The Ultimate Character Design School Beginner To Advanced

Drawing Character Roughs Preview 23:39

In this lecture you will be drawing two character roughs. Roughs are the underdrawing for you character design. They are usually done with a colored pencil and can be changed easily.

Refining Character Drawings Preview 13:06

Once you've drawn your character roughs it's time to start refining your drawing. This is usually done by using a darker pencil and finalizing the lines of your rough. By the end of this lecture you will have drawn two separate characters that you can be proud of!

Printable Step by Step How to Draw A Character Cheat sheet Preview 00:04

Don't forget to download this printable sheet sheet that shows you how to draw a character. If you don't want to watch the previous lecture over and over this is a great way to remember what was taught in the lecture.

The Drawing Fundamental Pyramid Preview 10:57

When drawing characters there is hierarchy of importance. I like to break this hierarchy down into a simple pyramid diagram. The most important part of drawing is line and it makes up the foundation of the pyramid or your drawings.

Line Fundamentals In Characters Preview 14:21

In this lecture you will learn about how line fundamentals play an important part in character design. We will be looking a some examples of the different types of lines that show up in characters. At the end of the lecture we will practice drawing some of these lines.

Shape Fundamentals In Characters Preview 15:26

In this lecture you will be learning about how shape plays a very important roll in character design. We will be looking at different examples of shapes in characters and you will learn how to identify the simple shapes of characters.

Form Fundamentals In Characters Preview 19:19

In this lecture you will be learning about how form plays an important part in character design. Form is a 3rd dimension that you add to your drawings. Just like with shapes all character designs can be broken down into there simple forms. 

Line Shape & Form Assignment Preview 05:18

Now that you have a good understanding of line, shape, and form its time for you to complete an assignment. Your assignment for this lecture will be to download the photo from this lectures resources and draw it as its simple lines, simple shapes, and simple forms. Once you've completed the assignment post it to the Q&A section of the course.

Highlights & Shadows In Character Design Preview 21:36

In lecture you will be learning about highlights and shadows. Highlights are just the areas of your form that are being hit by light and shadows are the areas where light can not reach the surface of your form. By the end of this lecture you will have an understanding of how highlights and shadows apply to various different forms.

Value Fundamentals In Characters Preview 11:08

In this lecture you will be learning about values and how they play a part in your highlights and shadows. In order to make you highlights and shadow look correct they must be the right values. Values are just the lightness or darkness of a color.

Detail In Your Character Designs Preview 05:07

Detail can be thought of as the paint, molding, and flooring of a house. It may look pretty but if the house isn't square or the foundation isn't strong none of the details matter. In this lecture you will learn how to think about details and when to add them to your drawing.

Contrast In Character Design Preview 05:48

Contrast is a very important part in character design and can show up in many different forms . In this lecture you will learn about all the different types of contrast and how they apply to your character designs.

Telling Story In Your Character Design Preview 09:22

When it comes to character design telling a story is the most important part. Even though line, shape, and form are important as a technical part of draw, if you don't have a story your character design isn't really a design. In this lecture I will learn what it means to tell a story through your design.

Drawing Studies Preview 11:54

A very important part of building your character drawing skills is drawing studies form life. A study is any time you observe something and draw it. In this lecture we will draw a study of a hand.

How Studies Apply to Character Design Preview 06:56

Having an understanding of the human form, clothing, and textures will help you with character design. But how does drawing studies directly connect with character design? In this lecture you will take your hand drawn you drew in the last lecture and stylize.

The Motivation Secret Preview 01:15

Motivation is an important part of learning how to draw. It can take a lot of time and practice in order to get really good at drawing and theres always room for improvement. In this lecture I want to talk to you about my secret for staying motivated.

Section 3 Conclusion Preview 02:36

Congratulations on making it to the end of section 3. At this point you're equipped with the knowledge of character design fundamentals and your ready to dive deeper. Before we end the section lets do a quick review of what you learned so we can solidify it.

Section 3 Project Preview 11:04

In this lecture you will start on a project that will take everything you've learned in this section and apply it to a drawing. The project is simple, all you have to do is draw the simple shapes of a person from a photo graph. Then you will redraw the simple shapes but you will exaggerate the line, shapes, and forms.

Pencil Control Exercise Preview 10:33

In this lecture you will learn some simple exercises that will train your hand eye coordination. Having control of your pencil is a very important part of drawing. By practicing you these exercises you will gain muscle memory and achieve better control over your pencil.

How To Warmup Preview 06:17

Before you start your character designs its very important to warm up. It should only take you about 10 minutes to warm up nut just like an athlete you have to warm up. Warming up consists of drawing anything even if it looks bad.

Drawing 3D Forms In Characters Preview 18:11

Understanding a 3 dimensional form is crucial to drawing characters. In this lecture you will learn about wire frames and how to use them to gain an understanding of a form. Wire frames are not meant to be a part of your final drawing but are meant to be visualized in your head. 

How To Rotate 3D Forms In Your Head Preview 22:28

In this lecture you are going to turn how to visualize 3D forms from any angle in your head. Having the ability to rotate a 3D form in your head will allow you to draw forms from you imagination. By the end of this lecture you will have an understanding of how to rotate simple 3D forms in your head.

What Is A Dynamic Drawing! Preview 11:58

In this lecture I will demystify what a dynamic drawing is. When I was first learning to draw the word dynamic was thrown around a lot but I did not know what it meant. In this lecture you will be learning how dynamics apply to line, shape, form, and body poses.

How To Create Depth In Your Character Designs Preview 16:46

In this lecture you will learn how to create depth in you characters design. This is done by overlapping shapes and forms to create the illusion of depth and space. You will also learn about tangents and why you should avoid them in your drawings.

How To Draw Light & Loose Preview 13:57

When drawing character designs you will need to be able to draw lightly and loose. We have to draw lightly when drawing our rough because we want to maintain the ability to erase. We also what to stay loose in our rough drawings so that our design doesn't become to rigid, stiff, and boring.

Line Weight In Character Design Preview 13:13

Line weight refers to the thickness of a line and how light or dark that line is. Understanding how line weight plays into your character designs is important as it helps control the focal point. It also helps define the design and makes it simpler and more clear to the viewer.

Refining Your Character Drawing In 3 Steps Preview 07:47

In order to make character design less intimidating we're going to break it down into three stages. The first stage is Rough 1, second is Rough 2, and third is you Final. Once you learn these three stages it will help you move smoothly through the character design process.

Developing Your Style Preview 11:15

Developing you style is hard and takes time. In this lecture you will learn how other artist develop there own uniques styles and how you can fast track the development of your style. You will also be learning about the different genres of character design. 

Using Reference In Character Design Preview 10:18

Using reference in you character designs is vital. In this lecture you will learn all about the different types of reference you might use. You will also learn how how to draw a copy of a reference and how to observe reference. 

How To Build Your Visual Library Preview 06:31

In this lecture you will learn what a visual library is and how to build your own visual library. Building a visual library consists of observing from life and drawing different views and versions of a subject. After doing this enough you will be able to draw that subject without reference. 

Checking Your Character Design For Fundamentals Preview 06:19

As you move through your drawing its important to continually check for fundamentals. Make sure that your pose is dynamic and your contrast looks good. Getting in the habit of continually check your drawing for fundamentals will make your character designs look more professional.

Section 4 Conclusion Preview 04:21

Congratulations on making it to the end of section 4! Before we move on lets do a quick review of everything you've learned in this section.

Section 4 Assignment Preview 02:48

Before you end this section heres a quick assignment for you that will help build your skills in what you learned. Download the two pictures in the resources of this lecture and use them as reference for the assignment.

Introduction To Drawing Character Forms & Proportions Preview 14:36

In this lecture I will be introducing you to drawing character forms. By the end of this lecture you will have a broad idea of what makes up the body form. In the next lectures we will be breaking the body form down and drawing it part by part.

Learn The Proportions Of The Human Body Preview 09:29

Understanding the proportions of the human form is vital to drawing character designs. In this lecture you will learn the general proportions of the human form. You can also download a diagram of the human proportions from the resources of this lecture.

Line In The Body Form Preview 14:59

In this lecture we will break down the human form into its simple line structure. All human forms can be broken  down into its fundamentals. Understanding these fundamental structures of the form will help you draw your characters with ease.

Shape In The Body Form Preview 14:50

In this lecture we will break down the human form into its simple shape structure. All human forms can be broken  down into its fundamentals. Understanding these fundamental structures of the form will help you draw your characters with ease.

Form In The Body Form Preview 17:43

In this lecture we will break down the human form into its simple form structure. All human forms can be broken  down into its fundamentals. Understanding these fundamental structures of the form will help you draw your characters with ease.

Drawing The Head From Scratch Preview 10:38

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the human head from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the head form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Face Preview 12:37

In this lecture you will learn how to draw the face on the head form. Understanding the proportions and the placement of each feature will be important. When you understand how to draw the face you are able to exaggerate it and create your character.

Learn To Draw Head Poses Preview 19:32

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the head in different poses. Knowing how to draw a form in deferent positions and from different angles will allow you to draw character forms without having to look at reference. By the end of this lecture you will have a more in-depth understanding of the 3D form.

Drawing The Neck & Shoulders From Scratch Preview 16:25

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the neck and shoulders from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the neck and shoulder forms without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Learn To Draw Neck & Shoulder Poses Preview 08:37

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the neck and shoulders in different poses. Knowing how to draw a form in deferent positions and from different angles will allow you to draw character forms without having to look at reference. By the end of this lecture you will have a more in-depth understanding of the 3D form.

Drawing The Chest From Scratch Preview 05:55

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the chest from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the chest form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs. 

Understanding The Chest Form Preview 06:26

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the form of the chest. After this lecture you will know how to draw the chest with an understanding of its 3D form. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Learn To Draw Chest Poses Preview 05:26

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the chest in different poses. Knowing how to draw a form in deferent positions and from different angles will allow you to draw character forms without having to look at reference. By the end of this lecture you will have a more in-depth understanding of the 3D form.

How To Draw Breast Preview 16:47

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the breast. Drawing the breast can her very tricky but this lecture will teach you the trick that will make it easy. After this lecture you will know how to draw the head form without any reference.

Drawing The Male Torso Preview 18:11

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the male torso from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the male torso without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Female Torso Preview 12:36

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the female torso from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the female torso without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Arms From Scratch Preview 11:56

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the arm from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the arm form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Legs From Scratch Preview 12:19

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the leg from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the leg form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Learn To Draw Arm & Leg Poses Preview 12:40

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw arm and legs in different poses. Knowing how to draw a form in deferent positions and from different angles will allow you to draw character forms without having to look at reference. By the end of this lecture you will have a more in-depth understanding of the 3D form.

Drawing The Feet From Scratch Preview 12:14

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the feet from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the foot form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing Hands From Scratch Preview 28:30

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw hands from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the hand form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Body Forms Togather Preview 11:56

Before we continue on I want to review the body forms and draw them together as one body. Up to this point we have learned how to draw the body in segments. But in order to draw character forms we must attach these forms to each other.

Drawing Eyes From Scratch Preview 13:14

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the eye from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the eye form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Ear From Scratch Preview 09:06

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the ear from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the ear form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Lips From Scratch Preview 12:29

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the lips from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the form of the lips without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Drawing The Nose From Scratch Preview 10:10

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw the nose from scratch. After this lecture you will know how to draw the nose form without any reference. Understanding this form will allow you to change and exaggerate it to create your character designs.

Introduction To Facial Expressions Preview 22:12

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw a verity of facial expressions. The cool thing about facial expressions is that you can combine different eye expressions with different mouth expressions to create subtle differences in your characters expression.

Drawing Makeup Preview 10:45

Drawing makeup can be a tricky thing. In this lecture I will break down the process of drawing character makeup.

Adjusting Character Proportions Preview 17:38

Now that you've learned how to draw the human form and know its correct proportions you can now start drawing character body forms. Drawing character body forms is very much about exaggerating and pushing things such as shapes and curves. 

How To Draw A Balanced Character Preview 09:11

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw a balanced character pose. We will be discussing what makes a characters pose look balanced and when you will want to make a pose imbalanced. Balanced poses refer to a pose that looks solid and does not look like the character is about to fall over.

Drawing Foreshortening Like A Pro Preview 13:52

Foreshortening is a critical part to drawing realistic human forms. Foreshortening is where the human form is placed in perspective. Typically body parts that are closer to the view will be perceived as larger and will become more squashed and stacked.

Section 5 Conclusion Preview 04:25

Congratulations on making it to the end of section 5! Before we move on lets do a quick review of everything you've learned in this section.

Introduction To Gesture & Line Of Action Preview 10:17

In this lecture you will become familiar with what gestures are as well as lines of action. These two topics are very important when it comes to drawing dynamic poses. Gestures and lines of action refer to the directional movement of a pose.

Line Of Action Preview 08:32

In this lecture we will be diving deeper with the line of action. There are different lines of action and they all refer to the general direction of the movement of a form. Every part of the body can be broken down into its own line of action.

Drawing Action Poses Preview 12:54

In this lecture you will learn how to draw action poses and what makes them an actions pose. Action poses are typically unbalanced and will involve a physical motion the body is performing. Anther thing that can make your pose an action pose is removing the feet from a floor surface so as they jumping in the air.

Drawing Body Forms In Perspective Preview 12:44

In this lecture you will learn how to draw the body form in perspective. In a previous lecture you learned about foreshortening which involves perspective but there is more to it. When drawing parts of the body you must make sure that sustain parts are aligned correctly.

Dynamic Axis In Poses Preview 18:16

The axis refers to the lines going through each part of the body. There are vertical and horizontal axises throughout the body form. In this lecture you will learn how adjusting those axises can make your poses dynamic.

Learning To Draw Dynamic Poses Preview 23:39

Draw dynamic poses is incredibly important to drawing interesting memorable characters. In this lecture you will learn what makes a dynamic pose and how to draw them. Dynamic poses will add life and personality to your characters.

Drawing Simple Body Gestures Preview 09:04

There are different ways to draw body gestures. In this lecture you will learn how to draw simple sketch gestures. These types of gesture drawings are meant to capture the gesture of the pose as quickly as possible.

Drawing Body Gestures With Form Preview 10:08

The next level up from drawing sketch gestures is drawing gestures with form. In this lecture you will learn how to draw gestures using directional forms. By the end of this lecture you will have a better understanding of how gesture plays into a real character form.

Gesture Drawing Session Assignment Preview 17:41

In this lecture you are going to learn how to do quick studies of gestures. We will be using a sight that shows timed poses that you can quickly draw. This exercise is very useful for learning how to quickly understand and draw a gesture.

Differences In The Male & Female Forms Preview 09:41

There are a few differences between the male and female body forms. In this lecture we will talk about the main ones that you need to pay attention to in order for your forms to look correct.

Drawing Character Silhouettes Preview 15:25

When design out a character its important that they have a strong silhouette. In this lecture you will learn how to draw character silhouettes. Its important that when you pose a character that none of there body parts or objects become lost in their silhouette.

Character Design Layout Preview 19:18

Creating character design layouts can be very helpful for brainstorming ideas for your characters. In this lecture  I will show you 3 examples of character layouts and how to use them. Character layouts are just simple drawing with simple poses that capture your characters hair, costume, and their one thing.

Drawing Eye Expressions Preview 19:08

The eyes are the most important facial feature when it comes to expression. In this lecture we will be looking at real reference of different eye expressions and drawing them as stylized character eyes. By the end of this lecture you will have a strong understanding of how to draw different eye expressions.

Drawing Mouth Expressions Preview 17:47

The mouth can tell a lot about a characters emotions. In this lecture we will be looking at real reference of different mouth expressions and drawing them as stylized character mouths. By the end of this lecture you will have a strong understanding of how to draw different mouth expressions.

Drawing Character Expression Sheets Part 1 Preview 33:44

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw character expressions sheets. Expression sheets are just a bunch of drawings of different versions of your characters expressions. Your expression sheet is used to design each individual expression of your character.

Drawing Character Expression Sheets Part 2 Preview 22:32

Welcome to part two of drawing your character expression sheets. In this lecture you will be focusing on using simple face expressions to create dynamic character expressions. Your expression sheet will act as reference for your characters expression for when you want to draw them in different situations.

Introduction To Shading Characters Preview 28:38

In this lecture we will begin to dive into what it means and how to shade your characters. You will be learning how to think of characters and objects as flat plains that are shaded one value. Once you understand this concept you can smooth the flat planes into curved organic forms.

Drawing Directional Hair Preview 13:26

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw hair. Hair should be thought of as a directional form and not as individual strands of hair.

Blocking Out Hair Shapes Preview 19:39

When it comes to drawing hair its best to think of it as simple shapes and forms. A good hair stylus understands that they must think of hair as shapes in volumes. In this lecture I will break down how to draw hair as shapes and volumes.

Blocking Out Costume Shapes Preview 09:23

Drawing Costumes is very similar to drawing hair styles. You have to think of your costumes as shapes and forms. In this lecture you will learn how to block out your costumes shapes.

Designing Your Character Costume Preview 23:56

In this lecture you will learn how to brainstorm and design your characters costume. Designing your characters costume will consist of sketching and research. As you begin to sketch you will refine your costume design one article at a time.

Anime Style Character Drawing Preview 47:27

In this lecture you will be learning how to draw anime styled character designs. Anime is a Japanese style of drawing characters. By the end o this lecture you will have a good understanding of what makes up the anime style.

Classic Animation Style Part 1 Preview 26:19

In this lecture you will learn how to draw in the classic animation style. The classic animation style refers to a stile like Disney. This style of character design has a strong 3D form to it. By the end of this lecture you will have a broad idea of how to draw in the classic Disney animation style.

Classic Animation Style Part 2 Preview 30:52

In this lecture you will learn how to draw in the classic animation style. The classic animation style refers to a stile like Disney. This style of character design has a strong 3D form to it. By the end of this lecture you will have a broad idea of how to draw in the classic Disney animation style.

Comic Style Character Drawing Preview 37:46

In this lecture you will learn how to draw comic styled characters. The comic style can be broken down into simple lines, realism, and line quality. These are the key points that makeup the comic style of drawing.

Cartoon Style Character Drawing Preview 31:17

In this lecture you will learn how to draw cartoon styled characters. Cartoon styled characters consist styles ranging form Pixar to Cartoon Network. The main thing that makes cartoons look like cartoons are the extreme shapes and exaggerated proportions.

Character Design Demo One Part 1 Preview 24:21

In this lecture we will get to see how I design a character from gesture to concept sketches. This lecture is the first part in a two part series of how to design a character from start to finish. You will get to see me develop and brainstorm an idea into a finished concept sketch.

Character Design Demo One Part 2 Preview 29:05

Welcome to part two of this series on character design. In this lecture you will get to see further my characters concept and finish as a line drawing. Once the line drawing is complete I can add color and shading to my design.

Realistic Character Design Demo Preview 48:27

In this lecture I will take you thought another step by step process of designing a character from beginning to end. This will be more of a realistic character design. It's always important to study other artists and their work flows/processes. Thats why I've included these extra long lectures so you can study my process.

Course Conclusion Preview 01:17

In this lecture you will receive the final farewell. Thanks for taking this course and I hope you improved your skills as an artist!

Character Drawing Part 1 Preview 16:29

In this lecture you can watch this old lecture on drawing a character. Lectures in this section have since been replaced with new and better lectures. Enjoy!

Character Drawing Part 2 Preview 14:01

In this lecture you will continue drawing the character from the last lecture. This face fo the drawing is called the final. You will use a dark pencil or push harder with your pencil to produce the final lines of your character design.

Bonus Lecture Preview 00:57

This article is where you will find the password and the rules to both Facebook groups. Have fun and be kind in the groups.