HOW TO DRAW YOUR
RPG CHARACTER
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO BRINGING FANTASY CHARACTERS TO LIFE
CHRISSA BARTON
HOW TO DRAW YOUR
RPG CHARACTER
2
HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
HOW TO DRAW YOUR
RPG CHARACTER A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO BRINGING FANTASY CHARACTERS TO LIFE
CHRISSA BARTON Get Creative 6 NEW YORK
3
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
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PART I: DRAWING BASICS
9
WHAT YOU NEED 10 DRAWING TECHNIQUES 12 CHARACTER DRAWING STEP BY STEP
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PART II: DRAWING THE DETAILS CHARACTER BODY TYPES
19
21
HOW TO USE PROPORTION CHARTS 22 GNOME PROPORTIONS 23 DWARF PROPORTIONS 24 HALFLING PROPORTIONS 25 SLIM FEMALE PROPORTIONS 26 HEAVYSET FEMALE PROPORTIONS 28 SLIM MALE PROPORTIONS 30 HEAVYSET MALE PROPORTIONS 32
FACIAL FEATURES AND HAIRSTYLES FACE SHAPE 36 EYES 37 NOSES 38 LIPS 39 EARS 40 HAIRSTYLES 41
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CHARACTER HEADS AND FACES DRAWING A FACE STEP BY STEP FEMALE HUMAN FACE 58 MALE HUMAN FACE 62 FEMALE HALF-ELF FACE 66 MALE HIGH ELF FACE 69 FEMALE DARK ELF FACE 74 MALE TIEFLING FACE 78 MALE HALF-ORC FACE 82 FEMALE GNOME FACE 86 MALE DWARF FACE 90 FEMALE HALFLING FACE 94
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PART III: DRAWING CHARACTERS FEMALE HUMAN FIGHTER 100 HUMAN MONK 105 HALF-ELF BARD 109 TIEFLING DRUID 113 MALE HUMAN FIGHTER 118 ELF RANGER 122 DARK ELF ARTIFICER 126 ELF WIZARD 130 TIEFLING WARLOCK 134 HALFLING ROGUE 138 DRAGONBORN PALADIN 143 DWARF CLERIC 148 GNOME WIZARD 154 HALF-ORC BARBARIAN 158 INDEX 164 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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INTRODUCTION IT’S TIME TO BRING YOUR RPG CHARACTERS TO LIFE!
S
tep into a world where the boundaries of imagination are limitless and the joy of fantasy RPG extends beyond the tabletop. Visualizing and illustrating your characters not only enhance your immersion but also deepen your personal connection to your characters. As you embark on this artistic journey, you may uncover hidden facets within your characters, revealing their personalities, histories, and deepest motivations. What’s more, sharing your character art with fellow party members during play sessions adds an extra layer of enjoyment and camaraderie.
Part I covers the essentials, including basic figure drawing and shading and coloring techniques. Part II hits the details, including visual references for the proportions of different body types and races. I’ll take you, step by step, through drawing fantasy character faces, from humans to half-orcs to elves. I’ll also show you how to customize your characters with different facial features and hairstyles. Part III features 14 different character tutorials, representing all the races and professions. From fierce warriors to magical mages, there’s plenty of inspiration and step-by-step guidance to help you bring your fantasy RPG characters to life.
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PART I
DRAWING BASICS
B
efore we dive into the world of fantasy character drawing, it is essential to establish a solid foundation of drawing basics. In this section, we’ll talk about necessary tools, introduce good drawing habits, explore shading and coloring techniques, and walk through the steps of constructing a figure. By mastering these fundamental skills, you will lay the groundwork for bringing your characters to life on paper.
Let the journey begin!
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PART II
DRAWING THE DETAILS
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ow that we have covered drawing basics, we will delve into the details that bring characters to life. This section is dedicated to exploring various aspects of character building, including body types, facial details, hair, and full faces and heads. By immersing ourselves in these individual elements, we will build a library of details that can later be combined and customized to construct the unique characters in the final section of the book. Let’s get started!
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FEMALE HALF-ELF FACE Let’s bring a female half-elf to life from a straight-on perspective. While the facial proportions of half-elves and humans are nearly identical, this particular half-elf possesses pointed elf ears, a distinct feature of her elven lineage.
1 Draw the basic face, including the guidelines for the eyebrows, the nose, the hairline, and the chin, using the step-by-step method on pages 54–55.
TIP
The distance between the eyes is about one eye width. The corners of the mouth tend to line up with the center of the eye.
2 Mark the corners of the eyebrows, the eyes, and the mouth. Sketch three circles for the nose, making the center one the largest.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
3 Draw in the the curves of the eyebrows and the eyes.
4 Draw curves for the ears. Draw the eyebrows. Then draw the eyes and circles for the irises. Add curves for the top and bottom lips. Outline the nose.
TIP
You can make the curve of the ears slightly uneven or bumpy to add more interest and personality.
5 Finish the shape of the ear and add lines for definition. Add the hairline. Draw circles in the centers of the irises for the pupils. Add lines for the eyelids and the tip of the nose. Erase the guidelines. CONTINUED Character Heads and Faces
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Male Half-Orc Face CONTINUED
DRAWING AGE You can make a character look more mature by adding lines above the eyebrows, under the eyes, and around the mouth.
6 Draw in more details like wrinkles, more lines inside the ear, and small lines to indicate the lower eyelids.
For a warm tint, add a bit of light orange to the nose, lips, cheekbone, and ear.
7 Lightly color in the skin, the eyes, and the hair; most half-orcs have either grayor green-tinted skin; we’ll color this one light green. Color the hair and eyebrows dark brown. 84
HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
8 Using the same colors mixed with darker green and blue, layer in shadows. More color should be applied to darker areas like the neck under the chin.
Add sharp highlights to the tip of the nose, eyes, and teeth with a white gel pen.
Character Heads and Faces
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PART III
DRAWING CHARACTERS
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t’s time to put together everything you’ve learned and draw full RPG characters! This section holds a collection of step-by-step tutorials that demonstrate how to construct and draw all kinds of fantasy character archetypes. Through these tutorials, you’ll learn to bring diverse characters to life, from their unique physical attributes to their distinctive styles and personalities. Use them as a foundation to build upon and craft your own unique characters. Embrace the freedom to experiment! Try blending race and class traits to weave intricate backstories and infuse your characters with depth and individuality.
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FEMALE HUMAN FIGHTER With a fierce glint in her eyes, this fighter stands ready for battle, sword in hand. Years of rigorous training have instilled in her a confident and relaxed stance. She’s ready to meet any challenge that comes her way.
1 Draw the pose using the stepby-step method on pages 16–17. Include guidelines for the sword.
DRAWING A SWORD Start with the basic cross shape as a guide, then fill in the hilt and blade shapes before adding extra details.
2 Add cylindrical shapes to define the body shape.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
3 Flesh out the body by connecting the gaps between the basic shapes. Draw the basic facial details. Add muscle definition with thin lines. Sketch the base shape of the handle and blade of the sword.
TIP
Draw the body without clothes first. Doing this gives you a good base for the pose and the form of the body to draw clothes on top of.
Layering is key to drawing clothes. Here the armor is drawn over her bodice and skirt.
4 Erase the guidelines and cylinders. Draw the curved hilt of the sword. Draw the basic shape of the ponytail.
5 Sketch the basic shapes of the clothes. Add detail to the ponytail.
CONTINUED
Drawing Characters
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Dark Elf Artificer CONTINUED
6 Add details to the clothing and accessories like buttons, screws, folds, belt buckles, and stitching. Add detail to the hair.
Metal-plated boots held on with bolts or screws
7 Lightly color the base colors for the different parts of the character. Dark elves’ skin tone can vary in shade, but it’s often dark blue, purple, or gray. They usually have red eyes and can have white hair. The palette of this outfit is gray, black, and bronze, with light blue accents for the armor and gauntlet.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
The polished blue details are the power sources for the thunder gauntlet.
Draw blue lightning arcing from the power core of the gauntlet.
Add blue accents to the glove and plate armor to reflecting the lightning.
8 Use the base colors to deepen the hues in the shadowed areas. Layer blues to increase the shadows. In the pure white areas, like the hair and shirt, the shadows are a very light shade of blue or gray. To blend, color over with the lighter shades of the base colors. Use a white gel pen to add highlights to the eyes, tip of the nose, armor, and goggle lenses.
Drawing Characters
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Dwarf Cleric CONTINUED
9 Lightly color in the base colors
Show the reflection of the tunic in the shield and pauldron by lightly coloring in with red.
for the different parts of the character. This cleric’s armor and outfit are a mix of silver and gold metals, with red and white for the tunic. The leather gloves, belt, and boots are brown. Make sure to color lightly in areas that will have a highlight.
TIP
Clerics will often wear symbols of their deity or faith, such as a necklace.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
10 Use the base colors to deepen the hue of the shadowed areas. Then use a mix of darker reds and browns to further increase the shadows. Use a white gel pen to draw highlights on the tip of the nose, eyes, and on the metal of the armor and the shield.
An emblem of this cleric’s faith also appears on his shield.
Drawing Characters
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GNOME WIZARD This wizard has dedicated himself to developing his magic through academic study of the arcane arts. He will wield his staff as he casts a spell in this drawing.
1 Draw this pose using the stepby-step method on pages 16–17. Include the basic shape of the staff.
TIP
Gnomes are short like halflings but are often even more petite, so you can draw the feet a little smaller, if you like.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
2 Add cylindrical shapes to define the body shape. Don’t forget to draw the long, pointed ears of the gnome!
Gnomes often have large noses.
3 Flesh out the body by connecting the gaps between the basic shapes. Sketch the facial features and hairline. Add definition to the ears, body, hands, and feet with thin lines.
Add flowy lines to the staff for texture.
4 Erase the guidelines and cylinders. Add more detail to the facial features.
TIP
Facial hair is very popular among wizards, so feel free to give your wizard a mustache or beard.
5 Further refine the facial features and the hair. Sketch the basic shapes of the clothes. This wizard wears cloth robes cinched together with a leather belt and soft leather boots, as well as a cloth wizard’s hat and a pair of round spectacles. CONTINUED
Drawing Characters
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Gnome Wizard CONTINUED
DRAWING MAGIC To convey that magic is afoot, sketch an overall shape first, then add jagged details. The basic shape of this spell is an arc with a couple spikes.
6 Add details like strands of hair, jewelry, belt buckles, buttons, and folds in the fabric. Draw the cast spell.
TIP
Wizards are more likely to carry around things like books, scrolls, and potion bottles, so incorporate those into your wizard’s design!
7 Lightly color in the base colors for the different parts of the character. This wizard wears dark turquoise robes and a red vest. The other colors include browns and gold accents.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
Wizards especially should keep potions on hand to restore their mana.
8 Using the base colors mixed with dark reds and blues, layer in shadows. Use a white gel pen to add highlights to the eyes, tip of the nose, the shine of the glasses and potion bottle, and any metallic accessories.
Drawing Characters
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HALF-ORC BARBARIAN She uses her large stature and strength to wield a long-handled axe and will be posed in a relaxed, confident stance with it. A distinctive feature of halforcs is their protruding lower canines.
1 Draw the pose using the stepby-step method on pages 16–17. Include the basic shapes of the axe.
Draw curved lines inside the axe head to help define its final shape.
TIP
This character has a larger stature and strong muscles, so her cylinders should be thicker.
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HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER
2 Add cylindrical shapes to define the body shape.
TUTORIAL QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE DRAWING A TORSO
DRAWING ARMOR
17
DRAWING MUSCULARITY
102
DRAWING CHAIN MAIL
31
DRAWING CURLS AND HIGHLIGHTS
49
DRAWING A LUTE
103
109
DRAWING CIRCLETS
50
DRAWING TIEFLING TAILS
DRAWING A BRAID
51
DRAWING NATURAL MATERIALS
DRAWING A NOSE
59
DRAWING WOOD
117 120
DRAWING A DOWN-TURNED EYE
60
BATTLE SCARS
DRAWING A CUPID’S BOW MOUTH
68
DRAWING A BOW
DRAWING AN UPTURNED EYE FACIAL MARKINGS
78
DRAWING TIEFLING HORNS DRAWING AGE
81
100
116
122
BELT SATCHELS
123
DRAWING LACES
124
DRAWING A SPELL BOOK DRAWING MAGIC
84
DRAWING A SWORD
69
114
132
156
DRAWING HALF-ORC TEETH
159
163
INDEX A
E
afros, 48–49 age, drawing, 84 armor, 101–103 artificers, 126–129
ears, 40 elves dark elf artificers, 126–129 female dark elf faces, 74–77 female half-elf faces, 66–69 hairstyles, 50–51 half-elf bards, 109–112 heavyset female proportions, 29 heavyset male proportions, 33 male half-elf faces, 70–73 rangers, 122–125 slim female proportions, 27 slim male proportions, 31 wizards, 130–133 erasers, 11 eyes, 37
B barbarians, 158–162 bards, 109–112 battle scars, 120 belt satchels, 123 blending, 13, 14 bows, 122 braids, 51 buns (hairstyle), 45
C chain mail, 103 charms, 137 circlets, 50 clerics, 148–153 color, adding, 14–15 colored pencils, 10 cross-hatching, 13
D diamonds, 136 dragonborn paladins, 143–147 drawing tools, 10–11 dreadlocks, 47 druids, 113–117 dwarves clerics, 148–153 male faces, 90–93 proportions, 24 164
F faces dark elf females, 74–77 dwarf males, 90–93 facial markings, 76, 161 gnome females, 86–89 half-elf females, 66–69 half-elf males, 70–73 hafling females, 94–97 human females, 58–61 human males, 62–65 shapes, 36 step-by-step process, 54–57 tiefling males, 76–81 feathers, 116 female characters elf rangers, 122–125
elf wizards, 130–133 fighters, 100–104 gnome faces, 86–89 half-elf faces, 66–69 halfling faces, 94–97 halfling rogues, 139–142 half-orc barbarians, 158–162 heavyset proportions, 28–29 human faces, 58–61 slim proportions, 26–27 tiefling warlocks, 134–138 fighters female, 100–104 male, 118–121 freckles, 96
G gel pens, white, 11 gnomes female faces, 86–89 proportions, 23 wizards, 154–157 graphite pencils, 10
H habits for drawing, 11 hairstyles, 41–51 halflings female faces, 94–97 proportions, 25 rogues, 139–142 half-orcs barbarians, 158–162 heavyset female proportions, 29 heavyset male proportions, 33
male faces, 82–86 slim female proportions, 27 slim male proportions, 31 teeth, 159 hatching, 13 highlights, adding, 15, 49 horns, 81, 135 human characters female faces, 58–61 female fighters, 100–104 male faces, 62–65 male fighters, 118–121 monks, 105–108
J jewelry, 137
L laces, 124 leaves, 116 light, reflecting, 12, 15 line of action, 16–17 lips, 39 lutes, 109
M magic, drawing, 156 male characters dark elf artificers, 126–129 dragonborn paladins, 143–147 dwarf clerics, 148–153 dwarf faces, 90–93 fighters, 118–121 gnome wizards, 154–157 half-elf bards, 109–112
half-elf faces, 70–73 half-orc faces, 82–86 heavyset proportions, 32–33 human faces, 62–65 monks, 105–108 slim proportions, 30–31 tiefling druids, 113–117 tiefling faces, 78–81 metallic surfaces, 15 monks, 105–108 muscularity, 31
N
R rogues, 139–142
S shading, 12–13 shadows, 12 smudging, 13 sorcerers, vs. warlocks, 138 spell books, 132 staffs, 113 step-by-step process, 16–17 swords, 100
noses, 38
T
O
tails, 114 tieflings druids, 113–117 heavyset female proportions, 29 heavyset male proportions, 33 horns, 81, 135 male faces, 76–81 slim female proportions, 27 slim male proportions, 31 tails, 114 warlocks, 134–138 torsos, 16–17
orcs. see half-orcs
P paladins, 143–147 paper, 11 patchworked clothing, 125 ponytails, 46 pouches, 107 proportion charts dwarves, 24 gnomes, 23 halflings, 25 heavyset females, 28–29 heavyset males, 32–33 how to use, 22 slim females, 26–27 slim males, 30–31
W warlocks, 134–138 wizards elf, 130–133 gnome, 154–157 wood, 117
Index
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Get Creative 6 An imprint of MIXED MEDIA RESOURCES 19 W. 21st Street Suite 601 New York, NY 10010 sixthandspringbooks.com Editor PAM KINGSLEY Creative Director IRENE LEDWITH Art Director FRANCESCA PACCHINI Chief Executive Officer CAROLINE KILMER President ART JOINNIDES Chairman JAY STEIN
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Copyright © 2024 Chrissa Barton All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means— graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage-and-retrieval systems—without written permission of the publisher. The written instructions, photographs, designs, projects, and patterns are intended for the personal, noncommercial use of the retail purchaser and are under federal copyright laws; they are not to be reproduced in any form for commercial use. Permission is granted to photocopy for the personal use of the retail purchaser. Names: Barton, Chrissa, 1991- author. Title: How to draw your RPG character : a step-by-step guide to bringing fantasy characters to life / Chrissa Barton. Description: New York, New York : Get Creative 6, [2024] | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2023047366 | ISBN 9781684620746 (paperback) Subjects: LCSH: Characters and characteristics in art. | Fantasy in art. | Drawing—Technique. Classification: LCC NC825.C43 B37 2024 | DDC 741.5/1—dc23/eng/20231122 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023047366 Manufactured in China 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
In loving memory of Mochi, whose companionship and warm cat cuddles kept me going through countless adventures
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS first and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my husband, Ryan. His unwavering support and understanding throughout this book have been invaluable. His reminders to eat and go for walks when I was buried in projects kept me grounded and focused. I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to my parents and family for their constant support of all my artistic endeavors. Without their encouragement throughout my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today. A special appreciation goes to the incredible team at Mixed Media Resources. I am grateful for their support and belief in this project. To my editor, Pam Kingsley, for her expertise and hard work in organizing and deciphering the jumble of ideas from my artist brain. Thank you, Pam, for making everything legible and coherent. I would also like to acknowledge my art director, Francesca Pacchini. Her creative vision brought this project to life and made it even better than I imagined. I am immensely grateful for her contributions. A big thank-you goes out to Lauren O’Neal for believing in my work and for being the catalyst that set this project in motion. I want to express my gratitude for my online community. Your belief in my work and continuous support over the years have been instrumental in my artistic journey. Finally, I want to extend my appreciation to you, the readers of this book. Thank you for embarking on this journey with me. This book is for you, and it is my sincerest hope that it will serve as a valuable resource as you explore the art of drawing your own characters.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR CHRISSA BARTON is an American illustrator and animator based in Stockholm, Sweden. Her experience ranges from AAA game development to independent character-driven illustration. Drawing has been a lifelong passion for Chrissa, dating back to her childhood when she would often be found doodling elves and fairies in the margins of her math homework. Her passion has since evolved into a deep-seated desire to inspire and teach others, offering knowledge and advice to creatives of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to her illustrations, Chrissa creates online drawing tutorials and resources to help others to pick up a pencil and tap into their own creative potential. Chrissa’s love for fantasy characters and stories has been a constant source of inspiration throughout her life and career. As a teen she discovered fantasy RPGs and was hooked on the joy of bringing characters, worlds, and adventures to life. When she’s not busy drawing or creating video game magic, you can find her curled up with her cat, immersing herself in a good fantasy book.
ChrissaBug.com Twitter, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @ChrissaBug
HOW TO DRAW YOUR RPG CHARACTER BARTON
LEVEL UP YOUR GAME-PLAYING— LEARN TO DRAW
RPG CHARACTERS STEP BY STEP!
Unlock the power to visualize your characters and bring them to life with the expert guidance of fantasy illustrator and game artist Chrissa Barton. Tieflings, gnomes, elves, dwarves, humans, halflings, dragonborn, half-elves, and half-orcs—you’ll master them all, even if you’re a complete beginner. Learn to capture their unique characteristics following a simple step-by-step approach. Make your characters truly your own, whether they’re formidable fighters, mystical druids, or anything else you can imagine. Experience the magic of bringing your RPG characters to life, and add a whole new dimension to your immersive gaming adventures!
$ 24 .9 9 US • $ 32.99 CAN I S B N 9978-1-68462-074-6 7 8 - 1 - 6 8 4 6 2 - 0 74 - 6 ISBN:
52499
9 781684 620746
Get Creative 6
A RT • T EC H N I Q U E S • D R AW I N G
HOW TO DRAW YOUR
RPG CHARACTER A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO BRINGING FANTASY CHARACTERS TO LIFE
CHRISSA BARTON