Draw Great Characters

Beverly Johnson’s book is packed with scores of fun exercises that will really motivate young beginner artists who are just getting interested in drawing for animation, comic book art, or just for pleasure.

In a series of beginner-friendly exercises, she explores how to conceptualize wonderful, convincing characters and shows how to translate ideas into great professional-looking drawings. The book is organized into key chapters associated with what makes engaging, three-dimensional characters. Read the advice, work your way through the exercises and you will get to the end with a portfolio bursting with wonderful creations.

This book demonstrates how to create diverse characters with strong personalities, unique mannerisms and interests; how to understand their motivations, find their passions and make them come alive. Split into 75 easy-to-follow and fun exercises, Bev leads the young reader through the techniques and skills needed to create their very own characters.

Welcome to my World
Chapter 1: The Tools I Like to Use
Chapter 2: Shape Language
How to diversify and use shapes in your designs.
Chapter 3: Personality
How design can help define a character’s personality and temperament.
Chapter 4: Faces and Expressions
How to draw expressive characters and convey particular emotions, as well as diversify faces.
Chapter 5: Body Language
How a character’s body language can show their inner thoughts and mood.
Chapter 6: Character Interaction
How to illustrate a compelling relationship between characters — be it friendship, romance, hatred, or rivalry.
Chapter 7: Costuming and Props
How to create clothing and props that emphasize a character’s personality, not distract from them.
Chapter 8: Drawing from Life
How to incorporate your own experiences and observations into characters.
Chapter 9: Drawing Techniques
A mini crash course in key drawing techniques, such as using drawn media, using color, working with pens, understanding tones and shadows.
Index and Credits