Draw an awesome character
Design and draw an original awesome character, plan features, costume, and colors, then add a short backstory to bring your creation to life.
Step-by-step guide to draw an awesome character
Step 1
Decide what kind of character you want to create such as a hero alien animal or robot.
Step 2
Write down three to five special features for your character like personality powers favorite item or a fun quirk.
Step 3
Pick a costume idea and note one or two signature pieces like a cape helmet or cool shoes.
Step 4
Choose a simple color palette of three to five colors that match your character idea.
Step 5
Draw three small thumbnail sketches showing different poses or body shapes to explore looks.
Step 6
Pick your favorite thumbnail sketch to turn into the final drawing.
Step 7
Lightly sketch the chosen pose and basic body shapes on clean paper using simple shapes like circles and ovals.
Step 8
Add costume details facial features hair and any accessories over your basic shapes.
Step 9
Trace the final lines with a black pen or fineliner to make the drawing bold and clear.
Step 10
Erase the pencil sketch lines gently so only the clean inked drawing remains.
Step 11
Colour your character using your chosen palette and add simple shading or patterns for extra flair.
Step 12
Write a short backstory of two to four sentences that gives your character a name a goal and one interesting fact.
Step 13
Add small finishing touches like highlights textures and your signature.
Step 14
Share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have a black pen or fineliner?
If you don't have a black pen or fineliner, use a fine-tipped permanent marker or a dark ballpoint pen to trace the final lines in step 9 and let the ink dry before erasing pencil lines in step 10.
My final drawing looks messy—how do I avoid smudges or lost lines?
Keep your initial sketch very light in step 7, let the ink from step 9 dry completely, and then erase gently in step 10 so the clean inked drawing from step 9 stays sharp and smudge-free.
How can I adapt this activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids simplify to one big thumbnail, bold shapes and crayons during step 11 with a one-sentence backstory in step 12, while older kids can add extra costume details in step 8, more complex shading in step 11, and a 2–4 sentence backstory in step 12.
How can we make the character more unique or advanced once it's finished?
To enhance your character, add background scenes or comic panels, experiment with textures and patterns when colouring in step 11, design a signature item from your listed features in step 2, and then share the polished piece on DIY.org as the final step.
Watch videos on how to draw an awesome character
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Facts about character design and drawing
✍️ Iconic characters often evolve over time — Mickey Mouse's look changed many times since his 1928 debut.
🧾 A simple one-line backstory question like "What does this character want most?" can guide all design decisions.
🌈 Color choices affect emotion — warm colors (reds, oranges) feel energetic, cool colors (blues, greens) feel calm.
👗 Costume choices can communicate a character's job, era, or personality without any words.
🎨 Many character designers start with silhouette sketches because a strong outline makes a character instantly recognizable.
How do I design and draw an original awesome character with a backstory?
What materials do I need to design and draw an original character?
What ages are suitable for this character design activity?
What are fun variations and benefits of designing characters?
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