Next, randomly make the width of each section narrow, medium, or wide. If you draw each of these sections as three-dimensional standing boxes, you can already see the range of body proportions.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Then, connect the shapes using either curved or angled lines. With your proportions in place, draw small thumbnail sketches of characters within them. Try lots of designs for each shape. It alway sworks!<\/p>\n Also very important to character design: clothing and costumes. Your character\u2019s clothes or costume are an important part of who they are, so spending a little time thinking about the details will help a lot! Keep these ideas in mind:<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Remember that fabric has weight, so it hangs. Keep the top area smooth, and remember that crease lines taper out from the top. Clothes can be made of all sorts of materials, such as fur! Ask yourself: does your character have a bag? What\u2019s it like? What\u2019s in it? Make sure your character\u2019s head actually fits inside hats or helmets \u2014 try not to draw them too small. Finally, belts and bag straps add interesting details.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Next, think of clothes in layers \u2014 they lay on top of each other. Also, clothes are made up of shapes \u2014 you can stack shapes on top of one another. Finally, remember that clothes don\u2019t always fit perfectly, and clothes that aren\u2019t a perfect fit can tell a story about your characters.<\/p>\n Remember, the entire PDF of How To Think When You Draw<\/a> Junior is available here. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick comics tutorials!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Designing a character isn\u2019t just about their look \u2013 their outfit also tells a story itself! We can use our character\u2019s clothing or uniform to tell a layered\u00a0story.<\/p>\n Choose a type of character \u2013 it can be a human, monster, or your favorite animal. For example, an ogre. Below, we have a pretty normal ogre. He\u2019s very conventional, meaning he\u2019s exactly what we\u2019d expect an ogre to look like. His outfit is traditional fantasy clothing. He\u2019s big, and strong, and he doesn\u2019t look too clever. He doesn\u2019t really seem like he has much of a\u00a0story.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Now, write down a job for your character. It can be boring, or difficult, or tiring, but whatever the case, make it a job that your character doesn\u2019t <\/strong>enjoy! Our ogre below works in a bank. I\u2019ve changed his facial expression to show he finds the job stressful. His clothing doesn\u2019t fit because his job doesn\u2019t suit him. This is called a visual\u00a0metaphor<\/strong>!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Now our character has more interest, more of a story, but we need one more layer\u2026<\/p>\n Imagine a hobby or interest for your character, something they\u2019d much rather be doing! But don\u2019t make it obvious \u2013 try to think of something unlikely, something which has nothing to do with the type of character they are.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> This ogre secretly wants to be a birdwatcher! He still has to work in the bank, but we\u2019ve added costume details to show his real interest! His facial expression directs us to his interest. This character now has layers of\u00a0interest!<\/p>\n The ogre we designed by mixing in a job and a hobby not only looks more interesting, but he makes it very easy for us to start telling a story. We could tell his story from any time point in the ogre\u2019s\u00a0life.<\/p>\n The past<\/strong> \u2013 how did the ogre end up working in a bank? The present<\/strong> \u2013 what is a day in the bank like, for the ogre? The future<\/strong> \u2013 how does he become a professional bird\u00a0watcher?<\/p>\n Or, a story about what motivates him<\/strong> \u2013 why doesn\u2019t the ogre like working in the bank? Why do birds love\u00a0him?<\/p>\n Remember, the entire PDF of\u00a0How To Think When You Draw Junior\u00a0is available here<\/a>. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick comics tutorials!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Your best art comes from experimenting and playing with a variety of ideas, so it\u2019s worth taking some time to develop the extra characters, items, and environments within your comic story, before you draw them on the final\u00a0page.<\/p>\n The designs you create as you work out how you want these elements to look are called concept art<\/strong>, which really just means ideas art<\/strong> \u2014 drawing different ideas for how something could look until you find the one you like the\u00a0best.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> You may need concept art for characters, objects, vehicles, places, food, animals, or even hairstyles. Even tiny changes can make a big differences \u2014 changing the lines on a car, for example, can make it feel <\/em>faster, slower, newer, older,\u00a0etc.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Different shapes convey different messages, considering what best fits whatever you\u2019re designing! Sharp angles convey a strong and intimidating feeling. Long flowing lines convey sleekness and speed. And rounder, bouncier lines convey playfulness and friendliness.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to draw completely different designs for each idea \u2014 sometimes changing just one thing will create a totally new character!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> Compare the original character to the other versions, when the eyes, hair style, hair color, lips, brows, jawline, or nose have changed or been mixed and\u00a0matched.<\/p>\n Remember, the entire PDF of\u00a0How To Think When You Draw Junior\u00a0is available here<\/a>. You can also stay tuned to this blog, as we\u2019ll be posting many more of these quick comics tutorials!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> Creators of THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL ART BOOKS OF ALL TIME on Kickstarter. Book makers, tutorial sharers. Clients: Disney<\/a>, Dreamworks<\/a>, etc.<\/p>\n The Etherington Brothers' books are available for a limited time only on Kickstarter<\/a>. Follow the Etherington Brothers on social media to receive notifications about their upcoming book releases.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#1. How to draw heads<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#2. How to draw hair and head shapes<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#3. Character design and costumes<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#4. Using character design to tell a layered story<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTry out the technique with this exercise<\/h2>\n
\n
\n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#5. Concept Art: Designing the rest of your comic\u2019s world<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t#6. More from the Etherington Brothers<\/h2>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2020\/11\/dogcone_wacom-400x284.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>