CARTOON ANIMALS
GETTING STARTED
You don’t need much to get started in this racket. One famous cartoon character began his career as a doodle made with a felt-tip marker on a napkin. However, a few basic supplies will make life a lot easier for the budding cartoonist.
THE BASICS
For starters, you’ll need a pencil for rough sketches, an eraser, some paper to draw on, and a pen or marker to ink in your final drawings. Which pencil? What kind of paper? Don’t get stressed out worrying about what supplies to select. This isn’t brain surgery or rocket science, and it doesn’t really matter. It just depends on what you like to work with. That’s right. You’ve got the ball, but here are a few general tips to steer you through the sea of supplies.
Eraser Fat, pink erasers like the ones on the ends of pencils leave crumbs all over the place. You’ll need a kneaded eraser. It doesn’t leave crumbs, and you can shape it into a point to get into small areas. You can also stretch it, squash it, and squeeze it into funny shapes while you’re waiting for inspiration to strike.
Drawing Pencil Pencils have different degrees of hardness. H pencils have hard leads, and B pencils have soft ones. An HB is somewhere in the middle, with a lead that is hard enough to keep a point and soft enough to shade with, making it a good pencil for sketching. Want more drama? 2B or 3B pencils have softer leads that allow you to make stronger lines. I suggest you use an HB pencil to sketch in guidelines and work out details on your cartoons.
Electric Sharpener Oh sure, it’s a luxury, and you can sharpen pencils by hand like the cavemen did (didn’t they?), but an electric one gives you a great point and makes a satisfying noise. Ask Santa.
Dip Pen I sometimes use an old-fashioned crow-quill pen with black india ink to make my cartoons extra expressive. These funky-looking pens come with many different nibs—from very fine tips to broad-edged, chisel points. (I recommend that you start off with a medium-point pen because it’s the easiest one to use and the most versatile.) Dip just the point in the ink. Don’t drown the pen. As you increase and decrease pressure on the pen, your line will become thicker and thinner. It takes time to master this pen, so start with some loose sketches.
THINK INK
Once you have perfected your drawing in pencil, you will want to ink it so that it will have rich, black lines. You have a lot of options depending on what type of line you are after, from ordinary felt-tip markers to crow-quill pens, fountain pens, and technical pens. Many cartoonists prefer a pen or a brush and black drawing ink. Try a variety of different inking tools, and see which ones you like best.
Technical Pen A technical pen offers you a lot of control. These pens come in a wide variety of points, enabling you to vary your line widths. The lines created are consistently even and precise, although they may look somewhat mechanical, without much “flair.” Mechanical pens are fun to use if you like to do a lot of minute crosshatching or stippling.
Brush The fluid lines of a brush and black ink can be delicate and precise or boldly dramatic, depending on the amount of pressure you use. A brush is also good for filling in large areas of black. Buy a good-quality brush at an art store. Cheap brushes won’t give you an eloquent line.
EXTRA, EXTRA!
As you progress, you’ll find your collection of art supplies growing. You’ll want an adjustable lamp to shed some light on your subject. And you’ll be cutting up a lot of paper, so a good pair of scissors or an artist’s razor knife are essential. Don’t forget a drafting brush to whisk away eraser crumbs and other debris from your masterpiece. A T-square and a couple of triangles will be invaluable if you decide to start laying out your own comic strips. Finally, drafting tape will hold your drawing securely in place on your desk or drafting board.
Light It A professional light box can be a big help in producing clean final art. Work out all of the details in your cartoon on tracing paper, and then tape the sketch to the light box with drafting tape. Place a piece of smooth-finish, heavy-weight paper over the sketch, turn on the light, and trace it in ink. Violà!
PAPER TRAINING
Play around with different types of paper and drawing surfaces, and find out what suits you. Papers and illustration boards come with smooth surfaces and rough ones. The texture of the surface will affect the kinds of lines you can produce. You’ll need a smooth surface for precise, clean lines, but rough paper may suit you if you’re after a textured, arty effect. For generating a lot of ideas fast, the nice, smooth surface of white bond typing paper is great. To finesse a cartoon character, I like to use tracing paper. I sketch out a drawing, then slip it under another sheet of tracing paper and try it again. I’ll change the expression, make the nose bigger, switch the pose around, or add a hat. I keep mucking around this way and that until it’s just the way I want it.
Trace It If you prefer working on tracing paper but want your final cartoon to be on thick paper stock, here’s how you do it: First ink over your masterpiece on tracing paper, and then photocopy it onto card stock. You can even color it in with felt-tip markers for some additional pizzazz!
BUNNY
Animal cartoons are created using the same basic principles: simplification and exaggeration. But another key to drawing animal cartoons is to anthropomorphize the animal, which simply means to endow it with human characteristics. For example, give your creature humanlike hands, make it laugh or cry, or have a quadruped stand upright on two feet. Watch TV cartoons or look at newspaper comic strips for ideas.
This little bunny is based on a series of circles and ovals. Exaggerate the cotton tail by making it almost as big as the bunny’s bottom. The large eye gives it a cute, childlike expression.
The life that has been put into these animal drawings is wonderful, and it gives the viewer a feeling of kindness toward them.
WHICH WAY?
There’s more than one route to Cartoon Town. Remember, this is an art, not a science, and you can make up a lot of your own rules. Don’t be afraid to break out of the mold. Cartoons can be cute, cuddly, wacky, weird, thrilling, or chilling, depending on who’s steering the pen. In an arena where bugs wear clothes, mild-mannered reporters moonlight as superheroes, and teapots talk, anything goes.
But hey, you have to start somewhere. In this book, you’ll see three different approaches—three sets of guidelines for creating different types of cartoons. I’ve also thrown in a few extra tidbits of information, and a few examples of a graphic kind of cartooning. Try the different styles on for size and see which one fits you best. As you continue to draw and create cartoon characters, you’ll develop a style that’s unique to you.
Too Cute for Words Kids identify and parents chuckle knowingly at the mischievous antics of cartoon small fry, which makes them popular styles for picture books and cards.
CUTE CARTOONS
A lot of comic strips, children’s books, and greeting cards are populated by precocious, big-eyed moppets and their lovable furry friends. These characters are endlessly produced as collectible figurines and ornaments as well. There’s nothing like a little kid and a puppy to bring out warm and fuzzy feelings in even the grumpiest reader.
CUTE CHARACTERS
These huggable bundles of fur and feathers follow the same guidelines as those for cute children. Cute cartoon animals are often slightly anthropomorphized, meaning they’ve been give human characteristics. Often the dark button eyes of animals are replaced with human-style eyes and eyelashes, and, occasionally, eyebrows. In addition, their mouths are frequently curved into an appealing smile. These cute critters are just begging to be picked up and petted.
Creating a Full Figure To construct a cute little animal, such as the pup, start with a body shaped like a plump bean. Add a circle for the head that has just about the same volume as the body.
Putting it in Proportion The design of the cute animal face is the same as the one for the cute kid face. Locate the eyes, nose, and mouth in the lower half. The eyes are large and round. Chubby cheeks overlap the eyes.
SMALL WONDERS
The basic cute construction is a combination of circles, ovals, and rounded friendly shapes. Save sharp angles for a wicked witch! As you can see here, almost any animal you can think of can be cute and friendly when drawn with this design formula. Then put it in action. The little animals on these pages are animated and lively, reflecting the actions of real baby animals. Making quick sketches from life of your own pets, zoo animals, or squirrels in the park will help you get a feeling for how animals move.
Nothing to be Afraid of Tiny creatures with bright eyes and paws like hands, mice are among the most appealing cartoon animals.
Real Details The turtle’s wrinkled knees and beaky face are realistic details that make this slowpoke believable.
Body Language This cuddly bunny looks up, emphasizing her small size and fragility. The tilt of the head and the springy stance add to the appeal.
Playful as a Kitten Notice the childlike proportions of this adorable kitten. The huge eyes give it an innocent expression.
Variations on a Theme Bunnies, squirrels, and chipmunks are drawn following the same formula, but bunnies have slightly larger cheeks and narrower foreheads. A bunny’s eyes are set a little higher but they still rest on the cheeks. A little suggestion of oversized front teeth adds to this character’s appeal.
The Cute Treatment Fido’s funny friends have been “cutified” with human eyes and chubby cheeks. The rounded lips are suitably fishy without sacrificing a smile.
Make ’Em Move Fido does a dog paddle. Notice that he’s made entirely of curved lines. Try to give action poses a rounded, fluid look. No hard edges for these guys.
CRITTER CRAZY
One trick for drawing cartoon animals is to think of them as an assembly of simple shapes, like globes, sausages, pears, and eggs. By playing off the natural colors and markings of your animals characters, you can have critters who are spotted, striped, and wildly colored, adding to the visual excitement. Animals work well in zany cartoons. The dog-chasing-cat-chasing-mouse scenario has had a lot of mileage, but there’s always a fresh approach to familiar material. And the array of animals as potential subject matter ranges from Aunt Biddy’s parakeet to the Abominable Snowman.
EXAGGERATE!
The bulldog wildly barking at a mailman out of reach or the hairy ape mimicking human behavior provide ample opportunity for the kind of squashed and stretched facial expressions and slapstick antics that are the basis of zany cartoon humor. Lumpish camels, fat pigs, and contented cows have funny faces and peculiar body shapes that give you plenty of material to work with.
Well Done Put together a short, fat, sausage body, a few head-and-hump egg shapes, and some muffin hooves and suddenly you’ve got yourself a camel.
Funny Feathers The contrast of a fat egg body and long, hose-like legs make the ostrich an appealing, zany character. Not much skull space is needed to house his birdbrain.
Horse Laugh Finally, sketch in the ears, eyes, and smile. The details such as saddle, lasso, and bridle are carefully delineated. But notice that they are composed of clean simple shapes. Saddle up!
RUBBER LEGS
The animals shown here all share a sausage body and have long hoses for legs. Their rubbery limbs make them look flexible, fluid, and funny. Big clodhopper feet add to the clumsily comic effect. Try this approach with other agile, long-limbed animals such as monkeys, cows, and giraffes.
Similar Skeletons Sketch out the basic shape of the body; then add the details—ears, tail, and nose—that make the character unique.
GRRRR! When Leo roars, his head angles back and stretches out to display his fearsome teeth, and his eyes screw up into a squinty line. The bulbous nose, big feet, and curvy, soft form of this king of beasts makes him appear silly and harmless in spite of his claws and sharp teeth.
Flap-jawed Big-nosed, dreamy Fido is a jowly, drooling good ol’ boy. His floppy ears and outsized collar accentuate the goofiness of this harmless clown.
Trés Chic Fido and Fifi share the same canine construction used to very different effects. Flirty, long-lashed eyes, a pert, pointed nose, and soft lines combine to make this poodle fetching and feminine, though still funny. On her, a dog collar becomes a chic necklace.
REALISTIC ROVER
The dogs, cats, lions, tigers, and bears in illustrated cartoons must be rendered in a style consistent with their human counterparts, and they must be able to convey emotions. This is another area where photographic references will come in handy. The goal is to create the impression of muscles, bone, feathers, and fur realistic enough to be believable, yet streamlined into cartoon shorthand. Facial features need to be humanized so they can then be exaggerated for effect. The emotions they express should be clear enough to leave no doubt whether they are bewitched, bothered, or merely bewildered.
My Hero This portrait of a German Shepherd Dog is very germane—to the issue of humanization. Strong, noble features and an intelligent look make this guy a good candidate for a canine champion.
Realistic Rendering I drew this first version of Misha directly from the photograph above, slightly simplifying some of the details, such as the mouth, forehead, and collar. However streamlined, this drawing is still solidly realistic—you expect a bark, not a voice bubble.
START WITH THE HEAD
Cartoon animals can be designed to combine anatomy and stylized expressions. Instead of a construction of simple shapes, try to suggest the underlying muscles and bones. Proportions are exaggerated, but they are grounded in reality. Photographic references can be helpful here as well. Start with a realistic representation, and then simplify the animal, emphasizing its actions and expressions. Then let your creative juices flow: the photo should be a guide and inspiration, not a straightjacket.
Seeing Spots Here Misha has been turned into a realistic cartoon, but she is far more cartoon than real. The structure of the body and the pattern of the fur have been stylized, and, in typical cartoon fashion, her face and feet have been enlarged for an easy read. She’s definitely still a dog, but her happy smile is distinctly human.
Reality Bites If it weren’t for the eyes and the nose, this would be a realistic drawing. The stare is decidedly cartoonish, though. Start with a large egg shape for the body to get the right width for the chest and rib cage.
Going to Town We’ve gone one more step away from the photo, altering the position and shape of the ear, enlarging the nose, bugging out the eyes, and rubberizing the limbs. Although she is recognizable, Misha has become a full-fledged zany.
Tall Story As with the Dalmatian, the eyes and ears of this wistful giraffe are larger, and his facial expression is far more human than you’d see on the real McCoy. His hooves have also been enlarged, and the design of his coat simplified. Yet the result seems quite believably natural.
Kitty Corner The slinky, seated cat above has been slenderized and elongated, but her demeanor is still pure feline. Her arched brow and sly grin suggest a sophisticated city slicker.
The tabby above was drawn in a simplified but fairly straightforward way. She’s just an ordinary cat—period. The fat cat below right is a tad “cartoonier,” with his cranky nature reflected by his angry smirk.
Wild Things Jungle cats, such as this lioness, look a lot like their domesticated cousins, but they are more muscular and—with their powerful heads and large jaws—far more imposing. I followed the same procedure with these big cats: simplifying the shapes and emphasizing and enlarging the facial features.
CREATURE FEATURES
Animals play a major part in cartoons, from family pets to wild beasts. Cartoon animals may be crafty or dumb, good or evil, and their faces take on the same expressions as those of their human counterparts. The critters out there with their bizarre horns, tusks, snouts, beaks, and bills offer the cartoonist endless opportunities to create memorable characters.
CARTOONING CRANIUMS
The human head is basically an egg shape, although it can be exaggerated into a cube, a peanut, or what-have-you in a cartoon. But from aardvarks to zebras, animal skulls vary wildly in shape along the way. The quartet of critters on this page have unique head shapes that gave me a head start in cartooning them. Follow the steps for drawing these animal characters, and then try cartooning your pet or favorite creature. With enough practice, it becomes as easy as one, two, three—fur!
Big Bully A fat egg shape starts off this jowly fellow’s mug. Adding a clownish nose hints that this bully’s bark is worse than his bite.
Grin and Bear It Round shapes form the face and features of this friendly bruin. Then fluff up the furry outline, and add a toothy grin.
Crazy Cat This feline’s kisser starts with a soft diamond shape. Whiskers and a wide smile complete this cross-eyed kitty.
Hay There This horse’s long face has a pear-shaped skull and a round muzzle. Add long eyelashes and full lips for a feminine touch.
SOUR POWER
Sometimes cranky animals are more fun to draw than happy ones. The same techniques for drawing an expressive face work as well for grandpa as for an old goat. (Sometimes it’s hard to tell the two apart.)
Gruff I started this goat with a kidney bean shape and followed the curve of horns through the line of his sour mug.
In a Huff The eyes pop wide open, breaking the line of the forehead, and the alert little ears stand up in alarm on this hollering hippo.
ABOUT SNOUTS
To draw convincing animal faces, start with a round shape and add horizontal and vertical guidelines, just as you would for a human character’s head. Then add a smaller round shape for the snout. Practice following the steps below, and then use this technique to draw animals of your own.
Profiles and Three-Quarter Views Animals of all kinds have very distinctive profiles. Here a burro and a chimp show off their best side. And the three-quarter view adds dimension to the dodo bird and the pup.
BEASTIE BODIES
Animal physiques vary wildly, from long-legged giraffes to portly porkers. However, a few tips and principles here for drawing four-legged animals will help you out, no matter what creature you’re drawing. Look at books on animals. Watch nature documentaries. Take a trip to the zoo. Draw your dog, cat, or canary. My dog, Hugo, pops up frequently in my drawings. Sometimes he gets changed into a tiger or a dragon, but his personality always shows through. The animals shown here are cartoon animals and are drawn to be wacky and expressive, yet they still retain some of the identity of the real beast.
Pert and Alert One way to draw a four-legged cartoon beast is to start with a line drawing of a four-legged table. Then draw a simple kidney bean shape around the tabletop for the body. Add a circular head and tubular legs. The finished doggy seems to be standing solidly on the ground, even though you can’t see the construction lines anymore.
Sit Imagine that the table legs are made of rubber and you can pose them however you want. As soon as the table legs are in place, then draw a bean for the body, head, and neck.
MOVE ’EM OUT
You don’t want your critters just hanging around, so get them moving. Start by looking at how real animals move and note how their legs work. A dog’s front legs bend kind of the way human arms do, but their back legs are a whole different story. When you’re ready to cartoon, start with a backbone (action line), and then flesh out your stick figures.
Hot to Trot This Tennessee Walking Horse’s face and feet are comically outsized. Her body proportions have been made plumper and more compactly cute than those of a real horse, yet realistic leg construction makes her appear to move naturally.
Hop to It This kangaroo has fairly realistic proportions, but his rump is bigger, and his face is rounder and blunter than one you’d see on the real McCoy. Little ears flapping in the wind show the direction of this bounder’s big bounce.
Go Go Jumbo This elephant has been stylized into a big balloon with legs. His trunk and tail are extended, emphasizing the direction he’s traveling. Folds in his trunk and delineated toenails give him a lot of pizzazz.
THE HUMAN TOUCH
Giving animals human characteristics (called anthropomorphism) allows us to use cute animals as stand-ins for people. These characters often wear clothes, drive cars, and live in houses. Their bodies becomes more human in proportion and yet retain some degree of animal identity. These animal kids are among the most popular cartoon characters.
Constructing Hands To give your cute animals human-like hands, start with a simple circle for the palm, and then draw three or four short, fat fingers.
Kid Proportions Cute animal-people can be drawn with the same proportions as cute kids; both kittens here are 2-1/2 heads high. However, you don’t always have to use the same drawing style to make your characters look young and cute. Here I’ve drawn the first kitten with button-eyed, graphic simplicity and I’ve given the second saucer-shaped eyes and a wide, white muzzle.
HANDS DOWN
On animal-people, paws become three- or four-fingered hands—small, pudgy, and cute. Keep the fingers short. For birds, make the feather fingers more tapered. Horses, pigs, and other animals with hooves present a challenge. You can draw hooves as gloved hands. Or draw them to look like hooves, but more flexible, like a hand inside a sock or mitten.
Waaaa! Draw a few zigzag lines and teardrop shapes to show that this little duckling is howling up a storm. The wide-open mouth makes his attitude readily apparent, although you can’t see his eyes at all. Notice how taking a slight “worm’s-eye” view helps heighten the intensity of the emotion.
DRESS ’EM UP
As a cartoonist, you are not only the casting director and author of your cartoons but the costume designer as well. Clothes make the man, as the saying goes, and you can get a lot of mileage out of the duds you choose for your “brainchildren.”
ADD SOME DEFINITION
Costume is very important in defining a character. For instance, pin a star on a hound and he’s instantly perceived as a law dog. Add a cowboy hat and you’ve got a sheriff. Or draw a circle around the same hound’s head to serve as a space helmet, and scatter a few stars in the background and Rover’s in orbit! Play up aspects of dress that make it clear what kind of person this is at a glance.
Playing Dress-Up The oversized shoes, hat, and handbag tell the viewer that this little bunny is dressed in mama’s clothes. Actions that are darling when real-life children do them are doubly so when done by cartoon animal kids.
Kids will be Kids Using big props on little kids is a surefire way to elicit the “Aww … isn’t that cute” response.
EASY DOES IT
Because you may have to draw the same character over and over, you need to keep the wardrobe fairly simple. Bib jeans, baseball caps, penny loafers, high-top sneakers, or a hair ribbon are simple elements that can give your characters individuality. Pockets, zippers, and buttons may be necessary in real life, but not in a cartoon.
Quite a Crew These characters started out as round-headed figures with pear-shaped bodies. Their clothing design and little details such as teeth and nails came later. Remember, the basic anatomy is your first priority: You have to have the tree before you can trim it.
IT’S ALIVE!
From grizzly bears that drive cars and brush their teeth to sports cars that have a life of their own, cartoonists have been giving human qualities to animals and objects—called “anthropomorphism”—since the first cartoon was penned. To give human characteristics to a non-human thing, first imagine how the object or animal would look as a real person. Next identify the unique attributes of that animal or object, and imagine what the human would look like with those traits. Then combine the two, and you’ll have a living, breathing cartoon character.
Pick a Human, Any Human To create a cartoon animal, just start with an idea of a regular cartoon person.
Choose Characteristics Decide what kind of animal you’d like to create. In this case, it’s a rabbit. Identify the attributes that make a rabbit look like a rabbit, such as long ears, fuzzy cheeks, buckteeth, giant hind legs, and a cottony tail.
Combine Characteristics Now just apply all those distinctive animal attributes to the human figure, and you have a new animal character with human traits! Replace human ears with oversized rabbit ears, draw giant rabbit legs instead of human legs, and so on.
Comparing Construction Imagining your animal cartoon as a human works because many animals have the same basic construction as humans do: a head at the top of the torso with two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a mouth; two front limbs; and two back limbs.
Picking Poses Drawing your animals in poses that a human would be more likely to take—such as this crocodile’s upright stance with his hand on his hip—creates a more realistically human character. And human actions—such as using a toothpick—help the effect even more.
Turning the Tables Many animals (such as insects and jellyfish) don’t share the basic human construction at all. Rather than giving animal qualities to a humanlike figure, you can apply human characteristics (like the eyelashes and lips) to the animal.
Dressing Up Keep in mind that props and costumes can be used with animals just as they are with humans. This solemn dog looks like he’s heading out on the road for some hard traveling, and the hat and sunglasses give him a humanlike personality.
Exaggerating Traits Find the most prominent aspect of the animal you’d like to create and exaggerate it in your cartoon. For example, this lion’s long, curling mane is the focus of the drawing. Adding a crown also shows the lion’s royalty—after all, he is known as the “king of beasts.”
CREATING A MODEL SHEET
When you have a character you really like and plan to draw a lot, put together a model sheet like the one shown here. A model sheet is a group of drawings of a character in a variety of poses and expressions and from a bunch of different angles. This is where cartoonists pin down the details of body construction and costume, as well as the facial expressions that reveal the intended personality. This will help you (and your team of assistants) keep your character consistent from one drawing to the next.
THEODORE BEAR MODEL SHEET
Model Citizen When developing a model sheet of your original character, try to include all of its different poses and expressions—walking and talking, twisting and turning, winking and blinking. Remember, you are the creator, so you get to make all the decisions. Have fun with it!
The hands are small and tapered, and kind of heart-shaped. The hands have three fingers and a thumb. Think chubby.
