Drawing Tutorial for Character Concepts (Races)

This tutorial is designed to help with 2D sketch art. I have been drawings for over 15 years and in that time I developed many new techniques and styles to help me portray the image I wanted to create. During my path as an artist I have mainly specialised in Character Design/Concept art. Ranging from Dwarven Priests to Troll Marauders, any inspiration from movies, games, and my own imagination has helped me design all kinds of things. Below is techniques I use when drawing certain types of characters. In this tutorial I will focus on Dwarves, Elves and Trolls. Take note that everything written in this tutorial is my opinion.

DWARVES: Okay, so we're all well aware of Dwarves nowadays, especially with the success of Lord of the Rings. The hairy, stout, stubborn warriors are known to dwell underground. Below mountains, in mines, anywhere subterranean, these guys will want to take refuge. They're a short but very stocky race so it helps to draw them with large hands and feet to give them a staunch look. They generally wear very thick, heavy armour so giving them plenty of protection is always an easy way to cover them up and also give them a unique design. I like to give them massive beards with plaits all throughout; this helps to gives them charisma. Next, a chunky helmet that fits squarely on their head will look great, even throw a giant family crest on top so the Dwarf can proudly display his heritage which they are so fond of doing. So now you've got a staunch, hairy, bulky guy with armour that looks heavier than he does. Now, give him a weapon that only the strength of a Dwarf could handle. Giant axes, hammers and maces all go very well with the Dwarf. One-handed or two-handed weapons are fine but if you go one-handed make sure to give him a large shield with a family crest on it- something, to give him more protection. The armour will take up most of the drawing so give it intricacy. Chain mail suits Dwarves and adding robes on top looks great. With the shoulder-pads, go wild. Think massive, over-the-top sized armour. Exaggerate the armour and you will create a very proud looking Dwarf.

ELVES: Yep, another race inspired from Lord of the Rings. Elves are pretty much the main race people think of when they hear the word 'fantasy'. They have been adapted to nearly every fantasy story since the dawning of fiction so the different ways to draw Elves are endless. But, let us focus on the tall Elves generally associated with video games and movies. They are tall, lean and very intelligent beings so you would want to create an Elf character with all of these traits. With clothing, clad them in as little armour as possible. Try enhance their physique by letting the clothing wrap around every contour of their body. If you want have them without a helmet, which suits Elves better in my opinion, then give them very wavy, long hair that looks likes it carries no weight. Their facial features should be very feminine be it male of female you're drawing. Give their eyes a downward angle like you would a cats eyes and make their nose and lips gentle. I like to use a certain body technique that works great with lean characters on all the Elves I draw and it is quite simple. From the underarm, draw the side of the body so when the line hits where the waist would be drawn, the waist comes out far from the chest. Think of it like you're pushing your waist out from your body, but so it looks natural and almost lankly. From this bent body, draw the arms long and flowing so they seem like slinky attachments but with momentum. With weapons it's best to stick with swords, daggers, but they look best with a long bow that stands just as tall as them.

TROLLS: Think of thick, strong beasts. The Troll can either be a pimply, lanky bridge-dweller or a giant fiend with a presence to encourage fear. Trolls look best when they are massive and wide with a spiked mace that is bigger than their head. Try not to give the Troll any armour or clothing, apart from maybe a loincloth or a pair of ripped pants, but with this character, focus more on the skin and facial features. Starting with the face. Make sure they look menacing. Draw their mouth wide open to display all their jagged teeth and/or a tongue drenched in saliva. Their eyes should probably be small and filled with a black pupil. The anger and emotion should be put mostly into the brow and forehead, this makes them look meaner. Their nose can be disfigured or even nonexistent. If you give them a nose make it look like its been punched in by a rock wall and show some nostril to make it look visually unpleasing. If you decide to use armour give the Troll a helmet and spiky shoulder pads, generally focus the armour on the upper-torso because all of the Troll's might is used with its arms. With the legs, draw them small just so they look big and brawny enough to support its weight. Doing this will emphasize the Troll's shoulders a upper strength. Now the skin. Giving a rough, coarse texture to the skin works great. Make the Troll have clumps of rocky patches all over its skin. Picture the skin as an ocean in the middle of a storm and the rocky patches like cragged islands of stone. Increase the amount of patches on the Troll's shoulders and give it a cross-hatched effect. If you do all this right you will find a very mean, angry Troll when you are finished.

I hope this small tutorial helped. Remember that a character is given it's look by the way to use the pencil also. If you want a mean characters, use jagged lines and a sketchy effect. If you want a nice character, be gentle on the pencil and use smooth lines and curves. Now, get drawing and create the fantasy heroes and villains you always imagined.