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Creating Characters

Creating cartoon characters using the basic illustrator tools

Student Worksheet

Poster Design Worksheet.jpg

Tutorials:

For Adobe Illustrator (PC & Mac Users only)

  1. File> Create NewWidth: 1920 px
    Height: 1080 px

  2. Create the body-Rename layer to "Body"

    Select the polygonal tool from the "rectangle tool" drop down (in the toolbar)
    Click on the artboard and select from the dialogue box:radius: 200 px
    Sides: 3

    Round corners:Select triangle
    Drag circle (near corner inwards to round corner)

    In properties panel (on right):Fill: Red
    Stroke: 5 pts

  3. Create New Layer:Rename layer to: Eyes

    Create white of eyes
    Select Elliptical tool (in rectangle tool dropdown)
    Click on the artboard and select from the dialogue box:Width: 100
    Height: 125
    Fill: Light gray
    Stroke: 4 pts.

    Duplicate EyesHold Alt/Option and drag shape to the side (Hold SHIFT to keep the shape level)

    Create the iris of eyes
    Select Elliptical tool (in rectangle tool dropdown)
    Click on the artboard and select from the dialogue box:Width: 40
    Height: 50
    Fill: Black
    Stroke: 3 pts.

    Create the pupil of eyes
    Select Elliptical tool (in rectangle tool dropdown)
    Click on the artboard and select from the dialogue box:Width: 25
    Height: 28
    Fill: Blue
    Stroke: 3 pts.

    Duplicate EyesSelect the white of eyes, irises and pupils (Hold SHIFT while selecting each shape)
    Hold Alt/Option and drag shape to the side (Hold SHIFT to keep the shape level)

    In layers panel:
    Highlight the following layers:white of the eyes
    irises
    pupils

  4. Create New Layer:
    Rename layer to: Legs
    Draw Legs
    Select the Line Tool
    Click on artboard:Length: 100 px
    angle: 270 degrees
    Stroke: 12 pts

    Duplicate Leg:Select the leg
    Hold Alt/Option and drag shape to the side (Hold SHIFT to keep the shape level)

    Draw Foot:
    Select ellipse tool (located in the rectangle tool dropdown)
    click on the artboard and select from the dialogue box:Width: 125 px
    Height: 125 px
    Stroke: 6 px
    Fill: Red

    Erase bottom half of circleSelect Rectangle tool
    Draw a rectangle that covers up the bottom half of the circle
    Select both the rectangle and circle shapes

    Choose the Pathfinder panel (Window> Pathfinder)Select both the rectangle and circle shapes
    Select "minus front"
    Move the foot the bottom of the leg path (should be off to the side of leg)
    Duplicate foot and place foot on the far side of the leg

    Create New Layer:
    Rename layer to: Expression
    Draw frowning eyebrows:
    Select the line toolDraw eyebrows diagonally
    Stroke: 12 pts.

    Draw Frown:
    Select the line tool
    Click on artboardLength: 75 px

    Select Anchor Point Tool (in pen dropdown)Click on an anchor point and drag down and off to the side
    Line should appear like a frown
    Using the skills listed above recreate the YELLOW and BLUE characters

    File> Export> JPEGRename File: Last, First name_RYB.jpg
    Upload to Canvas

For Gravit (Chromebook users): 

  1. New:Width: 1920 px
    Height: 1080 px
    Create!

  2. Creating layers
    Create a layer in layers panel (on left)
    Rename it "Red"
    Create 4 more layers and name them the following:Eyes
    Expression
    Body
    Legs

    Select all layers (except "red") and drag them into the Red layerLayers should be indented if properly placed within layer
    Make sure layers appear in the order listed above

  3. Select the "Body" sublayer
    Create Triangle:
    Click the dropdown from the "rectangle tool" on the toolbar (above document window) and create a triangleClick and drag to draw
    Hold "SHIFT" to make sure bottom side is horizontal

    In the properties panel (on right):Set Width & Height to: 200
    Set corners to: 50
    Set Fill to: Red

    Click "+" underneath "borders"Set borders to 4 pts.

  4. Selec the "Eyes" sublayer
    Create white-of-eyes with the Ellipse tool
    Click the dropdown from the "Rectangle tool" (or triangle tool) and choose "ellipse"Click and drag a vertically oriented ellipse

    In the properties panel (on right):width: 60
    Height: 80
    Fill: Default gray

    Click "+" underneath "borders"Set borders to 2 pts.

    Create the iris of the eyes using the ellipse toolwidth: 27
    Height: 36
    Fill: Cyan

    Click "+" underneath "borders"Set borders to 2 pts.
    Place centered towards the bottom of the eyes

    Create pupil of the yes using the ellipse toolwidth: 15
    Height: 20
    Fill: black
    Move shape to the center of "iris shape"

    Select & Duplicate Eye shapesHold SHIFT while selecting the white of the eyes, the iris, and the pupils
    Hold ALT and drag to duplicate.  Continue holding SHIFT to make sure both eyes are level with each other

  5. Select the Expression sublayer
    Using the "Line Tool" (in the rectangle tool drop down) draw angry eyebrows
    In properties panel (on right):
    Click "+" underneath "borders"Set borders to 10 pts.

    Draw an angry mouthUsing the line tool: Draw a horizontal line

    Select on anchor point (selected anchors appear blue)
    In the properties panel (on the right):
    Appearance> Joint> MirroredDrag center handle upwards (to create a frown)

    Click "+" underneath "borders"Set borders to 10 pts.
    Move mouth towards the bottom of body (and in between eyes)

  6. Select the legs sublayer:
    Using the "Line Tool" (in the rectangle tool drop down) two vertical lines (for legs)
    Click "+" underneath "borders"Set borders to 12 pts.

    Using the Ellipse tool (in the rectangle tool drop down) create a circleHold SHIFT while drawing to retain circle proportions
    width: 100
    Height: 100
    Using the Rectangle tool (in the drop down with the Ellipse tool currently selected) draw a rectangle the covers up the bottom half of the circle

    Select both the circle and rectangle by holding SHIFT and clickingSelect "subtract" (in the union tool dropdown menu) found in the tool bar [looks like two squares meeting]
    Duplicate half circle by holding ALT and dragging on shape to the side (Hold SHIFT to make the feet level with each other)
    Half-circle should begin at the end of the lines and hang off (see image above)

  7. Using the skills listed above recreate the YELLOW and BLUE characters

  8. File> Export> JPEGRename File: Last, First name_RYB.jpg

  9. Upload to Canvas

Examples

Student Examples

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