How to Draw Total Drama 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.

Part 1 - Dudes

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. Beside certain characteristics, I'll give you examples of Total Drama characters that fit into that category. For example, "They tend to have larger heads (Trent or Noah)."

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

The "resize" button and the "magnifying bar" are highlighted in yellow. The resize window is shown.

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 male Total Drama body is really lenient. You can do pretty much anything with it. Here are some examples.

Notice how the neck can be connected with (Cody or Noah) or without a gap (Owen), or it can flow into the rest of their head (like Justin, or Trent). For the tutorial purposes, let's use the first head-picture to continue.

The Torso

This also has a bit of a lenient edge to it. Let's say you want a really buffed up character. You'll need a wide chest, thick arms, and a significantly smaller stomach-region to show that they're strong, not fat, like DJ. Here's an example.

Now, a scrawny character has to follow other rules. Their chest oviously can't be as wide. as well as their arms (for example, Noah). Their arms should also be longer than a regular characters (unless they're a short character).

As you can see, the scrawny torso looks really awkward on that head shape, so we're going to continue with the buff torso. Beware of this when making your head shape. Some work better with certain characteristics.

The Legs

This one has two main rules. The pants rule, and the shorts rule. The pants rule is really simple (Trent is a great example of this).

The shorts rule is different. You have to end the shorts a it above the knee, and make the calves face opposite directions (Geoff and DJ are good examples of this).

Both look decent, but let's just move on using the pants rule.

The Feet

The feet are really easy for guys. They're leveled and they mirror each other, so it's a lot less hassle.

The Hands

I absolutely despise drawing hands. They usually end up looking like lobster claws. This is the one thing that I have to trace. The rule for males is that the finger lines never sprout from the corner, and the thumb needs to have a flat end.

Important rule! For the finger lines, use the 3 pixel line, not the 5 pixel lines.

The Hair

Second-hardest feature for me is the hair. Mostly because it's frustrating to think of unique ideas. In any event, find a hairstyle (with 5 pixel lines) and feel free to mess with the head shape while doing so.

Not much more to say here, moving on to clothing.

The Shirt(s)

Alright, the fun-ish part. For clothing, you can permanently switch your line thickness to 3 pixels. Clothing possibilities are endless, so I won't bother making various outfits here. If you want to see what a certain outfit would look like TDI-style, just leave a comment request. Here's a very basic V-neck shirt.

The Shorts/Pants and Shoes/Sneakers

Pants are also much easier to draw. You can actually skip this step if you just want really plain pants. You could also add a belt and pockets. Total Drama pockets amuse me, for some reason, I just like the style. Look at the picture for an example.
Correction: I hate this part the most. I'm a lost cause when it comes to sneaker fashion. You can look at other males' sneakers for reference if needed.

The Face

This part is very defining. I didn't realize how much one thinig on someone's face could change their entire aura. One misplaced eyebrow could turn Mr. Nice Guy into a second Heather. Again, males are very lenient. There are many different types of eyebrows and eyes. Noses are infinite. Mouths are just a thin smile. Facial hair is optional.

Coloring

Easiest part. It's really just a matter of preference, at this point. Skin color, hair color, it's all up to you. One very important mistake: Try to avoid "pure" colors. Like, don't get the absolute shade of red, or blue, or green. Those can really hurt the eyes and make your hard work seem amateur. Make them a few shades darker. The difference will shock you. And, note, when you color the eyes, don't outline them in black. You can actually just pencil them in if you'd like. Also, if you want anything in black, er, don't use black. Just use a really dark grey.

And voila! A male character. This is far from my best work, so, chill on the harsh comments.

Part 2 - Females

.... Coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy the following.

martinwaxick.blogspot.com

Source: https://totaldramaislandfanfiction.fandom.com/wiki/User_blog:Kgman04/How_I_Draw_My_Characters