User blog:Kgman04/How I Draw My Characters

'''Before I start, I want to acknowledge Sprink's character-drawing blogs, #1 (inspiration/males) and #2 (females). I actually only started drawing characters because I read those blogs, and I eventually created my own different style.'''

Alright! So, this is my little mini-tutorial on how I draw my characters. The first thing I have to say is that I use Windows 7 MS Paint. So, sorry for those of you who don't have Windows 7.

General Overview
Males are debatably easier to draw than females (they're harder for me, but easier for most others), mostly because you don't have to follow certain rules and properties that TD-females have to have. So, don't feel the need to follow the accompanying drawings, most of it is up to you.

Have a Final Image in Mind
Don't just wing it. Have an accurate description (written down or in your head) of what you want your character to look like. Don't overlook any details. That way, when you're actually finished, you can compare it and make those final touches.

Preparation
Get familiar with Windows 7 Paint. There are some buttons you'll be clicking a lot more often than others, especially the Line button and the Curve button.

I make my character images huge, as some of you might know, then I resize them later. So, you should start with a huge blank space of about 1400x2000 pixels (use the resize button and turn off 'maintain aspect ratio'). Use the magnifying bar at the lower-right corner to let you see the whole image. Also, for the outer outline of every character, male or female, you will always use the second-thickest line size. It's the third on the drop-down list, and if you hover your mouse over it, you'll read that it's five pixels wide. The sizes are 1 pixel, 3 pixels, 5 pixels, and 8 pixels. The 1 pixel and 8 pixel lines are rarely used.

The Head
Alright. First, make sure you have the three-pixel line selected. Draw the head on the upper part of your 1400x2000 pixel canvas (let's call it that for now). You have the option of making it on your own or tracing different parts of different characters to make a somewhat-unique head shape (I only do the latter on quick drawings). So, as stated above, the m