Creating Characters
Creating cartoon characters using the basic illustrator tools
Student Worksheet
Tutorials:
For Adobe Illustrator (PC & Mac Users only)
File> Create NewWidth: 1920 px
Height: 1080 px
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
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
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):
New:Width: 1920 px
Height: 1080 px
Create!
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
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.
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
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)
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)
Using the skills listed above recreate the YELLOW and BLUE characters
File> Export> JPEGRename File: Last, First name_RYB.jpg
Upload to Canvas