How to Make a Miniature Cartoon Character

Creating your own miniature cartoon character lets you express yourself.

Cartooning is visual storytelling, a chance to show a story just as much as you are telling it. Creating your own cartoon character lets you give a voice to any character your imagination can conceive of. Use a miniature cartoon character on business cards, a logo, a name tag or anywhere that has space constraints. Draw your miniature cartoon character with exaggerated features and accessories that lend personality and uniqueness.

Things You'll Need

• Sharpened #2 pencils
• White drawing paper
• Micro-fine tipped black pen with archival pigment ink
• Copy machine or scanner

Instructions

1. Browse comic books, cartoon magazines and television shows to determine what kind of character inspires you. Draw your character so that he is defined by what he does. Illustrate your character as a ninja, a super hero, an athlete or a regular kid. Animate the type of movement your character will be doing: flying, running, jumping. Dress your character in illustrated attire that will work with the way that you have him move.

2. Draw your character full-sized, not miniature, about the size of your hand. Reduce the size later using a copy machine or scanner. Do not attempt to start out drawing your character too small as it will be difficult to include the detail you want your character to have. Drawing the character full-sized and then reducing it allows you to make it as small as you want to, or experiment with different sizes.

3. Create a stick figure in pencil for the basic shape you want your cartoon character to have. Use stick figure straight lines for the arms, legs and torso. Add an oval or rectangle with rounded edges for the head.

4. Add detail to your character. Draw his clothes or costume right over the stick figure lines, erasing the lines underneath after you have created his clothing. Draw your character with features that create personality. Exaggerate his skinny arms and legs, or create bulging muscles. Add a huge head for a genius or a wildly statuesque figure for a female.

5. Add facial features such as eyes, nose and ears to your character. Add hair and shoes as well as other details to make him uniquely your own.

6. Trace over your completed pencil drawing with a micro-fine tipped black pen with archival pigment ink. After you have inked over all of your lines, place your drawing on a copy machine or scanner to reduce your character to the desired size.

References

• "Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice"; Ivan Brunetti; 2011
• "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cartooning But Were Afraid to Draw"; Christopher Hart; 1994
• "Big Book of Cartooning"; Bruce Blitz; 2001
• "Cartooning: The Ultimate Character Design Book"; Christopher Hart; 2008
• "Cartooning for the Beginner"; Christopher Hart; 2000