How to Draw the Hatchet Man

Be prepared to make several attempts before you can draw the hatchet man with ease.

The Detroit-based hip-hop duo the Insane Clown Posse created its own record label called "Psychopathic Records" in 1991. The label's logo features a silhouette of a running man holding a meat cleaver. This character is referred to as "the hatchet man." Although, he may look simple, drawing the hatchet man with precision will take practice. Grab one of the Insane Clown Posse's albums or another hatchet man logo to study as you try your hand at drawing this cultural icon.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Markers
• Reference image

Instructions

1. Sketch a tall oval for the head and then sketch lines to indicate the placement and direction of the torso and limbs. Use your reference image of the hatchet man to check your proportions. For example, the hatchet man's torso measures approximately the same height as his head.

2. Draw faint lines at the front of the oval to mark the position of the bridge of the nose, bottom of the nose and lips. Also, draw lines to indicate the position and length of the hair on the top and back of the head.

3. Fill out the hatchet man's body, using your lines as a guide. The hatchet man's body does not have any sharp points, so use rounded corners at the elbows, knees, wrists and ankles. Look at your reference image to help you if you get stuck.

4. Draw the shape of his head using your guidelines and the reference image to help you. Again, most of these lines should have rounded corners. Keep in mind that the hatchet man has an unusually large chin and a bulbous nose. Additionally, his dreadlocked hair should look wild.

5. Trace the final outline of the hatchet man with a marker. You can use any color, but he appears most often in red or black. Allow the ink to dry and then erase your guides and any stray marks on your paper. Color in your outline to complete the hatchet man.

Tips & Warnings

• The hatchet man appears deceptively simple. It may make several attempts before you draw him in way that satisfies you. The key is proportions. Check, double-check and triple-check your proportions in the early stages of drawing because it is difficult to correct proportions as you near the end of the drawing process.

References

• Reuter's: Insane Clowns prosper even as album sales wane

Resources

• Hatchet Gear: The Official Psychopathic Records Webstore