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Draw your favorite character from a book or movie

Draw your favorite character from a book or movie
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Draw your favorite character from a book or movie using simple shapes, add details and color, then write one sentence about them.

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Step-by-step guide to draw your favorite character from a book or movie

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How to Draw Expressive Characters like a Marvel Artist

What you need
Black marker, book or image of your character (optional), coloring materials, eraser, paper, pencil

Step 1

Pick your favorite character from a book or movie to draw.

Step 2

Gather your paper pencil eraser black marker and coloring materials.

Step 3

Look at your character or picture for a minute to notice basic shapes like circles ovals rectangles and triangles.

Step 4

Lightly sketch simple shapes on the paper to map the head body and limbs.

Step 5

Draw light guideline lines to mark where the eyes nose and mouth will go.

Step 6

Connect and smooth the shapes to make the character's outer outline.

Step 7

Draw the character's hair clothes and any accessories or props they hold.

Step 8

Add the eyes nose mouth and eyebrows to show the character's expression.

Step 9

Erase extra sketch lines and clean up any stray marks.

Step 10

Trace the final lines with your black marker and let it dry a moment.

Step 11

Color your drawing with your coloring materials to match the character or use fun new colors.

Step 12

Write one clear sentence below the drawing that tells who they are or something they like.

Step 13

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!

Complete & Share
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Help!?

What can we use instead of a black marker or specific coloring materials if we don't have them?

If you don't have a black marker, trace the final lines with a dark ballpoint or fine-tipped permanent pen or a sharpened dark colored pencil, and swap markers for crayons, watercolor paints, or colored paper when you color the drawing.

My drawing looks messy or the marker smudges—how do I fix that?

Keep your initial sketches very light so it's easy to erase extra sketch lines, let the black marker dry a moment after you trace the final lines before coloring, and gently erase stray marks with the eraser to clean up the paper.

How do I adapt the activity for younger kids or older kids?

For younger kids, simplify step 3 by using big basic shapes and allow scribble coloring, while older kids can add detailed hair, clothing and shading before erasing sketch lines and write a more descriptive sentence below the drawing.

What are some ways to extend or personalize the finished drawing?

Personalize the character by adding accessories or props from step 6, experimenting with new color palettes when you color the drawing, writing a creative sentence underneath about who they are or what they like, and sharing multiple versions on DIY.org as a mini gallery.

Watch videos on how to draw your favorite character from a book or movie

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The FIRST STEP to Drawing Any Character Easily

4 Videos

Facts about drawing and character design for kids

✏️ Designers use round shapes for friendly characters, squares for strong or stable ones, and triangles for energetic or sneaky types.

🌈 Color choices change how a character feels: warm colors (reds, oranges) feel energetic; cool colors (blues, greens) feel calm.

📚 Lots of movie heroes and villains first appeared in books—so drawing your favorite book character brings that story to life!

🎨 Many character artists start by sketching simple shapes—circles, squares, and triangles—to build a character’s body and pose.

👀 People can often recognize famous characters from just their silhouette, so a unique outline makes a character memorable.

How do I draw my favorite character from a book or movie step-by-step?

To draw a favorite character, first choose a clear reference and decide the pose. Break the character into simple shapes (circles, ovals, rectangles) and sketch them lightly to get proportions. Refine outlines, add facial features and costume details, then erase construction lines. Color with crayons, markers or pencils. Finish by writing one sentence about the character—describe who they are, what they do, or how they feel. Share or display the drawing for confidence.

What materials do I need to draw my favorite character?

You'll need paper or a sketchbook, a pencil and eraser, a sharpener, and colored pencils, crayons, or markers for coloring. Optional items: fine-tip black marker to outline, a ruler for straight shapes, reference pictures from books or screenshots, sticker eyes or stencils for tracing, and scrap paper for practice. Keep non-toxic supplies and washable markers when working with young children.

What ages is this drawing activity suitable for?

This activity suits many ages. Toddlers (3–5) enjoy tracing simple shapes and choosing colors with adult help; use stickers or stampers for details. Early elementary (6–8) can sketch shapes, add details, and write a short sentence with minimal help. Older kids (9–12+) can refine features, experiment with shading, and write a descriptive sentence or short character backstory. Adjust complexity and supervision to each child’s skills.

What are the benefits of having my child draw their favorite character?

Drawing characters builds observation, fine motor control, and spatial reasoning while encouraging creativity and imagination. Writing one sentence strengthens literacy, vocabulary, and narrative skills, and helps children summarize character traits. The activity also promotes emotional learning and confidence when children explain their work. To extend it, turn drawings into a short comic, act out the sentence, or create a character journal to practice writing and storytelling.
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