This inspiring book provides a detailed guide to drawing your own cartoons.Divided into four main sections. The first, Materials and Methods, introduces traditional techniques, such as testing the effects of different pencils on a range of paper surfaces and explores patterns that can be made with pen strokes. The various colouring techniques are also demonstrated and shown in clear exercises designed to help bring your characters to life. The second section, Drawing Characters, provides guidance on how to create characters from how to show a range of facial expressions and using different shaped heads to drawing hands, feet, shoes and clothing. One of the greatest challenges is to make a static image appear to move. There are plenty of tips in this section showing how to do inject life into your characters. The third section, The Cartoon Environment, explains the importance of viewpoint, perspective, lighting, scale, focus and mood, and how to place your characters in believable words which bring them to life and tell their story. The final section includes a range of projects which offer the opportunity to practice the disciplines your have learned, from portraying children and teenagers to creating a sinister narrative and using colour to spotlight. Throughout the book there are over 1000 amazing drawings and 65 step-by-step exercises which show the beginner how to build and develop their skills and also to polish their existing abilities and give shape to your creations.