How To Create A Cartoon Character

Context

On Day One - The Basics of Perspective participants investigated perspective. On Day Two they explored how to Set The Scene When Telling A Story Now it is time to create characters for the comic strip.

Method

Read Creative Character Creator.

These are the stages for each character

Body Start with two ovals of equal size, one on top of the other. The top is the head and the one below will be the body. .
Proportions Once the head and the body are marked in, draw the other elements of the character such as the ears and snout with whisper lines.
Cropped When developing a character the artist will allow herself to be influenced by little idiosyncrasies that occur. As this happens it will feel natural to rub out guidelines and neaten the figure. Read How To Crop An Image
Developed Once the image has been developed, colour and begin looking at ways to write the story around it.

Developing The Character

There are many ways to make a character look funny.

Exagerate - Make the eyes bulge or give it the biggest nose or tummy.
Play with relative size - Have a mouse sit beside an egg which is huge in comparison. Have a tiny little person looking up at the mouse.
As comic artists play, ideas for a script will begin to naturally develop.
Perhaps you could sit a very large mouse on a small table - and then ask how did this situation come about?
Play with textures and patterns
Give your characters crazy clothes

Take your time and have fun. When ready move to Day Four of the Five Day Workshop.