How to Draw Super Heroes

Draw your own superhero.

Drawing the human figure has always been a complex process. Unlike with other living creatures, the human mind is particularly sensitive to any perceived imperfections or inconsistencies in a representation of a human. But there is one area of drawing where it is not only OK to throw proportion and realistic poses out the window, it is actually required. This is the case whenever an artist is trying to draw a superhero. Superhero figures are used for many purposes, from creating a comic book to adding an amusing figure to an ad design.

Instructions

1. Create preliminary character sketches of the heroes you are creating. You will want to do this from several angles and in various poses. You should also draw closeups of the face, creating a series of sketches showing different facial expressions.

2. Make the bodily proportions of your heroes absurdly overlarge. In both men and woman, the shoulders, torso and waste should describe an upside down triangle. Thighs should be muscular, but larger than buttocks. All musculature should be exaggerated. Body fat should be almost zero. Women should still have curves, except that they are muscular curves. The only exceptions to this proportionality rule are speedsters and stretch characters, which should be tall and thin, or blob characters, which should be rotund.

3. Make the facial structure chiseled, with square jaws and well-defined cheekbones. Unless the character is a green monster, a barbarian or a Norse god, the hair should almost always be neat and well-combed. Superheroes rarely have beards. The appearance of the eyes is strongly influenced by the nature of the character. Bright daytime heroes have relatively normal-looking eyes, while the eyes of dark nighttime avengers are often hidden by shadows.

4. Create poses for your superheroes that are exaggerated and dramatic. When a character stands facing someone, he should have a wide stance with legs unnaturally far apart. When a character prepares to do something like leap onto his prey or fly, he should squat far down like a spring about to be released. When the character throws an energy bolt from his hands, he should place one foot behind him as though bracing against the kickback from the blast. When running, the character should be shown at an unrealistic angle to emphasize his speed. If the character is a speedster, either the character or the background should be blurred when he is running (but never both).

5. Create a costume for your hero that accentuates her musculature. This usually means something resembling skintight spandex. The costume should be made of only a few colors. If the character is a traditional, good guy hero, the costume should be bright colors like blues, reds and greens. If the character is a brooding guardian of the night, blacks, grays and metallic colors are a better choice. Some characters will wear a mask to protect their secret identify (these are usually the darker figures). Others will not wear a mask, while some will undergo a transformation that changes their appearance. Capes are optional.

References

• How to Draw Cartoons: How to Draw Cartoon Superheroes!