How to draw a friendly cartoon step by step with a pencil. How to draw a caricature with a pencil step by step
How to draw cartoons
Usually experienced caricaturists, when drawing cartoons, rarely ask the question: how they do it.
If you ask an artist to explain to you why he draws this way, he will most likely say that he draws purely intuitively, relying on his creative experience. And this, to some extent, can be explained by the fact that so far, the theory in the field of cartoon drawing has not been sufficiently studied and systematized. The theoretical knowledge that exists is not taught in art schools for the simple reason that it is not yet of an applied nature. Each artist, however, has his own techniques for drawing cartoons, and I want to introduce you to some of them on the pages of the site.
The basis of caricature is the mobility of the face shape. In a portrait we find this form static; the artist draws facial features as they exist in reality. In a cartoon, proportions are distorted, exaggerated, they move, are deformed, and at the same time the resemblance to the original is not lost at all. Why does this happen? Does the cartoonist’s drawing obey any precise measurements or is it born as a result of an inexplicable creative exaltation?
Looking at the work of a cartoonist, the uninitiated viewer is left with a feeling of surprise, which is slightly reminiscent of the feeling we experience when seeing the work of a magician. If the drawing of a portrait fits well within the framework of our understanding (we see how the artist is just copying nature), then cartoon drawing, sometimes suggests a miraculous ability that
cartoonist
endowed since childhood. An ability that is almost impossible to learn.
Let’s now try to figure out whether everything is really so hopeless, or, after all, no matter what, there are certain ways and mechanisms by which cartoons Any even more or less prepared person can learn to draw.
Facial proportions
The faces of all people differ from each other in minor details: the size of the nose, eyes, mouth, oval of the face, ears are different for all people, but the proportions - the ratio of the distances between the nose, eyes and mouth - are approximately the same for each person. Classic proportions divide the human face into three equal parts. These are the distances between the eyebrows and the roots of the hair on the forehead, the distance between the base of the nose and the eyebrows, and the distances between the base of the chin and the base of the nose.
Also, the distance between the eyebrows and the tip of the nose is equal to the size of the ears, and the line drawn at the base lower lip divides the lower part of the face into two symmetrical parts
The figure clearly shows how lines a, b, c, d divide the face into equal parts, and how the size of the eye can fit proportionally into the face. But they may object to me. What to do if a person’s features are not proportional? Do the laws of ratios really work just as flawlessly? After all, there are people with long, short noses, small, wide-set eyes. As an example, you can compare two completely different faces. One with absolutely perfect proportions, and other completely disproportionate.
This portrait shows what a perfectly proportional face looks like. However, if we take another face, devoid of proportions at first glance, and draw the same lines, we will find completely in an unexpected way, that the size ratio between them will remain approximately the same
We can therefore conclude that proportions are a very convenient thing for an artist. Without knowing the basic proportions, it is almost impossible to draw a portrait correctly, because it is very difficult to grasp the ratio of the sizes of various parts of the face by eye. Mostly the mistakes that beginner portrait painters make are mistakes related to the violation of proportions.
But let's return to the caricature, for the sake of which we actually started our research. In a caricature of a face, the laws of proportions are just as important as when drawing a portrait. What usually happens when an artist instead short nose draws a long one, leaving all other proportions unchanged? In this case, the painted portrait seems to us devoid of resemblance to the original. It is not necessary to just lengthen the nose; you can reduce the distance between the eyes too much or, on the contrary, increase it too much. So if you compare the pictures
a
And b, then it is clearly noticeable that by increasing the distance between the eyes in the figure b we created something strange, ugly and out of proportion. Our consciousness, the mechanism of perception of which is based on purely geometric laws of identification of human faces, instantly signals a violation committed by the artist, and is perceived by us as a negative, unpleasant fact.
Here it is important to understand the fact that proportions are one of the subconscious mechanisms of perception human face. In our Everyday life We constantly read subconsciously information from numerous people we meet. Even ours aesthetic perception based on proportionality. How bigger face a person fits into the classical canon, especially since it evokes in us pleasant emotions and a desire to communicate, and vice versa, people with disproportionate, asymmetrical faces evoke in us, if not feelings of regret, then at least laughter. At the end of the 19th century, the theory of one Italian psychologist Lombroso Cesare was popular, who published the book “Criminal”, in which he argued that there are certain biological characteristics, mainly related to the disproportionality of the face, that contribute to the commission of crimes. So, according to his theory, people with massive chins and developed jaws are potential criminals and scoundrels.
And oddly enough, even today his theory finds supporters precisely because of our psychological desire for ideal proportions.
Maybe this is where the division into caricature and cartoon came from. Many people cannot understand this difference between a caricature and a cartoon. In my opinion, certain distortions of facial proportions are perceived comically by us and cause laughter, while others, on the contrary, cause condescension. As a rule, we experience positive emotions when we see a fool and a simpleton; we find it funny. Just remember the Soviet jokes about the Chukchi or Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev and Petka. The English caricaturist John Law paints a completely different image in his works. His caricature of Margaret Thatcher is too exaggerated.
When I was still a novice cartoonist, and took my first steps in this genre of art, I trained in the subway, looking at the faces of the passengers sitting opposite me, mentally imagining what a cartoon of this or that person would be like. These exercises later provided me with invaluable help. I learned a very important quality for an artist - to see your work in a finished form even before starting to draw it. True, then it began to seem to me that the faces of people 100 meters underground seem more caricatured than on the surface. Perhaps our perception depends on the position in space in which we are in this moment, but this is a topic for another study.
Let's try to understand what the proportions are based on. Undoubtedly, their basis is close interaction with each other. It is absolutely impossible to change any part of the face without affecting other parts. From physics we know that every action causes an equal reaction. In the cartoon, changes in relation to the nose lead to a certain change in the basic shape, position of the eyes, and mouth. Like in the picture c An increase in the distance between the eyes leads to a shortening of the nose and expansion of the oval of the face, the head becomes wider and, in turn, shorter. Further, shortening the upper part of the head leads to lengthening of its lower part: drawing d.
Variations of the letter T
Thus, caricature of the face is still based on a change in proportions, but not arbitrarily, when we simply take and make the nose larger, or enlarge the ears or eyes, but subordinated to a certain method based on the relationships of its various parts. For clarity, we will need to introduce some simplification of the form by combining the nose and eyes in the form of the letter T. Now let’s try to consider some of the variations that the letter T takes on various types persons
As can be seen in the figure, the letters T take different shape, the variations of which are countless, but we are interested only in the most characteristic of them, which are shown in the figure. For me, the shape of the letter T is a fundamental element in a cartoon with the help of which I can easily stretch and exaggerate the face, not for a second without fear of making any mistakes related to the overall expressiveness of the drawing. To get started, you can take as a basis these six most characteristic forms letter T and try to caricature faces according to these schemes, the most important thing in the work is the initial observation of the shape of the face: either it is a straight, long, thin nose, or a thick, large, or upturned nose. The shape of the eyes correlates with the shape of the nose in direct sequence; the main thing is to mentally imagine what shape of the letter T the face will have in each specific case. When I talk about the letter T, I'm talking about the geometric shape created by the eyes and nose in each case. As a rule, the eyes and nose always work together within their relationship. To visualize this more clearly, imagine that the eyes and nose are connected by a thread, a thread that moves through wheels attached to the center of the eyes and the tip of the nose.
Here's roughly how it works in action. Notice that the eyes and eyebrows shrink slightly as the lower part of the face grows and stretches.
If a person’s eyes are widely spaced relative to the bridge of his nose, then the strings pull the nose closer to the eyes, and more a long nose pulls his eyes closer to each other. The mouth, nose and chin have a similar relationship. Since the distance between them is constant, the mouth located close to the nose leads to the removal of the chin. Thus, it is easy to conclude that deformation of any part of the face immediately leads to reverse deformation of another part directly adjacent to it.
The pictures below show the main types of patterns used when caricaturing a face. The peculiarity is that, based on the general shape of the face, the caricaturist, stretching the shape, respectively, in the same direction, stretches or compresses the remaining parts, the nose, eyes and mouth. Please note that as the lower part of the face is stretched out, the nose does not remain the same as it was before caricature, but changes. In one case it decreases, in another it lengthens.
Now the question? Why is this happening? Answer - the basic principle of any cartoon is that we lengthen the long and shorten the short. So, if the nose was in relation to general form is small in size, then it should be shortened further, as we see in the cartoon of Ron Perlman (artist V. Belozerov). In another cartoon of Vladimir Bystrov (artist V. Belozerov), the long nose becomes even longer.
In the caricature of Leonov (artist V Belozerov), the rather large nose becomes even more massive.
As you can see in the picture, before drawing a cartoon, the artist makes a small sketch on a sheet of paper. He draws the shape of the head as it will be in the finished cartoon and correctly places the schematic dimensions and location of the remaining parts of the face. So, then all that remains is to copy the details correctly.
Thus, you can see how a simple formula is based on a fairly simple basis, using which you can easily learn how to caricature a face. To begin with, I would recommend that you simply start by drawing the outline of the head, and a schematic representation of the letter T. This is necessary to develop your ability to dynamically transform the face. At least ten drawings a day will allow you to master the technique in a fairly short time.
V. Belozerov ©
Today's business idea is suitable for all those who cannot imagine their life without a canvas of paper and a pencil in their hands. We will talk about creating cartoons and caricatures as a business with minimal investment. The most important thing in this matter is the ability to draw portraits and determine, by looking at a person, the main facial features. And also, be able to convey them on canvas. As a rule, good cartoonists and cartoonists come from students and graduates of art schools and universities. Many of them engage in such activities in their free time from study. And, I must say, they provide themselves with an additional (and for some it is the main) source of income. Before we jump into the business idea itself, let's understand a little about the terms.
Caricature and caricature are not the same thing?
It has taken root in society erroneous opinion, asserting that cartoon and caricature are one and the same artistic genre. It turns out that this is not the case. We bring to your attention the definitions of cartoon and caricature.
Cartoon is a genre visual arts, at which main character(person, animal or any object) is depicted in a good-natured, humorous manner. At the same time, the artist deliberately displays on the canvas the external features and character traits inherent in this particular hero. There are cartoons different types, depending on the displayed objects. The portrait depicts one person. In a group – several people united general atmosphere. There are cartoons with animals and some special objects for the customer (for example, depicting a house, car, etc.). A special place is occupied story paintings, where, in addition to the main character, the surrounding environment is also drawn. In our opinion, this is the most interesting and beautiful view cartoon
Caricature is the progenitor of the cartoon genre. These are satirical and humorous drawings depicting a person or object with an exaggeration of its inherent features, both external and internal. It differs from the cartoon in its social or political urgency. Most often, such paintings depict famous politicians, businessmen, and show business stars.
Now that you have an idea about these two genres, let's return to our business idea.
How to learn to draw cartoons and caricatures?
This is the first question that will be asked by any person interested in implementing this idea, but who does not know how to create humorous portraits. Experts say that the fundamental principle is knowledge of the anatomy and facial expressions of the human face. And, of course, the ability to draw portraits. You can learn all this on your own by studying books and lessons on the Internet. But don't lie to yourself. This kind of training will take a lot of time. There is a shorter and correct way - enroll in an art school, courses, or even a university. The teachers there will teach you the basics and tricks of fine art and make you a specialist in a relatively short time.
Particular attention should be paid to learning to draw human body and faces, as these skills will be extremely useful when creating cartoons and caricatures.
Once you learn how to draw faces, you can move on to the next stage. It is necessary to learn to identify the main facial features of a person, as well as those features that minimally reflect him appearance and character. Caricature and caricature are based on the ability to exaggerate more important features and the ability to remove unimportant ones.
It will be useful to observe the work of a cartoonist. You will see how a portrait is created. Where does the drawing begin? What is being paid greatest attention. Etc. The most important thing is practice. Sit down at your desk, take out paper, pencil and go. The more you draw, the faster you will learn. First, practice drawing from a photograph. After several successful caricatures or caricatures, you can try drawing from life. Ask your friends or family to pose for you.
Hone your skills until you can create great humorous pictures quickly and easily. As a rule, 10 minutes is enough for a professional caricaturist or caricaturist to provide the client with a finished portrait. After this, you are ready to offer your services to the general public.
How to organize your business using cartoons and caricatures?
We have identified three ways to implement this business idea. The first is to open your own workshop to create such drawings. To do this you will need a small room. The optimal area is 12-15 square meters. m. Here the client will have room to turn around and you will have space for creativity. Of course, you should hang the results of your previous works on the walls. They will become an additional portfolio. By the way, you will need a beautifully designed portfolio when implementing your idea using any of the three proposed methods.
The second option is accepting orders via the Internet. Advantages this method– reaching a huge number of clients, regardless of their location. Finished works you can send them to in electronic format by email or in printed form by mail. The downside is the inability to draw from life. Drawing from a photograph is somewhat more difficult and takes longer. But we think this is not such a hindrance. The opportunity to work with clients throughout the country and abroad more than compensates for this disadvantage. You don’t need an office to implement it, but you will need your own website and its further promotion.
And the last option (although you can think of other ways to implement this business idea) is to create cartoons in real time. That is, we invite you to become a street cartoonist. For implementation you will need a small stand. You can make it homemade. You can hang several of your works and prices on it. Several small chairs. You will sit on one, and your client on the other. And, as with everything, you will need art supplies and paper. It is very important here to be in right time in the right place. The most successful places are parks, squares, squares, beaches. The latter are probably the most lucrative place in the world for “humorous painters.” The most favorable time is holidays from morning to evening, on weekdays in the evening, on weekends you can try from lunch until dark. As practice shows, heaps of people gather around such cartoonists (caricaturists). Some are just looking, others are waiting their turn.
How much can you earn?
As we said at the beginning, creating cartoons and caricatures is a business with minimal investment. For example, to start an activity as street artist, a small easel, a few sheets of paper and a simple pencil(coal, paints - depends on your technique). Chairs can be taken from home.
The cost of one cartoon, even the simplest one, is 500-600 rubles. If this is a subject drawing made in watercolor or pastel, then its price can reach up to 5-6 thousand rubles. As for the time spent on drawing one picture, it will be a maximum of half an hour. Then do the math for yourself.
One thing is certain. The ability to draw cartoons and caricatures can provide its owner with a serious source of income. Main or additional.
A cartoon is something between a portrait and a humorous drawing, a combination of real and characteristic features subject in the drawing. Caricature is, first of all, an exaggeration (of the characteristic features of a person, an object, some details).
IN modern world The art of creating cartoons has not been fully studied, nor has it been studied in sufficient detail to clearly describe the sequence of steps for drawing cartoons. Some people believe that creating cartoons is a natural talent. a certain person, but this is just a misconception.
Let's try to figure out what it takes to learn how to draw a cartoon?
Firstly, a cartoonist must be both an artist and a psychologist. In particular, when you receive an order to draw a caricature of a person or group of people, you must quickly identify their characteristic features and build a caricature on them. To do this, look carefully at the person, pay attention to his facial features, clothes, facial expressions and movements. After such scanning, you will be able to come up with a composition for the drawing and make a unique, memorable cartoon.
Secondly, you can, of course, learn the basics of drawing cartoons, portraits and caricatures on your own by studying great amount literature and watching videos. But such a procedure will take a large number of time. Relatively fast and effective way learning is to attend art courses that will help you understand whether you can draw a cartoon and whether you like this activity. Creating cartoons requires minimum investment funds. At first, you will need a sheet of paper and a sharp pencil or even a pen.
Thirdly, when learning (it doesn’t matter whether independent learning or studying in courses or in art school) pay special attention to the skills of drawing faces and bodies, other details are not so important. In addition, in order to become a good cartoonist, practice is necessary. After a certain amount of time, you will be able to create works in 10 minutes.
Fourthly, you should decide what you would like to do your work with. Will it be paints or a simple pencil? Of course, without some practice you will not be able to choose the appropriate option. By the way, you can and should start practicing with photographs, and then try to draw from life.
Caricature portraits are funny paintings that depict distorted faces of people, while maintaining their likeness. In this lesson you will learn how to draw a caricature portrait using the program Adobe Photoshop And graphics tablet Wacom Intuos.
So let's get started!
Final result:
1. Sketching a caricature
Step 1
Create a new document in Adobe Photoshop with the following dimensions 1110x1270 px, resolution 300 dpi. Hold original image, from which you will draw a caricature portrait at hand. I'm using the original image of a man, which you can see in the screenshot below.
Study your object carefully, paying attention to details that particularly stand out. The key to creating a caricature is to highlight the special features of a person's face. IN in this case, you can enlarge your ears, lips, and jawline.
Once you have decided which facial features you will be enhancing, start creating your caricature. with a white background. And with the help Hard Round Pressure Brush Opacity(Hard Round Pressure Opacity Brush (B)), sketch out your cartoon subject. In the top brush control panel, don't forget to activate the mode Pressure controls Opacity(Pressure for Opacity).
Sketch in gray tones to make the sketch as clear as possible. This is a simple design, so there is no need to add a background or design the clothing in detail. Focus on enhancing facial features, including emphasizing the jawline.
Final sketch.
2. Coloring
Step 1
Create a new layer below the sketch layer. Using a tool Gradient(Gradient Tool (G)), gradient type Linear(Linear), gradient colors from muted green (#3e3726) to light green (#695d50), fill this layer with a linear gradient.
Step 2
To start coloring the caricature, we need a base. Create another new layer below the sketch layer, name this layer The basis(Base). Using a hard round brush at 100% Rigidity(Hardness), paint the base colors on the face, hair and shirt collar. Because We changed the blending mode for the sketch layer to Soft light(Soft Light), then the sketch will perfectly match the base colors.
On this same layer, don't forget to paint the eyes, facial hair and lips with the base colors. Basic numbers color shades are shown in the screenshot below.
Step 3
Create a new layer on top of the base colors layer The basis(Base) as a clipping mask. Name this layer Shadow(Shadows), change the blending mode for this layer to Multiplication(Multiply). We use a tool Pipette(Eyedropper Tool (I)) to select color swatches as the foreground color, then, using the color shades that are already present on the canvas, add the first stage of shadows to the portrait.
Create another new layer as a clipping mask to the layer The basis(Base). Name this layer Texture(Texture). Change the blending mode for this layer to Multiplication(Multiply). By using Triangular Pastel Brush(Triangle Pastel Brush (B)) add brown skin texture to the face and neck.
Step 4
Let's add some highlights. Create a new layer as a clipping mask to the layer The basis(Base). Name this layer Lightglare(Linear Dodge (Add)) and using the tool Pipette(Eyedropper Tool (I)), sample colors from adjacent areas to add highlights. You will need to keep your original image nearby during this process, this will help when adding highlights. Accentuate the highlights in the upper area of the face.
Now select all the coloring layers, including the sketch layer except the background layer, to merge them (Ctrl+E).
Name the new merged layer Caricature(Caricature).
Step 5
It's time to clean up our drawing and make it clearer. For this purpose use the same brush Hard Round Pressure Opacity(Hard Round Pressure Opacity) to correct texture on the face, hair and collar. Make all adjustments on the layer Caricature(Caricature), this will provide sharper edges instead of soft blurry ones.
Step 6
Create a new layer on top of the layer Caricature(Caricature). Name this layer Lightglare(Highlights). Change the blending mode for this layer to Overlap(Overlay), and then using white and bright warm colors, add highlights to the skin. Make the ears and cheeks a little more pink, and the top of the forehead and hair brighter.
Don't forget about the beard! For our drawing to come to life, we need to draw small parts, reflecting light glare. First create a new layer on top of the layer Light glare(Highlights), change the blending mode for this layer to Linear brightener (Add)(Linear Dodge (Add)). Name this layer Details(Details) and using the tool Pipette(Eyedropper Tool (I)), sample the colors that are already on the canvas to paint highlights in this area.
Draw the hair for the beard in three various directions. Draw small, fine hairs to show off individual hairs and add movement to the image.
Step 7
Merge all the caricature layers except the background layer to complete our painting in two separate layers. This will help in execution and save file size.
Continue drawing details to add more personality to this portrait. Add more fine hairs to your entire facial hair, including your mustache, beard, and eyebrows. Add highlights to the lips and touch up the edges to get the perfect portrait.
If you feel that you can add more details to the drawing, then add clothing details. In this case, I drew the shoulders and part of the shirt. Paint the dark blue base first and then add the folds to the shirt using slow strokes with a soft round brush.
If you need to lengthen your body, then let's go Filter - Plastic(Filter > Liquify) and using the tool Deformation(Forward Warp Tool (W)), pull the shirt and shoulders down.
Create a new layer on top of the layer Caricature(caricature), change the blending mode for this layer to Linear light(Linear Light). Using the same Blue colour from the shirt, paint shadows at the bottom of the design and also on the sides using a soft round brush. Merge all layers into one layer.
You can see the final result in the screenshot below.
And that is all! Creating digital drawings will take a lot of practice, but once you have that experience, you'll be able to create your own caricature portrait! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Good luck!
Filippo Baldinucci - one of the most important art critics XVII century, defines the creation of cartoons and caricatures in his “Dictionary artistic concepts”, which appeared in 1681, as follows: “A method of creating a portrait, in which various achievements of the highest resemblance to the image are possible, can be achieved using in various ways identifying any features that will make you laugh, and in order to laugh, it is necessary to make some changes, to emphasize certain defects and components in an exaggerated and intense way, but so that the portrait as a whole does not lose its similarity.” The Italian critic wanted to say that a caricature is created by reducing or exaggerating certain parts of the face, body, or any contrasts in order to give the image a satirical character. It arises between reality and improbability, similarity and equivalent.
Another put it this way: “Traits allow oneself to be carried away automatically and intuitively.” While another artistic genius, Pablo Picasso, explained: “I don’t seek, I find.” He invited, for example, the person sitting opposite him to trust him in his work, since at the beginning of every artist’s creation there is exploration and analysis, a little inspiration and chance. Therefore, we invite you to draw without any red tape until you find your own style in art cartoons and caricatures.
To make it easier to achieve our goal, we will combine in this topic various drawings made by famous professional cartoonists and cartoonists. Our goal is to show you the steps you need to take to understand the basic distortions that make up caricature drawings. Since they are based not only on “formulas”, but also on different styles, we will tell you some correct general norms that will be useful, and we will try to dwell on the own view of each of the presented cartoonists (which will lead you to an interesting variety of distortions). We also take you into the exciting world of a white sheet of paper and a pencil.
Let's find out how to draw a cartoon correctly. To do this, we will study the advice of outstanding cartoonists and masters of caricature.
Get used to working with at least three photographs of the model if possible (front view, profile and full face). This will help you identify the three-dimensional features of the image. In addition, this way you can understand facial features more clearly.
In this article we learn how to draw cartoons step by step. In this lesson, Anthony Garner caricatures the popular French general Charles de Gaulle, a political leader who was distinguished by a rather solemn appearance and a large nose. By the way, you find two photographs that indicate exactly the above. The artist initially performs one complete, absolutely linear drawing and first covers it with numerous azures. Transparent watercolor paints are best suited for this work: with their help, a rapprochement with a realistic drawing occurs.
Let's look at how to draw a friendly cartoon step by step. Here we have an example in which the artist shows how to draw all the shapes and details that belong to the developed humorous performance. There is a necessary condition that great attention is paid to the tonal variations of the body, as well as the structure of clothing and skin, and it is necessary to generously take care of each color variety, which will mark the characteristic ready-made friendly cartoon.
Let's look at how to draw a caricature from a photograph. We will conduct experiments on the image of the American film director, actor and screenwriter Orson Welles. Cartoonist Alfonso Lopez shows us several photographs of Orson Welles, from which he develops a caricature with a subtle psychological insight, as it corresponds strong personality models. Our first step consists of identifying the characteristic features of the image.
Let's look at how to draw Marilyn Monroe step by step. Let's make a fun caricature portrait of Marilyn Monroe, the sex symbol of the screen. In order not to reinvent the wheel, let's study how the famous cartoonist Anthony Garner did.
Let's look at how to learn how to draw a cartoon step by step with a pencil. In this lesson we will create a caricature of the famous film producer Woody Allen in a generalized psychological style. Psychological caricature requires further removal from realistic canons. and the details lose all meaning in view of great abstractions and certain influences of an intellectual nature on the observer. Cartoonist Alfonso Lopez, who works in a completely different style, was honored to host this class.
