Yowie DTIYS
Draw your own Yowie character in your style: sketch shapes, add colors, and practice shading, proportions, and storytelling through a finished character artwork.
About this tutorial
Draw your own Yowie character in your style: sketch shapes, add colors, and practice shading, proportions, and storytelling through a finished character artwork.
What you need
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Gather all your materials and sit at a clean flat space where you can draw comfortably.
- 2
Step 2
Decide two words that describe your Yowie and pick the pose and spot on the paper where you will draw it.
- 3
Step 3
Lightly sketch basic shapes for the head body and limbs using circles ovals and rectangles to block out the form.
- 4
Step 4
Draw a centerline and eye line on the head to guide the face placement and expression.
- 5
Step 5
Connect the basic shapes with smooth lines to create a clearer outline of the Yowie’s body.
- 6
Step 6
Draw the facial features on the guidelines to give your Yowie a clear expression.
- 7
Step 7
Add hands feet and other body details like fur claws or toes to make your Yowie unique.
- 8
Step 8
Add one clothing item or prop that tells part of your Yowie’s story like a hat backpack or tool.
- 9
Step 9
Add one simple background element to show where your Yowie lives such as a cave tree or snowy hill.
- 10
Step 10
Check proportions and erase or redraw any parts that look too big or too small.
- 11
Step 11
Ink or darken your final outlines with the black pen or fineliner and allow the ink to dry.
- 12
Step 12
Gently erase the remaining pencil lines so only your clean inked drawing remains.
- 13
Step 13
Fill in flat base colors across your Yowie and its background using your coloring materials.
- 14
Step 14
Add shading and highlights to show volume and texture by darkening shadow areas and adding light spots.
- 15
Step 15
Share your finished Yowie artwork on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do I do the Yowie DTIYS activity?
Start by choosing a Yowie reference or imagining a creature. Lightly sketch simple shapes (circles, ovals) to map the head, body, and limbs. Refine the outline, add features and clothing, then block in flat colors. Practice shading with a light source, add texture and details, and tweak proportions to tell a story (pose, expression, props). Finish with clean lines or a digital pass, and sign your character.
What materials do I need for a Yowie DTIYS?
You’ll need basic sketching tools: pencils (HB and 2B), eraser, sharpener, and a sketchbook or drawing paper. For color and finish, use colored pencils, markers, watercolors, or a digital tablet and stylus. Optional: fineliners for line art, blending stumps for shading, ruler for straight edges, reference images, and good lighting. Keep non-toxic art supplies for younger children.
What ages is the Yowie DTIYS activity suitable for?
Yowie DTIYS can be adapted for many ages. Toddlers (with adult help) enjoy simple coloring of pre-drawn shapes. Ages 6–9 can practice shape-building and basic coloring. Ages 10–14 benefit from proportion, shading, and storytelling techniques. Teens and adults can explore complex poses, digital tools, and character backstories. Adjust difficulty and supervision based on the child’s motor skills and attention span.
What are the benefits and safety tips for Yowie DTIYS?
Drawing your own Yowie boosts creativity, fine motor control, visual storytelling, and confidence. It encourages observation and problem-solving when refining proportions and shading. Safety tips: use non-toxic materials, supervise small parts, ensure good lighting and posture, and take regular breaks to rest eyes and hands. Variations include themed challenges, group swaps, or turning drawings into clay models or short animations.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have a black pen or fineliner for inking?
If you don't have a black pen or fineliner for step 11, substitute a fine-tip permanent marker or a dark mechanical pencil for the final outlines and then let the ink or marker dry before doing step 12 to erase pencil lines.
My Yowie's proportions look off or my ink smudged—how can I fix it?
Go back to the light basic shapes from step 3, adjust sizes and positions during the check in step 10, correct any shapes before you ink in step 11, and make sure the ink is fully dry before completing step 12 to avoid smudges.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger kids use larger simple shapes in step 3, broad crayons for step 13, and one background element from step 9, while older kids can add detailed fur and claws in step 6 and layered shading/highlights in step 14.
How can we extend or personalize the finished Yowie drawing?
Personalize and extend the project by adding a textured clothing prop from step 7, creating a small diorama that matches the background in step 9, then photograph the result and share it on DIY.org as instructed in step 15.