| Have you ever wanted to create a cartoon | | | | but if you really like flowers and leaves, draw |
| design of your own? I'm a fabric artist so I | | | | flowers and leaves. Just do very simple drawings |
| frequently come up with my own designs with no | | | | with simple color schemes.As you practice the |
| particular source of inspiration.First, let's clarify the | | | | above techniques, it will be easier and easier to |
| word cartoon. I'm not referring to drawing | | | | draw designs starting on an empty page. The |
| cartoon characters although the word is the same | | | | page is your canvas, it's there to serve you, so |
| word. My use of the word cartoon is more in the | | | | let things happen. If you love the color purple, use |
| sense of a pattern drawn on a large piece of | | | | only shades of purple, then add a little black here |
| paper (usually 18" x 24").There are many ways to | | | | and there, with some soft greys.Once you get |
| practice turning on the creative juices. It always | | | | comfortable with the process of creating designs, |
| starts with a blank piece of paper. Now instead of | | | | begin to look at the overall balance of the various |
| deciding to draw anything in particular, I just pick | | | | elements you have created. Could they be |
| up a pencil or pen, place the pencil on the paper | | | | smaller, larger? Could they be placed in a different |
| somewhere and let the flow begin.One technique | | | | area of the paper and have a greater visual |
| is to draw a rectangle somewhere in the middle | | | | impact? Could you add a bright lime-yellow to |
| of the paper. Now you have certain defined | | | | make the other colors pop?Another technique is |
| spaces to fill with straight lines, curvy lines, groups | | | | to take an abstract drawing you've created, cut |
| of lines, shapes, repetition of shapes or free | | | | the paper in strips or any kind of pieces you |
| flow.The center space can be filled with circles of | | | | want, then re-assemble the drawing in a new |
| various sizes, a simple leaf design or triangular | | | | way. Look at the overall effect. Do you want the |
| shapes. Shapes can be repeated in various ways | | | | shapes to pop? Do you want the colors to be |
| by changing the sizes of the shapes. The outside | | | | more dominant? Does your design have energy |
| space around the edge of the paper can also be | | | | and flow to it? What do you want to convey with |
| filled with similar shapes or just drawn curvy lines | | | | your drawing?Practice the above process as |
| or straight lines.At this point, I don't think about | | | | often as you can. I try to draw something on a |
| placement or an actual design, just let the process | | | | daily basis and a lot of times I do this late at night |
| of drawing take place.After you have created | | | | before going to bed or early in the morning |
| some shapes and lines, begin using colored pencils | | | | before my busy day begins. Find a slot of time |
| or crayons to fill in these spaces. Use three colors | | | | for your creative juices to beging blossoming. I |
| to start with, use three colors that you really like. | | | | really believe that becoming creative (in whatever |
| Then add variations of these colors, lighter and | | | | medium you choose) requires practice, practice, |
| darker, softer and brighter. You would be | | | | practice. Soon you will find your inner voice and |
| surprised what can happen in this process.These | | | | direction for your art to express itself.Happy |
| images that you're creating are mostly abstracts | | | | sketching! Take time for you! Good Luck! |