How to Draw a Cartoon Lion---Part II the body

Here we are again, part II of my latest project. A book on how to draw cartoons; although the working title is sounding more like. 'How would you like to draw cartoons like this?'(with a very busy and intricate picture below).

At this stage I'm still looking for a look and layout for the book. So please do forgive me if the pages tend to chop and change in appearance.

Also this is a 'back-burner' project. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't consider this project worthy of my every waking second, but time, work and more pressing commissions have forced it into the relegation zone and afforded it its 'back-burner' status.

But seeing as this is a diary of my life as a cartoonist and writer, I will be letting you know about all this project and the many other I have on the go, both commissioned and private; like the New Comic Strip Submission series that I'm running. (part III to be posted on this Friday coming).

So with that explained and out of the way, let's move on into the horizon of a bright new future with the second section on How to Draw a Lion (to enlarge the picture, click on the image and open it, full size, in another pane). This one deals with the drawing of the Lion's body; having shown you all how to draw the head last week.

Have fun, have a go, and send me samples of what you get up to. (For those professional cartoonists amongst you, this is your turn to act all smug and pull out the 'been there, done that' T-Shirt).

Click on image to enlarge

Next Wednesday I'll be showing you the progress I'm making on a new Rugby poster design. I'm hoping to be showing you the background sketches and the process I now use to put these heavily involved pictures together and how my system has changed over the years.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this post. If you did then please share it like a demented sharing person and keep on coming back for more of the same, and a whole lot besides.

How to Draw a cartoon Lion---Part 1 the Head

Having checked on my Google statistics I see, that by a long way, you love it when I teach you stuff.

That's not to say you don't like the other things I do, like the silly stories, the diary, the work's in progress posts and the varied, wild and wacky assortment of other stuff I get up to.

But this here post has a two fold purpose. First off it's a tutorial on how to draw a cartoon lion's head. That, I'm sure you'll agree is more than self explanatory, especially with the big tutorial page below.

Second it's to announce that finally, and after many years of being cajoled and implored by friends, I am finally putting together a 'How to Draw Cartoons' book.

Now I know that there are many, many 'how to' books out there, but seeing as how you all like my tutorials so much, I'm going to do it: it's not like I'm not qualified. Hell, I've drawn for some seriously big markets, self published my own books and written thousands of scripts and gags over a twenty something year career. And that's the sort of knowledge I want to impart to the world.

Basically, I want to produce a book I wish was out there when I started drawing. Not just a how to draw cartoons--although there are a lot of those in this here book of mine---but a how to sell your work, who to approach and what publications can help you achieve your goals and ambitions.

Okay, without further preamble, here's the first page.

You'll probably think that this is a difficult place to start, but let me explain: Firstly, this wont be page one in my book. Page one, or section one, will deal with the human face and expressions. This page is stage two. The part that deals with transferring all you learned from stage one and putting it into an animal's face.

Also, I wanted to show you how simple something that initially looks damned complicated can be, so long as you use the shape system I use.

On a final, final point, next Wednesday I will be doing another tutorial on how to produce other expressions using the principles below.

So get out your pencils and have a go. And if you enjoy it, send me some copies. It would be great to see what you produced from what I've taught you.

Click  on the page to enlarge

This page is copyright 2016 Karl Dixon

I am hoping to link these tutorials with  YouTube videos of me actually drawing these exercises. I will keep you updated.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this post. If you did then please share it like a demented sharing person and keep on coming back for more of the same, and a whole lot besides.