How to Draw Mushu

Voiced by Eddie Murphy, Mulan’s dragon, Mushu, quickly became a favorite character from Disney’s Mulan. Originally thought of as bad luck, Mushu was relegated to a gong ringer by Mulan’s ancestors. Out to prove his lucky and good qualities, Mushu, along with Mulan’s friends Crickee, Khan, Shane, Yao, Ling and Chienpo, help Mulan earn family honor and save China. In 17 steps, anyone can have their own Mushu dragon to bring them luck at any time.

Things You'll Need

• Wacom Drawing Tablet for PC or MAC
• Photo editing software
• Computer

Instructions

Drawing Mushu

1. 

   Draw a small circle.

2. 

   Add two flimsy looking rectangles to the bottom right of the small circle for Mushu’s mouth. The rectangles have no depth, so do not make them three-dimensional.

3. 

   Create a long, skinny triangle going down from the bottom left of the small circle. This shape should almost be similar to an eggplant, with the smaller rounded end facing up, coming out of the circle, and the rounder bottom end at the bottom. At the bottom of the eggplant triangle, add a small rounded rectangle for Mushu’s chest.

4. 

   Draw another long rectangle at the bottom of the small rectangle that was drawn in step three. This rectangle should measure an inch and a half long and feature a curve/bend at the bottom; the bend/curve should bow to the right. Draw another small rounded rectangle at the bottom of the elongated, curvy rectangle.

5. 

   Draw a tail indicator to the left of the small rectangle that was drawn in step four. You may use a line to indicate the tail or draw out the whole tail. If you choose to draw out the whole tail, the tail shape has a long, snake-like quality to it, with a triangle point at the tip. Bend Mushu’s tail any way you wish.

6. 

   Return to Step 3’s small rectangle. Add arm indications on the left and right of this small rectangle. The upper portions of Mushu’s arms consist of skinny rectangles that measure half an inch in length. You may pose these rectangles any way you wish. At the ends of the rectangles, add two more rectangles that measure 1/3 of an inch in length and taper off at the open end.

7. 

   Draw two pear-like shapes at the ends of the secondary rectangles that were drawn in Step 6. The upper portion (the skinny end), faces the rectangles, the lower portion represents Mushu’s fingers.

8. 

   Return to the small rectangle that was drawn in Step 4. Add Mushu’s legs. The legs consist of two small squared-off triangles that have their bases meeting in the center. Bend Mushu’s legs however you wish.

9. 

   Draw two more triangles at the bottom for Mushu’s feet after the legs are completed.

10. 

    Create a new layer in your photo editor and title it “Features.” Draw Mushu’s eyes. Mushu’s eyes are located directly above the flimsy looking rectangles that were drawn in Step 2, and consist of two egg shapes next two each with black dots in the center. Above the eyes, add an “M” shape for Mushu’s “eyebrows.”

11. 

    Draw Mushu’s face. First, trace over the facial guidelines, leaving the left side open for the facial “hair.” For the top of Mushu’s jaw, add a wavy line to the left portion of the flimsy rectangle. Make sure you curve the line up for a smile. Follow the curve of the rectangle, creating a peak in the front center of the lip. For the bottom part of the jaw, create an open smile by drawing a smiley face grin on top of the rectangle. Add teeth and a tongue. Add some depth to the bottom of the jaw by creating a chin. Add a nose at the top of Mushu’s mouth; the nose is a circle with two rounded triangles for nostrils. Add the “facial hair” to the left of the face, starting at the “M” that was drawn in step ten and ending at the jaw line. The “hair” is created by making points—or teeth.

12. 

    Trace over the outside of the bodylines; the bodylines include the torso and tail. Add a tuft of hair at the tip of the tail.

13. 

    Draw Mushu’s arms by tracing over the arm and hand guidelines you did in Steps 6 and 7. At the elbows, add tufts of hair. For the hands, add three triangle shapes for fingers; the nails are also triangles.

14. 

    Draw Mushu’s legs by tracing over the leg guidelines you drew in Steps 8 and 9. For Mushu’s feet, create a chevron shape, with all points facing down. Mushu has two toes on each foot. Mushu’s feet can best be described as arrows.

15. 

    Add Mushu’s adorning features. Mushu’s ears are located near his facial hair tuft and his neck. The antlers look like tuning forks and are located directly on top of Mushu’s head. On the lower left and right portions of Mushu’s nose, on the tip of Mushu’s mouth. On the upper left portion of Mushu’s neck, add two sideways, shark-fin-like spikes. Add Mushu’s tummy be creating a smaller torso inside Mushu’s primary torso, and segment the belly.

16. 

    Delete your guideline layer.

17. 

    Color Mushu.