Are you a beginning artist looking to build your skills? This step by step video tutorial of a 1/2 cartoon digital portrait is a great activity to develop your skills. This tutorial shows how to use layers, opacity, blending, and more! It’s fairly easy, yet produces a really cool result! This post includes materials list, video tutorial, and step by step photos with instructions for artists who would like to work at their own pace.
* Hey educators! Scroll below to purchase this ready-for-class instructional lesson.*
Interested in more digital drawing tutorials? Check out posts on how to digitally draw a misty forest and digitally tag a graffiti wall.
Materials Needed:
In my tutorial, I will be using a free web-based drawing program, www.kleki.com. I love this program for beginners because it is so user friendly and focuses on the essentials. However, you may use any digital drawing program of your choice.
I highly recommend if you are a newbie to digital drawing that you invest in a digital drawing tablet. My personal favorite is the Wacom Intuos. To be honest, it’s the first and only drawing tablet I’ve ever had. I just love it. The set up is easy, it’s petite but effective, and the stylus has a great feel on the tablet surface. There are lots of pressure points and I just love the response of my marks to the computer.
Video Tutorial:
Step by step photos with instructions:
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.43.20-PM.png?resize=900%2C468&ssl=1)
Step 1- Go to file tab > import > choose the photo you wish to use > choose ‘as a layer’
Stetch to fit your canvas.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.43.32-PM.png?resize=900%2C461&ssl=1)
Step 2- Remove any excess canvas, if needed. Go to edit > crop
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.44.52-PM.png?resize=900%2C464&ssl=1)
Step 3- Go to Layers > select your photograph layer. Drag the opacity bar to about 25% to make it more translucent.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.44.34-PM-1.png?resize=900%2C468&ssl=1)
Step 4- Go to Layers > Click the + sign to add a layer > rename this layer outline.
*PRO TIP* Make sure this layer is ABOVE your photo layer.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.45.19-PM.png?resize=900%2C847&ssl=1)
Step 5: Creatively draw a line that divides your photograph in half. It can be straight, curvy, or maybe you come up with another creative way to divide your space.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.45.35-PM.png?resize=900%2C460&ssl=1)
Step 6: Outline the contours of your photograph. Focus on getting all the details drawn by zooming in.
PROTIP: Make sure you are on the outline layer. You DO NOT want to draw on the photograph layer.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.46.10-PM.png?resize=900%2C484&ssl=1)
Step 7: Go to Layers > Add a layer + > Rename it ‘COLOR’
PROTIP: Be sure to drag this layer below your outline layer to ensure that you can still see black lines on top when adding colors.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.46.31-PM-1.png?resize=900%2C737&ssl=1)
Step 8– Add your color! Get creative with colors!
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.46.44-PM.png?resize=900%2C461&ssl=1)
Step 9- Go to Layers > Add a new layer + > Rename it background color.
Drag this layer BELOW your color layer.
![half cartoon digital portrait step](https://i0.wp.com/makeamarkstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-25-at-12.46.54-PM.png?resize=900%2C944&ssl=1)
Step 10: Creatively add your color to your background. Explore patterns and value. Be sure to go to FILE > SAVE when you are finished.
*Hey teachers!* Click here for my TpT shop if you’re interested in this lesson, which features a full slideshow presentation and a project specific grading rubric.
I would love to see your finished work! Feel free to email me at makeamarkstudios@gmail.com or tag me @makeamark_studios. Thanks for checking this out!
-Stephanie Villiotis