"Easy Cartoon Drawing Tutorials: Learn to Draw Cartoons in No Time!"

MaricelaSpence Jun 07, 2026

Embarking on the journey of cartoon drawing can be an exciting and rewarding experience, especially when you discover that it's easier than you thought. This guide will walk you through the basics, helping you understand the fundamentals of cartoon drawing in a simple, step-by-step manner. Let's dive right in!

a drawing of different types of cartoon characters on a sheet of paper with marker pens
a drawing of different types of cartoon characters on a sheet of paper with marker pens

Understanding the Basics of Cartoon Drawing

various facial expressions drawn in different ways
various facial expressions drawn in different ways

Cartoon drawing, at its core, is about simplifying forms and exaggerating features to create humorous or expressive characters. It's all about capturing the essence of a subject in its simplest form. To get started, you'll need a few basic supplies:

  • Pencil (HB or 2B)
  • Eraser
  • Paper (any kind will do, but sketch paper or cartridge paper works best)
  • Optional: markers, colored pencils, or paints for coloring
Cute faces ^_^
Cute faces ^_^

Mastering the Art of Simple Shapes

Before you start drawing complex characters, it's essential to understand that every cartoon is built from simple shapes. These shapes are the building blocks of your drawings. Practice drawing the following shapes to get a feel for them:

a brown bear sticker sitting on top of a white surface
a brown bear sticker sitting on top of a white surface
  • Circles
  • Ovals
  • Rectangles
  • Triangles
  • Squares

Once you're comfortable with these shapes, you can start combining them to create more complex forms.

Creating Basic Cartoon Faces

a spider man with headphones on his ears
a spider man with headphones on his ears

Cartoon faces are typically simplified into a few key features: the head, eyes, nose, and mouth. Here's a simple way to draw a basic cartoon face:

  1. Draw a circle for the head.
  2. Add two smaller circles for the eyes, placed slightly above the center of the head.
  3. Draw a small, curved line for the smile, placed below the eyes.
  4. Add a small triangle for the nose, placed between the eyes.

You can experiment with different eye and mouth shapes to create a variety of expressions.

Benim değildir
Benim değildir

Exaggerating Features for Comedy and Expression

Cartoon drawing is all about exaggeration. By emphasizing certain features, you can create humorous or expressive characters. For example:

Dinoooo
Dinoooo
this is an image of a drawing of a cartoon character
this is an image of a drawing of a cartoon character
winnie cute
winnie cute
Easy winnie the poo drawing
Easy winnie the poo drawing
Крипер
Крипер
a drawing of jack skellingy from the nightmare
a drawing of jack skellingy from the nightmare
a black and white drawing of a cow with a heart on it's forehead
a black and white drawing of a cow with a heart on it's forehead
things draw when you get bored 😴
things draw when you get bored 😴
16 Easy Cute Duck Drawing Ideas
16 Easy Cute Duck Drawing Ideas
one piece logo draw
one piece logo draw
cartoon faces drawn in black and white
cartoon faces drawn in black and white
an image of some type of symbols that are drawn in black ink on white paper
an image of some type of symbols that are drawn in black ink on white paper
an image of a cartoon character with hearts
an image of a cartoon character with hearts
a drawing of a pikachu sitting in the middle of a piece of paper
a drawing of a pikachu sitting in the middle of a piece of paper
three cartoon cats sitting on top of each other with their faces painted pink, green and blue
three cartoon cats sitting on top of each other with their faces painted pink, green and blue
ygu
ygu
a cartoon monkey with its eyes closed
a cartoon monkey with its eyes closed
a white ghost with black eyes and pink cheeks
a white ghost with black eyes and pink cheeks
Easy cartoons drawings: Grogu baby Yoda
Easy cartoons drawings: Grogu baby Yoda
a drawing of a cat with its eyes closed
a drawing of a cat with its eyes closed
  • Big, round eyes can make a character look innocent or surprised.
  • Small, beady eyes can make a character look sneaky or evil.
  • Large, wide mouths can make a character look happy or shocked.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different shapes and sizes to create unique characters.

Learning from the Masters

One of the best ways to improve your cartoon drawing skills is to study the work of professional cartoonists. Look at their drawings and try to understand what makes them effective. Some artists to consider include:

  • Charles Schulz (Peanuts)
  • Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes)
  • Gary Larson (The Far Side)
  • Matt Groening (The Simpsons)

You can learn a lot by analyzing their work and trying to replicate their styles.

Practice and Persistence

Like any skill, cartoon drawing improves with practice. Don't be discouraged if your early attempts aren't perfect. Keep practicing, and you'll see your skills improve over time.

Remember, there are no strict rules in cartoon drawing. It's all about capturing the essence of a subject in a simple, expressive way. So have fun, experiment, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. That's how you learn and improve!