Cartoon Character Drawing Procreate Tutorial 

Channel your inner artist and dive into the whimsical world of cartoon creation with the magic of your digital pen and the vast selection of Procreate brushes.

Whether you’re convinced your feline companion is a cartoon character in disguise or you’re simply intrigued by the animation realm, this tutorial is your gateway to bringing animated fantasies to life on your digital canvas.

Designed with beginners in mind, we’ll pace ourselves through each step to sketch, color, and animate a cartoon cat.

From basic shapes to a fully realized cartoon marvel, let’s embark on this artistic adventure.

_{^{Step 1: Setting Up Your Canvas}}

Open Procreate and create a new canvas. For this project, a canvas size of 2000×2000 pixels is a good starting point.

In the layers panel, rename your first layer as “Sketch.”

_{^{Step 2: Sketching Your Cartoon Cat}}

Select a sketching brush. The 6B Pencil under “Sketching” is a great choice for initial sketches.

On your “Sketch” layer, start drawing a circle for the cat’s head. Don’t worry about making it perfect—this is just a guide.

Add two triangle shapes on top of the circle for ears.

For the body, sketch a simple oval shape that’s slightly larger than the head, attached below it.

Sketch two small circles for the eyes, a small triangle for the nose, and a line for the mouth. Add whiskers if you like.

Draw two rounded rectangles for the legs at the front and two more for the back legs. Add a long, curved tail.

_{^{Step 3: Refining the Sketch}}

Lower the opacity of your “Sketch” layer by tapping on the “N” on the layer and adjusting the slider.

Create a new layer above the “Sketch” layer and name it “Final Line Art.”

With a finer, more precise brush like the Studio Pen in the “Inking” section, trace over your sketch. This is where you clean up your lines and define the final shape of your cartoon cat.

Once you’re happy with the line art, hide or delete the “Sketch” layer.

_{^{Step 4: Adding Color}}

Create a new layer below the “Final Line Art” and name it “Base Color.”

Select a color for your cat. You can choose any color you like from the color palette.

Use the Studio Pen or a similar solid brush to fill in the cat’s body, tail, and head with the base color.

Create separate layers for different colors (e.g., inside the ears, eyes, and any accessories like a collar). This makes it easier to make changes later.

_{^{Step 5: Adding Shadows and Highlights}}

Add a new layer above the “Base Color” layer and set it to “Multiply.” This layer will be for your shadows.

Choose a darker shade of your base color. Using a soft airbrush, lightly brush in areas where shadows naturally occur (under the head, beneath the tail, and inside the ears).

For highlights, add another layer above your shadows layer and set it to “Add” or “Screen.”

Select a lighter shade of your base color and gently apply highlights where the light naturally hits (top of the head, along the sides, etc.).

_{^{Step 6: Final Details}}

You can add more layers for extra details like fur texture, enhanced eyes, or a background.

Use a small, detailed brush to add these elements, paying attention to where they might naturally appear.

_{^{Step 7: Exporting Your Cartoon Cat}}

Once you’re satisfied with your drawing, tap on the wrench icon in the top left corner.

Go to “Share” and select your preferred format (PNG is great for maintaining transparency).

Save or share your completed cartoon cat!

And there you go. Don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts aren’t perfect. Keep experimenting with different shapes, colors, and expressions to develop your unique style. Happy drawing!