Basic Cartoon Heads

Creating cartoon heads is really a lot of fun. In this tutorial we'll create one shape that will get you started in creating many different types of heads for your cartoons. We'll be working with vector shapes.

Create a new blank image 400x400. Create a new vector layer. Choose a black stroke style and a fill color of your choice for the skin color.

Draw a circle shape making sure you have Create as Vector selected in the Tool Options palette..

Create a new vector layer. Create another Vector shape, more oval this time partially over the circle.

Create a new vector layer. Turn off the Stroke style and create a new oval over the first two covering the line that runs through the middle.

Create a new vector layer. Create another vector oval for an ear. Copy it and paste it to a new layer. Position them both and from the Objects menu>Arrange>Send to Back.

I like to get an idea of where I'm at to place the features so I create a new layer and draw two red lines. The intersection of these two lines should be in the center of the first circle we created.

Your features don't have to rest on that line, it's just a guide.

Using the Ellipse tool and on a new vector layer create an eye. Copy and paste it to a new layer. Position both eyes.

Create a new vector layer and create a nose and position it.

We don't want that nose bridge to be there so turn off Stroke style and draw an oval on a new vector layer to cover it up.

Using the Ellipse tool create an oval on a new vector layer. Click on the Vector Selection tool and then Node Edit from the Tool Options palette. Using the nodes shape the mouth.

Placing each on a new vector layer, add highlights to your eyes.

There you have it. A very basic cartoon head. Below are some more examples of cartoon heads.

When you're all done you can save each head to the Shapes library for use later. To do that:

1. Select all the pieces of your head.
2. Right click on the head and choose Group.
3. On the Tool Options palette choose Properties and name the Group.
    I usually name it the same as I am going to name the group for the library.
4. From the File menu choose Export>Shape.
5. Name the Shape.
6. Paint Shop Pro will create the shape in the shapes library so you'll always have it handy without having to recreate it.

Copyright Vikki Olds, All Rights Reserved