Discover Your Character
Have you ever doodled a funny face in the margin of a notebook and wondered how to make it “come to life”? Welcome to Cartooning Basics, a relaxed, two-session workshop designed to show you that anyone can create a memorable character. You don’t need to be a “fine artist” to be a cartoonist; you just need a bit of imagination and a few simple tricks of the trade.
Over two fun, four-hour sessions, we will explore the building blocks of cartooning. We start with the “Power of Shapes,” discovering how simple circles, squares, and triangles can instantly give a character personality before you even draw a face. You’ll learn the secrets of expressive features—how a slight tilt of an eyebrow or the shape of a mouth can tell an entire story.
This course is all about “drawing with personality.” We will practice “squashing and stretching” our characters to show emotion and using simple lines to create a sense of movement. Whether you want to draw for your grandkids, create your own avatars, or just find a new creative outlet, this course provides a supportive space to play, experiment, and find your unique drawing style.
No prior experience is necessary—just bring a pencil and your sense of humour!
Learning Outcomes:
- By the end of this short course, students will be able to:
- Identify and utilize “The Big Three” shapes (circles, squares, and triangles) to build a character’s silhouette and personality from scratch
- Apply basic facial construction techniques to ensure characters remain consistent and recognizable from different angles
- Demonstrate a range of core emotions by manipulating eyebrows, eye shapes, and mouth positions using the “squash and stretch” principle
- Create a sense of movement in static drawings using a “Line of Action” to make characters appear to be walking, jumping, or gesturing
- Develop a unique “Visual Voice” by experimenting with different line weights, nose/eye styles, and exaggerated proportions
- Complete a polished character model sheet that features an original creation in a variety of expressive poses and simple outfits
What to bring:
- A4 or A3 Sketchbook: A plain paper visual diary (approx. 110gsm) is ideal. Avoid lined notebook paper if possible
- Graphite Pencils: A standard HB for light sketching and a 2B or 4B for darker, softer lines
- Eraser: A plastic or vinyl eraser (and a kneaded eraser if you have one) for cleaning up sketches
- Pencil Sharpener: A small handheld one to keep your lines crisp
- Black Fine-liner Pens: At least two sizes (e.g., a 0.5mm for details and a 1.0mm or a Sharpie for bold outlines)
- A Ruler: A simple 30cm ruler for framing your character or drawing "ground lines"
- Optional – Colour: A small set of coloured pencils or markers if you’d like to add a splash of colour to your final design
- Your Imagination: Feel free to bring along a few examples of your favourite cartoons or characters for inspiration!
Art Supplies Discount:
As a bonus for learning Art with SGSCC, all enrolled students are entitled to a generous 10% discount off the purchase of art supplies when they shop in-store at Eckersley’s Art & Craft, Taren Point!
View Eckersley's Website for product ideas.
About the Tutor:
'Peter Vasic is a professional artist and caricaturist with over 30 years of experience capturing the essence of personality through the art of the “Toon.” As the talent behind Peter Caricatures, Peter has spent decades honing the ability to see the unique character in every face and translate it into a dynamic, engaging drawing.
A veteran of live caricature and studio illustration, Peter brings a wealth of practical, real-world knowledge to the classroom. His teaching style is high-energy, encouraging, and focused on the “visual shorthand” that makes a character pop. Peter specializes in breaking down the intimidating parts of drawing—like anatomy and expression—into simple, repeatable shapes that anyone can master. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned doodler, Peter is dedicated to helping you find your own creative spark and showing you that with a few “pro” tricks, anyone can bring a character to life on the page.'
- To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
- All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled before the commencement and you will be informed.
