Introduction: How to Draw Marvin the Martian (from Looney Tunes)
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About: This profile is comprised of the instructions written by my Composition 101 students. The assignment was intent to get them thinking about how to explain and teach how to complete a given process to a group. …
This Instructable will teach you how to draw the classic cartoon, Marvin the Martian.
Step 1: Materials Needed:
You don't need many materials to draw cartoons. All you need to draw Marvin is a blank sheet of paper and a pencil (with a good eraser!)
Step 2: The Basic Anatomy
Drawing Marvin the Martian is really pretty simple.
1) First, draw a nearly-perfect circle in the top-middle region of your paper. Make a spherical grid on this circle, so it appears 3D (refer to the 1st image).
2) Sketch a long-jelly-bean shaped oval diagonally under the circle (refer to the 2nd image).
3) Draw a skinny pair of legs at the bottom of this oval. Marvin's body is somewhat disproportionate, so the legs need to be pretty thin (refer to 3rd image).
4) As stated before, Marvin has a disproportionate body, just like almost every cartoon character. Draw the feet pretty big at the bottom of the legs. They should face opposite directions, and they should be eye-shaped (refer to 4th image).
1) First, draw a nearly-perfect circle in the top-middle region of your paper. Make a spherical grid on this circle, so it appears 3D (refer to the 1st image).
2) Sketch a long-jelly-bean shaped oval diagonally under the circle (refer to the 2nd image).
3) Draw a skinny pair of legs at the bottom of this oval. Marvin's body is somewhat disproportionate, so the legs need to be pretty thin (refer to 3rd image).
4) As stated before, Marvin has a disproportionate body, just like almost every cartoon character. Draw the feet pretty big at the bottom of the legs. They should face opposite directions, and they should be eye-shaped (refer to 4th image).
Step 3: The Torso
Drawing Marvin the Martian's torso may seem odd at first, but don't worry. It'll make sense in a couple steps.
1) Draw a ring around the bottom part of the jelly-bean shape. Analogously speaking, this would look like the ring around Saturn. Draw a slightly curved line on the bottom-middle part of the jelly bean. Refer to the first image for help.
2) Drawing the arms might take a couple tries. The arms are like the legs - very skinny. First, start with the left arm. This arm bends down to an almost-90-degree angle. The right arm has a much more gradual curve, and appears longer. Refer to the second image for help visualizing the arms.
1) Draw a ring around the bottom part of the jelly-bean shape. Analogously speaking, this would look like the ring around Saturn. Draw a slightly curved line on the bottom-middle part of the jelly bean. Refer to the first image for help.
2) Drawing the arms might take a couple tries. The arms are like the legs - very skinny. First, start with the left arm. This arm bends down to an almost-90-degree angle. The right arm has a much more gradual curve, and appears longer. Refer to the second image for help visualizing the arms.
Step 4: The Head and the Helmet
Drawing Marvin's head and helmet is probably the most difficult part of this Instructable. Be ready to use your eraser to get things just right. If needed, try drawing his head on scratch paper for practice.
1) The first thing to draw is Marvin's eyes. This is where your spherical grid comes in handy. As seen in image 1, the eyes are tall ovals on either side of the middle line, on the top. Drawing eyes is usually a very frustrating process, as you must get them perfect or Marvin will look very strange. Try drawing pairs of eyes on scratch paper before placing them on Marvin. The eye on the left should be a little smaller than the eye on the right.
Next, draw the front of Marvin's helmet. This part requires some visualization, so refer to Image 1 below. This part of the helmet covers Marvin's forehead and seems to cover his ears, if Martians have ears.
2) Draw a line right alongside the bottom of the helmet you just drew, to shadow it and give it a 3D effect. Shadow the back of Marvin's head as well. See Image 2 for visualization.
3) As seen in Image 3, draw the two sides of Marvin's helmet. These parts run alongside the bottom of Marvin's circular head, at the jawline. The one on the right is more complicated; it connects up to the ear cover and to the back of the head.
4) Drawing the top part of Marvin's helmet is like drawing a graduation cap. Make a little rectangle on the top-right part of the head, and then behind this draw what looks like a piece of Trident gum. See Image 4 for visualization.
5) On top of the graduation cap, it seems Marvin is wearing a broom. Draw a rectangle on the top part of the graduation cap, and then draw a curved rectangle on the side. Draw various-sized tick marks on these rectangles to make it appear like a broom.
1) The first thing to draw is Marvin's eyes. This is where your spherical grid comes in handy. As seen in image 1, the eyes are tall ovals on either side of the middle line, on the top. Drawing eyes is usually a very frustrating process, as you must get them perfect or Marvin will look very strange. Try drawing pairs of eyes on scratch paper before placing them on Marvin. The eye on the left should be a little smaller than the eye on the right.
Next, draw the front of Marvin's helmet. This part requires some visualization, so refer to Image 1 below. This part of the helmet covers Marvin's forehead and seems to cover his ears, if Martians have ears.
2) Draw a line right alongside the bottom of the helmet you just drew, to shadow it and give it a 3D effect. Shadow the back of Marvin's head as well. See Image 2 for visualization.
3) As seen in Image 3, draw the two sides of Marvin's helmet. These parts run alongside the bottom of Marvin's circular head, at the jawline. The one on the right is more complicated; it connects up to the ear cover and to the back of the head.
4) Drawing the top part of Marvin's helmet is like drawing a graduation cap. Make a little rectangle on the top-right part of the head, and then behind this draw what looks like a piece of Trident gum. See Image 4 for visualization.
5) On top of the graduation cap, it seems Marvin is wearing a broom. Draw a rectangle on the top part of the graduation cap, and then draw a curved rectangle on the side. Draw various-sized tick marks on these rectangles to make it appear like a broom.
Step 5: Guns and Hands
This is the last real drawing part of creating Marvin the Martian. In this step, you will draw the cartoon-y hands and gun that Marvin is so notorious for.
1) As in the first image, start out drawing a plain rectangle underneath the left jawline part of Marvin's helmet. From this rectangle, make the barrel of the gun (the smaller rectangle). Also draw a curved handle to his gun. This part is relatively easy.
2) Let's start with the right hand. Draw a small, vertical oval at the end of Marvin's right arm. From here, make a "W" shape starting at the bottom of the oval. Curve the end of the "W" up to form the rest of the hand. Draw lines for fingers, and hook the top of the hand back to the original oval.
Next, the left hand. Make three horizontal ovals on the left side of the gun handle. Then draw a diagonal "thumb" finger on the right side of the handle. See image 2 for visualization.
1) As in the first image, start out drawing a plain rectangle underneath the left jawline part of Marvin's helmet. From this rectangle, make the barrel of the gun (the smaller rectangle). Also draw a curved handle to his gun. This part is relatively easy.
2) Let's start with the right hand. Draw a small, vertical oval at the end of Marvin's right arm. From here, make a "W" shape starting at the bottom of the oval. Curve the end of the "W" up to form the rest of the hand. Draw lines for fingers, and hook the top of the hand back to the original oval.
Next, the left hand. Make three horizontal ovals on the left side of the gun handle. Then draw a diagonal "thumb" finger on the right side of the handle. See image 2 for visualization.
Step 6: Cosmetics
This is the final part of this process. This is where you can add details you think look good. The three main parts are 1) the gun, 2) the skirt-thing, and 3) the shoes. Lastly, erase overlapped lines.
1) The gun is pretty simple to decorate. Draw two horizontal, parallel lines on the main part of the gun. Draw a little doohickey on the rear of the gun that protrudes out over Marvin's hand. Draw some lines or ovals on the barrel of the gun, and top it off with a little aim-stick thing on the end.
2) Draw triangles on Marvin's skirt. Then shadow the skirt to give it the 3D effect.
3) Draw the traction on the bottom of Marvin's space shoes. Then draw the top part where the laces are. If you like, draw a small design or two on the sides of the shoes.
4) Look at your overall drawing and see where lines intersect or overlap. Carefully erase the portions that should be hidden.
Congrats! You have now drawn Marvin the Martian.
1) The gun is pretty simple to decorate. Draw two horizontal, parallel lines on the main part of the gun. Draw a little doohickey on the rear of the gun that protrudes out over Marvin's hand. Draw some lines or ovals on the barrel of the gun, and top it off with a little aim-stick thing on the end.
2) Draw triangles on Marvin's skirt. Then shadow the skirt to give it the 3D effect.
3) Draw the traction on the bottom of Marvin's space shoes. Then draw the top part where the laces are. If you like, draw a small design or two on the sides of the shoes.
4) Look at your overall drawing and see where lines intersect or overlap. Carefully erase the portions that should be hidden.
Congrats! You have now drawn Marvin the Martian.
