So. I want to learn how to draw in a Disneyesque style. Any tips?

[abigaillmartin]

So here’s something that I have been thinking about learning for a while now. Mainly inspired by what I see on Pinterest and stuff.
I want to learn how to draw in a Disney style. I don’t know how to describe it. But here are some things I have seen that inspired me to do in this style.

Something along the lines of this:

Any tips?

[Lensing]

My first digital drawing course that I learned from was from Paris Christou, he
has a very Disney influenced style and is a great and fun teacher.
I can recommend doing one of his courses.

[ryoko]

Google Disney character reference sheets from the 80s and 90s given the style you're looking for and do lots of practice. Don't worry about getting it prefect, just practice copying what you see for flow of lines and how they place different facial features etc

[KevinReijnders]

Study the works of Glen Keane, he's pretty much the father of the modern Disney style.

[abigaillmartin]

Thanks guys.
I’ll look into these artists when I have the chance

[jwabeasley]

Former Disney animator Tom Bancroft is very active online and has several tutorials about how to draw in a Disney style, including a bunch about how he thinks about drawing that you might find helpful.

[abigaillmartin]

Any female ones?

(I have 20 characters)

[jwabeasley]

Women Disney animators, or artists who draw female characters? I'm sure you can find some women animators, but I don't know of any who are active offhand. All of the animators mentioned have drawn female characters from time to time.

[abigaillmartin]

Honestly I don’t know what I meant. Thank you though

[ambermdo]

I learned from using the 'How to Draw Disney Characters' books. I also use movie screenshots as references for my characters' poses

[abigaillmartin]

Ooo! Where can I get it?

[ambermdo]

You can try looking in bookstores or online

[abigaillmartin]

… I tried

… I got the shapes?

I guess. Okay I got a basic idea.
I’ll go look for that book

[abigaillmartin]

Yeah… I tried

This is how I practice…

[BoomerZ]

My art is very Disney like. I would suggest looking up Glen Keane model sheets for females. His faces and emotion are fantastic.

[jwabeasley]

It's a good start. Disney style can be very difficult to learn if you don't already have rock solid life drawing skills.

The main focus for Disney style illustration is gesture and line confidence, on top of a foundation of good draftsmanship, anatomy, etc. You need to think about how the whole form fits together in each movement and be able to express that in a confident line or two.

For those faces, think about how that jawline could be done with a single confident line that produces a clear shape. See it as a three dimensional shape that can be from any angle instead of just 3/4 or front view. In the sketching phase, don't be averse to trying the same line several times before you actually touch pen to paper.

[abigaillmartin]

Hmm

Is this what you mean?

Same shape but can easily be put in profile and other angles with the same shape?

[abigaillmartin]

Yeah… it’s a lot harder without basic anatomy stuff.
I just never could get to that point even after more than ten years of drawing.

[KevinReijnders]

MMmh, it looks good, but it feels more similar to your clone high style. Personally I think the overall shape language is too angular to read as (general) Disney (off course they also have had their movies with VERY angular shape language, Atlantis for instance) but going by your example in the OP, I'd say you gotta go rounder and even make the eyes bigger.

[jwabeasley]

It's better, but see how you're constructing the jaw and cheek out of ~3 lines? Try and do that with one single stroke. It will take some practice.

Yeah… it’s a lot harder without basic anatomy stuff.I just never could get to that point even after more than ten years of drawing.

It does take some effort - but an okayish anatomy drawing skill can be gained in a semester or any life drawing course, especially if you put your focus in. The best practice for this is just to draw other people from life, especially when they don't know it. Just go to a public place with your sketchbook and draw whoever's interesting, quickly before they move.

Good anatomy and life drawing are great for any artist, and essential if you want to be a cartoonist.