In this article I’m going to go through the step-by-step process of creating this cartoon.
1. Initial rough sketch
The idea of having a crocodile accompany someonw on a fishing trip suddenly popped into my head, so I thought it would be a fun one to draw.
2. Outline of the characters
I used the technical pen in ProCreate to create the outline.
3. Outlining the background
I’ve now added the background elements, such as the river, riverbanks, trees etc.
4. Colouring the characters
I coloured the characters using digital watercolour washes, setting the opacity at 30% and then building up the tones.
5. Colouring the water and sky
The wash process was then repeated to colour the sky and river.
6. Colouring the rest of the background
And again for the rest of the background.
7. Adding shadow and hatching
To give the picture more depth, I first added some shadow, and then layered some hatching on top of this. I really like the effect this creates.
8. The finished cartoon
I felt that there was too much green in the picture, so I decided to give the woman a reddish-brown jacket to add some contrast.
What’s next?
I put out a Cartoon Newsletter, which as well as containing a whole host of different characters, also contains occasional cartooning tips. Add your name and e-mail to the orange box below and I’ll wing a copy your way.