When I was learning to draw cartoons people, there were five steps I followed to give me character the basics. These steps are easy to understand and put to use.

Step One

Draw the cartoons head and body. Use round shapes to start out with, because they are easy for anyone to draw. Draw the head as you want it in perspective to the body. Try using an oval or circles for both the head and body.

Step Two

Next draw what will represent the hands and feet. These can be easily sketched in using simple circular shapes. If you character’s hands need to be functional, you can also draw fingers using a rounded cylinder shape.

Step Three

Once you figure out the size of your cartoons body and head, you can add the eyes, ears and mouth. Sometimes simple shapes are best for drawing facial features.  A ‘u’ shape can be used for eyes, ears and a happy or sad mouth.

These steps will give you the basics for the outline of your cartoon. After you have your sketch the way you want it, you can add clothes, accessories and color. Look at other cartoons characters for examples and creative ideas. Just remember that when it comes to doing anything creative that there are no mistakes. Trial and error is part of any creative process, so don’t get discouraged. You don’t have to be born with natural ability to learn to draw cartoons.