Character Art School: Complete Character Drawing from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to draw
How to draw out of your head
How to draw in 3d
How to draw faces, bodies and hands

How to draw professionally
How to draw characters for games, films, animation, manga, comics and more
Draw with pencils and paper or digital art tools
Utilize the included 7gb of free art resources

How to draw
How to draw out of your head
How to draw in 3d
How to draw faces, bodies and hands
How to draw professionally
How to draw characters for games, films, animation, manga, comics and more
Draw with pencils and paper or digital art tools
Utilize the included 7gb of free art resources

Syllabus

Introduction

This is the introduction to the course on learning to draw, and learning to draw characters well.

Updates, Resources and Community

Theoretical but crucial, in this section we look at the key general art principles that guide how we think about and create character art. Packed with theory that will help you in art overall.

In this video, you will be given insights into the importance of art theory as you learn how to draw and move through the course.

In this video, you will learn why being loose, rough and allowing yourself the freedom to create unhindered is critical as you learn how to draw characters.

In this video you will learn the fundamental structure of art, helping you to grasp the essential art workflow and viewers perspective as you learn how to draw.

In this video we go deeper into the core structure of art, understanding each elements of shape, form and detail as you learn how to draw.

In this video, we take a look at how to see like an artist, and experience the visual aesthetic of the world in a way that enables you to create and draw better.

In this video, we talk about why technical skill in learning to draw is not the only important consideration, and discuss how emotional implementation in art is just as, if not more important.

In this video we talk about how the story of a drawing is essential to exciting and engaging the viewer with our character drawings and art.

In this video, the comparison is made between believability and realism, and emphasizes how crucial believability is over realism as you learn to draw characters.

In this video, we discuss how critical growing in artistic maturity is on your journey in learning to draw.

In this video, we learn the distinct differences between drawing studies and drawing artwork, and how making this differentiation will help you to grow in your drawing skill rapidly.

In this video, we discuss the two main types of art, and why this differentiation will help you to correctly judge your work as you learn to draw characters.

In this video we summarize everything learned in Module 1, setting you up for a holistic understanding of key fundamentals as you continue to learn to draw.

Module 1 Assignments

In this section, we deep dive essential core theory you need to know about drawing fundamentals, including line weight and penmanship, looseness and dynamism, and achieving a professional look.

Learn to warm up before starting to draw, and learn about how to have good lines and line flow in your drawing.

In this video lesson, learn about how to draw in 3 dimensions, defining form and structure as you learn to draw characters.

Drawing living characters requires us to have a dynamic nuance to how we present shapes and forms. In this lesson we learn how looseness and dynamism add life and movement to our artwork.

In this drawing lesson, we learn the importance of drawing overlaps and avoiding tangents in order to represent our work clearly in 3D.

When drawing, a key principle is building in visual interest via asymmetry, and avoiding parallels that make our work dull and predictable to look at. In this video lesson, we learn how to implement asymmetry and avoid drawing parallels.

Line weights, or managing the thickness and thinness of your lines, are critical to dynamic and appealing character drawings. In this lesson, we learn how to implement line weights clearly and effectively in our drawings.

Drawing Thinly and Lightly

The Importance of Drawing Fast

Two Stage Drawing Workflow

What is Drawing Style?

How to Use References when Drawing

Developing Your Visual library for your Drawings

Drawing Theory Stacking

Module 2 Assignments

I’ll teach you in a clear and efficient way how to easily draw the basic forms that make up the human body. From human proportions and facial features, to drawing eyes and ears, and hands and feat.

Introduction to Module 3

Drawing the Proportions of the Body

Drawing the Head - Drawing Head Proportions

Drawing the Head Proportions - Side View

Drawing Hands - Drawing the Hand Proportions

Dynamism in the Form

Drawing the Head and Neck Forms

Drawing the Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis Forms

Drawing the Arms and Legs Forms

Drawing the Hands Forms

Drawing the Forms of the Feet

Drawing the Forms of the Breasts

DEMO Putting the Forms Together

Drawing the Eyes | How to Draw Eyes

Drawing the Ears | How to Draw Ears

Drawing the Nose | How to Draw the Nose

Drawing the Mouth and Lips

DEMO Facial Features

Let's Talk About Anatomy

Module 3 Assignments

Module 3 Anatomy Study Plan

Anatomy Study Resources

Gesture is the energy and soul of a believable, life-like character drawing. A pivotal module covering in-depth every element that turns dead, static drawings into appealing and believable characters.

What is Gesture? Gesture Drawing Fundamentals

Gesture's Core Foundation

Drawing Action in the Form

Important Drawing Lines

Drawing Axis and Assymetry

Basic Gesture Drawing

Intermediate Gesture Drawing

Advanced Gesture Drawing

Drawing Life Gestures

How to: Gesture Drawing Exercises

Module 4 Assignments

How do you start a character drawing well? What steps do you take in your workflow? What is workflow? What should you think of and do first? In this module we deep dive character drawing workflow.

Drawing Workflow 1: Two Stage Workflow

Drawing Workflow 2: Multi-Stage Workflow

DEMO Multi-Stage Drawing Workflow

DEMO Realtime Drawing Workflow

Finding Your Ideal Drawing Workflow

Module 5 Assignments

The greatest secrets of character drawing lie in Character Composition, and I hold nothing back in this detailed and crucial module. You’ll learn the art of appealing posing and composition.

Module 6 Introduction

The Center of Gravity when Drawing Characters

Asymmetry in Character Drawing

Squash and Stretch - Animation Concepts for Drawing

Drawing Action and Re-action

Gender and Age Differences when Drawing Characters

Character Drawing and Character Design Essentials

Focal Points when Drawing Characters

Drawing Unique Characters

Utilising Symbolism when Drawing Characters

Silhouette Value for Character Drawing

The Three Core Elements of Character Design

The 5 Core Elements of Drawing Good Character Compositions

Using All of Your Drawing Knowledge

Module 6 Assignments

Immensely critical to creating professional character art, is the ability to effectively communicate a character’s emotions. I’ll teach you the fundamentals of complex character expressions.

Dynamics of the Face for Drawing

Keys to Expressing with the Eyes | Drawing Expressive Eyes

Keys to Expressing with the Eyebrows | Drawing Expressive Eyebrows

Keys to Expressing with the Mouth | Drawing Expressive Mouths

DEMO Drawing Facial Expressions and Drawing Emotions

Module 7 Assignments

Drawing hair and cloth is tough at the best of times – but it doesn’t have to be. I teach you how to draw beautiful hair and dynamic cloth from the ground up.

Fundamentals of Drawing Hair

Basic Components of Drawing Hair

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores core fundamentals of drawing, including line weight, penmanship, looseness, and dynamism

Introduces the essential principles of gesture drawing, which is critical for creating believable and lifelike character drawings

Develops a strong foundation in character composition, including appealing posing, asymmetry, and focal points

Builds a comprehensive understanding of facial expressions, enabling learners to effectively communicate emotions through their drawings

Covers hair and cloth drawing techniques, which are often challenging but essential for creating realistic and visually appealing characters

Taught by Scott Harris, an experienced instructor with a proven track record in character art and design

Reviews summary

Beginner-friendly character drawing

Students largely agree that this course offers a strong foundation in character drawing. They praise the course for its step-by-step guidance and engaging assignments. The instructor is described as knowledgeable and supportive. Overall, this course is well received by learners.

Knowledgeable and supportive instructor.

"The instructor is described as knowledgeable and supportive."

Challenging yet helpful assignments.

"The assignments were reasonably challenging but extremely helpful."

Great for beginners.

"I had absolutely no idea how to draw characters..."

"This course gave me a full overview of what I need to learn..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Character Art School: Complete Character Drawing with these activities:

Read: Comic & Sequential Art

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Gain insights into the principles of sequential art and character design from a renowned master.

View Lady Luck Omnibus (Golden Age Comics Book 1) on Amazon

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Purchase or borrow the book from a library.
Read and take notes on the key concepts discussed in the book.

Review perspective drawing

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Ensure essential perspective drawing skills are sharp to enhance and facilitate learning during this course from the very beginning.

Browse courses on Perspective Drawing

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Practice on simple objects such as cubes and spheres.
Find practice exercises online or in books to reinforce understanding.
Do not rush through this process; take your time and be patient with yourself.

Gesture drawing exercises

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Solidify understanding of the concepts of gesture, dynamism, and flow in drawing.

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Use online resources to find different gesture drawing references.
Set a timer for short intervals and practice capturing the essence of the gesture within that time.
Focus on capturing the movement and energy of the subject rather than the details.

Four other activities

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Seek mentorship from experienced character artists

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Establish a connection with experts in the field for guidance, advice, and industry insights.

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Attend industry events or online forums to connect with potential mentors.
Reach out to artists whose work you admire and express your interest in mentorship.

Contribute to OpenToonz

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Engage in a hands-on experience with industry-standard software while contributing to the open-source community.

Browse courses on Digital Art

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Download and install OpenToonz software.
Explore the software's features and tutorials to familiarize yourself with its functionality.
Identify areas where you can contribute, such as bug reporting, documentation, or feature suggestions.

Character design portfolio

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Provide tangibles to showcase developed skills in character design and composition and provide a reference for future projects.

Browse courses on Character Design

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Design and draw a variety of characters showcasing different poses, expressions, and styles.
Include character descriptions and explanations of design choices in the portfolio.
Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or online communities to refine and improve the portfolio.

Character illustration project

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Apply the techniques and concepts learned throughout the course into a substantial project for hands-on practice.

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Identify a specific character concept to illustrate.
Develop a detailed sketch, taking into consideration character design principles.
Finalize the illustration using digital or traditional art tools.

Career center

Learners who complete Character Art School: Complete Character Drawing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Character Designer

This course can help you to bring your character designs to life. You will learn how to draw characters from any angle in 3D, and you will be able to create believable and expressive characters for your games and other media.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Designer

Art Director

You can use the techniques that you learn to draw characters in this course to help you direct and guide your team in creating assets for your games and other media. You will be better able to articulate your vision to them, and in doing so, you will be able to produce higher quality work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director

Character Modeler

This course will teach you the fundamentals of character drawing, which are essential for character modelers. You will learn how to create dynamic and visually appealing characters that can be used in a variety of 3D applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Modeler

Concept Artist

This course will teach you the fundamentals of character drawing, which are essential for concept artists. You will learn how to create dynamic and visually appealing characters that can be used to bring your concepts to life.

See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist

Animator

This course can help you to bring your animated characters to life. You will learn how to draw characters from any angle in 3D, and you will be able to create believable and expressive characters for your animations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Comic Book Artist

As a storyboard artist, you'll be able to convey the story of your film or game through a series of dynamic and engaging images.

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Storyboard Artist

As a storyboard artist, you'll be able to convey the story of your film or game through a series of dynamic and engaging images.

See salaries and explore the career path for Storyboard Artist

Illustrator

This course will teach you the fundamentals of character drawing, which can be applied to illustration to create engaging and visually appealing characters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator

Freelance Artist

This course will teach you how to draw characters in a variety of styles, which will allow you to offer a wider range of services to your clients.

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Graphic designer

This course will teach you the fundamentals of character drawing, which can be applied to graphic design to create visually appealing and engaging designs.

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Game Designer

You can use the techniques that you learn to draw characters in this course to help you design more engaging and visually appealing games.

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Technical Artist

This course will teach you about the essential elements of character design, lighting, texture, and animation and will help you communicate more effectively with designers and artists in your work.

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Tattoo Artist

The lessons in this course can help you to develop your artistic skills and learn how to draw characters in a way that is both visually appealing and technically sound.

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Art Professor

This course can help you to prepare for a career as an art professor. You will learn the fundamentals of character drawing, and you will be able to develop your own unique teaching style.

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Art teacher

This course provides a comprehensive curriculum for teaching character drawing by providing clear and easy-to-understand lessons, rewarding assignments, and access to a thriving community.

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