Popular artist Aaron Blaise shares how to draw dynamic characters in Photoshop using traditional thinking.
In this tutorial, Aaron Blaise will explain how he creates realistic characters and how he uses various references in the process.
1. Create a sketch
Fill the document with a gray color, which will allow you to more accurately place light and dark accents. Create a new layer above the gray background and name it Rough Sketch. At this stage, we draw freely, without focusing on the details. We designate the main proportions and features of the character.
2. Detailing the sketch
Lower the Opacity level of the sketch to around 30% and create a new layer called Enhanced Sketch. Now we draw the details - for example, wrinkles, folds, nose.
This stage is very important, since the resulting sketch will be a model (template) for the further drawing process.
3. Apply the primary colors
The main color is the one that our character initially has, without the effect of light or shadow on it. Create a new layer below the drawing layers and call it Primary Color. At this stage, the author uses a large brush, reminiscent of a natural brush. The author starts with green as it is the dominant color. Carelessly apply green color to the character.
Next, add other colors for variety. At this stage, you can also work quickly, clearly and without thinking about the details. Time to experiment! The resulting drawing will be the basis for further coloring.
4. Create the first shadow layer
Create a new layer on top of all the others, call it Shadows. Set the blending mode to Multiply. This will allow the base color to be visible through the shadow layer. We start sketching the shadows with the chosen cool color of the middle tone.
At this stage, you can also do everything quickly, but be careful.
5. Draw Direct Lighting
Next, create a new layer on top of the rest and name it Direct Lighting. At this stage, it is very important to remember the temperature of the flowers. The author uses a cool neutral color for shadows, but warmer and purer colors for highlights.
We start painting on lighter areas where the light falls on the character. We use warm green and yellow shades. We can see that our character is already starting to take shape!
6. Denoting reflected light
Create a new layer below the Direct Light layer and name it Reflected Light, then choose a color that is slightly warmer and brighter than the shadow color that surrounds it.
The key factor here is caution and subtlety: draw carefully.
7. Designate highlights
Create a new layer and name it Highlights. Open the Color Picker, select some light color and significantly increase its brightness. Then we draw directly light highlights where it is necessary. The author also adds a glow around the edges and deeper shadows.
8. How to Create an Autumn Background
Next, create a new layer below all the other layers and name it Background. Using a natural brush, very quickly start sketching in the background with “autumn” colors that contrast favorably with the green character.
We draw the background with darker shades so that the character stands out better. Then click Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur) and set the blur to 25 pixels.
9. Use photo references
The elephant skin texture will help create cool skin for our character! Select a small section with the Lasso Tool, drag onto our illustration and lower the Opacity to 30%. Then click Image – Correction – Exposure (Image> Adjustments> Exposure), increase the Gamma value and adjust the Exposure value to increase the contrast. So adjust these settings along with the Opacity level until the texture fits perfectly into our drawing.
10. Set the texture for our character
Next, go to Editing – Free Transform (Edit> Free Transform), change the size of the texture and then select Editing – Transformation – Curvature (Edit> Transform> Warp). Now we can form a texture so that it fits our character in its shape.
11. Add Light Flares to Textures
At the end of this stage, the texture should look like a part of the character, that is, completely merge with it. Create a new layer on top of all the others and name it Highlights on textures. Then choose a fine, thin brush and start painting highlights on top of the textures, where the light falls.
12. Draw spots on the character's skin
Create a layer below the "Highlights on Textures" layer and name it "Spots". Set this layer to Blending Mode Multiply.
Now, using medium tones of greens and reds, we carefully begin to draw spots and stripes on the character's skin. This will make it more interesting and also help define the shape of the body.
13. Draw the elements in the foreground
Create a new layer on top of the rest and begin to freely paint the leaves and branches in the foreground. And since all this will be blurry, there is no need to diligently draw all the details. However, the author carefully creates these elements using several layers.
When we have drawn everything, merge all the layers and go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur. Set the blur to 35 pixels. This will give the image a nice depth.
14. Finishing touches
Copy all layers with the character and merge them into one layer. Then we make invisible all the original individual layers. Select a tool Blur (Blur tool) and setting Airbrush brush (Airbrush setting). Set to about 300 pixels and up to 50%.
Now we start to blur those areas on the layers with the character that we want to make out of focus. This is done in order to draw the viewer into the main part of the drawing - in this case, the face of the character. And also it will give the drawing a certain photographic look. Finally, we align the image and adjust the exposure and saturation to make the drawing look bright and beautiful.
Question:
« Tell me, please, do you have somewhere the most rough sketch, which would show where you start? In a sense, which would show how you create your character based on circles and triangles?
I really want to develop my own style, but I can not do without a couple of tips from a person who knows how to draw such pretty people».
Question: « I have this question: When I draw the same character several times, it just pisses me off that they look different every time.
For the love of all that's holy, how do you get all the characters to look the same in every section of the comic?»
Answer: These questions are somewhat related, so I will try to give a general answer to them.
1. The structure of the picture.
A very brief description of where I start (and end) drawing.
The essence of the whole process is to start with simple shapes and finish with detailed drawing. In the first drawing, a sketch is made in the form of basic figures and reference lines.
I'll bring clarity. The picture shows a couple of idiots running through a cornfield.
I start with a sloppy, simple sketch of shapes and reference lines. At this stage, I'm only concerned about the external similarity of the characters and the successful transfer of dynamics in their poses.
First, I get rid of incomprehensible gestures, unnatural poses, ridiculous proportions and gradually “clutter up” the composition, filling the drawing.
Once I'm happy with the rough drawing, I start painting over it, drawing on some of the early lines.
By this point, your drawing will probably turn into something terrible. And all because you are a dirty, sloppy artist.
But don't worry. That's the way it should be.
When the main draft drawing is ready, I proceed to the detailed drawing. I'm not erasing the initial sketch yet, because the reference strokes, representing the outlines of the characters and their movements, will help with the detailed rendering. They will help you figure out where to draw seams on clothes, where to add folds, how hair and fur should lie on one or another part of the character, etc.
In this picture, I have already got rid of all the reference lines, blurred them in some places, and made them clearer in some places. At this stage, I prefer to work in pencil, but it is also common practice to first ink the drawing and then erase all the pencil work.
2. The uniformity of the character.
How do I draw the same character from different angles.
Regardless of the position of the head, the established rules remain the same.
These blue lines in the top figure, which suggest the shape of the head and indicate the middle lines, are enough for me to know how the other figures, like those circled in red in the figure below, are located.
And in the end, we get a character that looks the same from different angles. And all because it is created on the basis of figures according to the same principle.
Lastly, always remember that while these initial techniques may help you make quick progress, there is no substitute for practice. Don't give up if this technique doesn't work the first time...or 98 subsequent attempts. Keep drawing.
3. How to draw "Pretty Boys."
The very essence of a character's attractiveness (which usually includes the concept of "pretty") is a whole separate topic - vast and, moreover, hardly amenable to crushing. I can't really cover it here, if I can at all, but at least I'll give you a couple of tips to keep in mind if you want to create an attractive character:
- Attractiveness. It's no secret that certain proportions are naturally visually appealing. Keep them in mind when creating your character. Often, characters turn out to be cute if they are depicted in accordance with the proportions of a child's face: a high forehead, plump cheeks, large eyes and other facial features located close to each other.
(Disney has adopted this practice as a rule. Thus, drawing classic famous characters will help you understand how to make your own characters attractive, and generally familiarize you with the structure of the drawing. Try drawing a hunter from Looney Tunes and Tex cartoons. Avory" to learn how to create cute and fun, not cute and sugary characters).
- Cleaning.
Make sure that your character's face does not become gloomy or ugly due to an excessive amount of unnecessary lines. Understand the importance of saving lines. Simplify the sketch so that the emphasis falls on its most important, attractive features; those that reflect the essence of the character and allow you to convey his mood. This not only makes it easier to draw a character from different angles over and over again, but it also makes it easier to read.
- Expressiveness. The key to making a character look compelling or simply likable is to achieve simplicity in the drawing by brushing off unnecessary lines, as well as a frank and understandable expression on the face that fully conveys the thoughts or feelings of the character. Ambiguous, empty, or indistinguishable expressions on the face do not have such an appeal. Give the character the opportunity to act, react and be genuinely alive.
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Character- a fictional animated person with a certain character and unique external data. In the visual arts, characters fall into two main categories: animated and static. The fundamental difference between an animated character and a static character lies in the special construction of the character, thanks to which the work of animators with the hero will be greatly facilitated.
CHARACTER IMAGE DEVELOPMENT
The search for the image of the character is the most responsible and interesting stage. When choosing an image, it is necessary to take into account not only the personal qualities of the hero, but also his harmonious combination with the outside world. Also, the character must be expressive and "not hackneyed", have a certain amount of charm.
First you need to study the introductory materials (TOR, script, literary and director's description of the characters), communicate with the director, who will try to convey his thoughts to the artist as accurately as possible. To get acquainted with the peculiarities of the style of the project, about which the production designer or director will tell, if there is no production designer on the project at the stage of creating characters. Based on the results of acquaintance with the project, it is worth making a series of sketches, noting for yourself some of the most important points that will be useful in further work with the character.
First of all, it is necessary to present the brightest episodes from the read script, and try to throw in simple concepts of the most impressive scenes with the main character. This is done in order to feel the main features of the future character - his mass, posture, physique.
After you have managed to catch an image that suits your opinion, which has blurry, but more or less understandable outlines, you can start refining the style - searching for the shape of hairstyles, clothes, personal items without going into details. At this stage, you should not cling to some successfully obtained image. The task of the artist is to draw many different options that are not related to each other., from which the most successful will then be selected.
You should also not forget that the character should be easy to "read" by the viewer. To check the "readability" of the character, it is enough to paint it in black., after which the silhouette of the character should be recognizable and look quite impressive.
The next stage is the "running" of the character.
The selected, but so far crude version is being played out in action. To do this, you need to draw the character in his usual poses. Unnecessary details are eliminated in the course of work and replaced with new ones that are more suitable for the hero and most convenient to work with.
The final stage in creating the image of the character, as a rule, begins after the approval and adjustment of the most suitable option chosen by the director (customer). Now the task of the artist is to work with the details and bring the image.
The final touch - painting the character.
The final version of the character in color is accompanied by comments that indicate the color values used for each individual element of the image in RGB or CMYK (depending on the software used in the project). The use of non-traditional stylistics when applying light and shadow to the character implies an additional development of the light-shadow scheme.
CHARACTERISTIC POSES OF THE CHARACTER
Characteristic poses of the character complement the description of the literary image of the hero. They help to visually show the character of the hero, his habits and behavior. The key task of the artist is to convey the director's idea as accurately as possible, endowing the hero with his (according to the script) qualities.
The characteristic poses of the character are "Natural" (easy), "Habitual" (reflex) and "Staging" (emotional):
- "natural poses"- these are the calm states of the character in a standing position with support on one leg. Less commonly, both legs are supporting, with an evenly distributed center of gravity.
- "Habitual postures" - body positions characteristic of the hero, taken reflexively in accordance with the mood of the character, for example: thoughtfulness, excitement, fatigue.
- "Staged poses"- deliberately exaggerated poses taken by the hero in the presence of a third person, for example: flirting, delight, surprise, shame.
Regardless of the type, the pose should be quite bright and expressive. The desired effect is achieved through posture*, positioning of arms and legs, head position, facial expressions and gestures.
Curious fact:
When creating characters, many artists inadvertently endow their characters with a distorted, medically speaking posture. If we consider the various types of posture according to F. Staffel, then the curvature of the spine is inherent in almost all types:
- "Plano-concave"The back is typical for women. Such a curve of the back well emphasizes the female forms in the waist and hips;
- "flat back"typical of the military, when you need to exaggerate the bearing;
- "Round back", as a rule, belongs to a lanky, insecure young man or a tall, thin old man;
- Monsters with a powerful torso have a "concave-round back".
Click on the image to view the image in full size and 100% quality.
The position of the head, combined with facial expressions and gestures, more expressively conveys the mood of the character. The head has five basic positions: straight, down, up, up, sideways, to the side.
The position of the character's head is directly related to the character's mood. For example: a raised head will emphasize confidence, arrogance or daydreaming; omitted - rage and aggression, fatigue or sadness; slightly lowered with an inclination to the side - embarrassment and flirting, and in a straight position - surprise, fear or irritation. Despite a certain pattern, there are techniques that violate these principles, but this can already be considered an exception to the rule.
Unlike experienced artists who rely on their experience and intuition, it would not be out of place for novice artists to read special literature on the psychology of facial expressions and gestures, especially since this topic is quite interesting and helps the artist to identify certain patterns in human behavior on their own.
CHARACTER BUILDING
When creating an animated character, the artist must not only imagine how the character will move, but also clearly explain this to the animator, who will later work with the character. To do this, the character is disassembled into so-called "blanks", after which character building diagram.
As we know, any complex object consists of simple shapes (circles, ovals, triangles, rectangles). The task of the artist is to disassemble his character in detail into simple forms, to show how they are connected on the axial lines and to clarify the proportions. The character construction scheme should be simple, logical, convenient and understandable. The more competently the construction scheme is thought out, the easier it will be to further work with the character. It is worth noting that the technique of creating a character is individual for each artist - some immediately build a character when creating it, others draw a character without building, focusing on their experience and intuition. Nevertheless, regardless of the character creation technique, it will still be necessary to disassemble it into "blanks", unless of course we are talking about a special animation style, where only the image is important, and character building does not play a big role.
This is what a character might look like.
Not infrequently, there are cases when it becomes necessary to adapt (adapt) a static character from an illustration for an animation project. To do this, it is enough to re-build the character, breaking it into "blanks", at the same time simplifying small details.
An example of a static character adapted (adapted) to animation.
Click on the image to view the image in full size and 100% quality.
Animals are treated in the same way as humans.
CHARACTER EMOTIONS
Any character should be able to express their emotions to current events.. The brighter and more diverse the facial expressions of the character, the more interesting you can beat his reaction to a particular event. The style of the character sets the framework within which emotions are created in an exaggerated form, the degree of which depends on the "cartoonishness" of the character.
Depending on the complexity of the project, the emotion map can be very different. Specific emotions and their quantity required for a particular project is usually determined by the terms of reference.
CLARIFICATION OF DETAILS
Accessories, clothing items and a character's hairstyle play an important role in creating a unique, memorable image. In the process of developing details, it is important not only to visually embody the idea of the location of additional elements in the image of the character, but also to clarify how these details "work". The artist must understand the functional purpose of the elements he invented, their practical application, interaction with the character, how they will move in the animation, in order to convey this visually in the character development document set.
To clarify the details, additional sheets are created.
COMPARISON TABLE
Comparative table of characters (ruler) - a lined sheet on which all the characters of the animated film are placed in such a way that with the help of comparative lines or a scale grid, it is possible to clearly demonstrate the proportional relationship of characters (primarily their height).
Cameo characters, as a rule, are not included in the comparison table. For them, a separate sheet is created, tied to the "ruler" using a scale grid. Or a comparison is made with the hero from the table (with whom the episodic character interacts).
The pleasure of creating a cartoon character is immeasurable. The creation and development of a character is not only about drawing his figure: each character has its own shape, personal traits and characteristics. Great if you are already familiar with the basic proportions of the head and the depiction of emotions. But this knowledge is useless if you don't know how to draw a character's torso. The artist must take into account all these details in order to create a character that is believable to the audience.
In animation, there are several different styles for characters, such as "doodle" and "hooligan". Do you want to know more about them? This is what I will teach you in this lesson.
1. How to get started
By the way, the steps that we will take today are very simple. First, draw the basic shape of the figure and then add features and other parts of the body. This is a procedure to follow whether you are drawing a person or an animal, or even an object that you decide to bring to life (for example, make a smiling cup).
Each drawing you make will depend on your work in the sketch phase. At this stage, you should improve your sketch until you are satisfied with the final result.
Once you have decided on the proportions, the next step is to develop expression in body movements, arms and legs. Only one hand position can tell the whole story.
Hands are a vast and complex subject (even in animation) that deserve a separate lesson. In short, there are no secrets in the character creation process. 95% of artists create characters and they do it by going through certain steps because it makes the process so much easier!
2. Proportions
Proportions are one of the most important factors to consider when creating characters. The artist must remember the relative proportions of the body parts, because based on this we determine the structural features of our characters. For example, a bully has a warlike character, so he will have a small head, but his chest will be very impressive! His arms and legs are strong and well defined, as are his large cheekbones. In contrast, the modest character is based on the proportions of a child, with a larger head than the body. And all this in round shapes! Other parts such as the forehead and large eyes are responsible for determining the fragility of the individual. And so on...
Animation studios, for the most part, use rounded shapes to gauge a character's height. For example: The head of a child, usually larger than the other parts. But an adult character has different proportions, which depend on the gender and physical form of the hero.
Psychedelic cartoon? It looks like it.
When designing (or animating) a character's body, it's a good idea to sketch on separate sheets of paper. This makes it possible to have before your eyes a sample of its proportions when sketching other poses and actions.
Rotation example
It is very important to draw the character in different poses, situations and clothes until you find the perfect proportions for him.
Examples of puppy drawings.
3. The body is a pear!
A common practice among designers is to use a pear shape - or similar objects - to build the shape of the body, due to common associations. In fact, this is a common technique in animation studios, as several different artists can work on the same character and still need to maintain the correct proportions.
The example above shows the effectiveness of this technique. Using one template, you can draw several different characters! The reason why pattern-based drawing is used is that the person has an instant association. Especially in the case of children, when everything should be simplified for ease of understanding. Drawing a body in the shape of a pear allows you to maintain a dynamic look and makes our hero more interesting!
4. Adding a Skeleton
Now that we know how to define the shape, we must define the structure of the skeleton. If you are drawing any character in a cartoon style, you need to understand the basic differences in muscle and skeletal structure for different categories such as cats, birds, and people. This knowledge is important and leading to determining the position of the hero's joints, such as elbows and knees.
Pay attention to the main elements: rounded shapes - pear-shaped body - the position of the joints.
When it comes to animation, it's important to remember that we have to tell a story in every scene we create. It does not matter so much if we are talking about photographs or a realistic image. Because people are amazingly able to hide their real motives.
In animation, it's different. The physical state and posture of your character should "read" well without any dialogue or environment. It is for this reason that it is such a captivating and charming art style!
Learn to tell a story in your sketches and you will be a successful cartoonist.
Summing up:
- Estimate the proportion of your character using round shapes;
- Generalize the body using the famous pear rule;
- Track the guide lines that show the main position of the creatures;
- Finish building your character by adding the final elements to the main structure you have built.
5. Pear twist
Does the "pear rule" work for all the characters that we will create? Not always. If we flip this shape, we will give a sense of strength and power to our hero! Look at the examples below:
Fragile little man: the body is a pear. Strong man: the body is an inverted pear. Easy, right?
Can you spot the differences in the "pears" in this picture?
Another interesting analogy that characters can be based on is objects that resemble certain physical forms, as in the example below:
In principle, we also use the pear rule. We just use different forms based on the same technique. You, as the artist, can use whichever method works best for you!
6. Character Blockhead
A "dummy character" is one that walks on two legs (even animals) and looks stupid, clumsy, and generally lazy.
This character is often portrayed as a coward. They usually try to stay out of trouble than everyone else. He can also be presented as a nerd or upset guy.
There is a template that can be followed when creating a character of this type, but it is not a defining rule, and may vary depending on the nature of the character.
- The heads are thinner;
- Large noses (or muzzles if an animal);
- Big teeth;
- Narrow shoulders;
- Virtually no chin;
- The pear rule (never upside down, always up!).
In principle, these are the main elements that are needed to create a blockhead. Play with it until you've perfected the technique enough to apply it to any character.
What? A lion on two legs? Wait... is that a booby lion?
Not all animals that walk like humans are "boobs". Many of them have a sarcastic or ironic tone. Examples of such characters include Woody Woodpecker and Bugs Bunny.
7. Apply Our Knowledge: Creating a Heroic Character
Now we will draw a character together based on what we have learned. Let's get started!
Step 1
I will start drawing as a very rough sketch. Don't be afraid to sketch until you find the perfect proportions. It's like a game!
We started by drawing the head and body using round shapes:
Notice that we have determined the proportions of our character without much effort.
Note that we have used the inverted pear rule here, as our hero is strong!
Step 2
Now let's add lines showing the position of the joints of the skeleton. Notice that we are giving our hero a common pose where the weight of the body is on one leg.
It is very important to mark the pelvic area in the shape of a bowl, because this will make it easier to see the movement. This movement in the hips will add momentum to the pose.
Step 3
Great! Now let's add facial features and muscles for our hero.
Salivating ... And this is just a sketch!
To build muscle, you need to have a basic knowledge of anatomy. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to correctly add volume in those places where it is necessary.
Step 4
Once the overall structure is defined, we can add the clothes.
Great! Our hero is finished! By adding a suit, some great accessories, we have achieved a great result. Can you tell a story with this picture?
Great job, you did it!
Well, that's all! We have covered the process of drawing a character's body in a cartoon style. Moreover, we learned how to use round and oval shapes to form the character's body. We also learned the differences that make the heroic/strong/hooligan versus the helpless/fragile type, and how to apply the pear technique to achieve these results. And finally, we have discovered how to apply the "doodle" technique to people and animals. And finally, we created a heroic character from scratch!
Have you already made sure that you can draw a cartoon character from head to toe? I look forward to meeting him! Share your drawings below, and if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comments.
