How to draw cartoon girls?

Being able to draw realistic-looking characters is a skill that a lot of people wish they could master. This step-by-step easy drawing tutorial will explain how to draw female characters - and the technique required to perfect the skill of cartoon drawing.

The first steps

Step one
To begin with, it is worth the time to find an image that can be used as a reference guide.
This can be a photograph or a cartoon and is intended to fill in the gaps when it comes to detail and shading. To draw a cartoon person, start with the outline of the figure.
Separate the sections into shapes - sketch an oval for the head, a thin rectangle for the neck, a curved rectangle for the torso and long rectangles for the legs and arms, adding some more ovals for the feet and hands.
It's important to start simple, so stay patient and build up the picture slowly.

Hair styling

Step two
Female cartoon characters always have eccentric hairstyles!
Don't feel restricted when it comes to the hair - be as creative and wild as possible! Like the rest of the body, separate the hair into sections and shapes to begin with. Simple curved lines may seem straightforward, but placed correctly, they can look as effective as detailed textures.
Remember, each style will require a different method - keep the lines simple and experiment to see what looks best.

Adding further detail

Step three
This is where the creativity really kicks in.
Deciding what the character is going to wear can be as simple as adding sleeves at the top of the arm and flares at the bottom of the legs, or more detailed designs such as skirts.
Even though these shapes are exceptionally simple, the image will be coming together with every added detail.

Add some complexity

Step four
Up to now, all the sections of the body have been simple lines and shapes.
This remains true, but to add further detail, these shapes need to become more intricate.
For the hands, experiment with curved triangles until the shape of the palm and fingers is correct.
Add in fingers that may have been missed, but don't forget that cartoons don't have to be ultra realistic!
Do the same for the rest of the body, adding pockets to jeans and tongues to the shoes. Feel free to add creative designs and styles to the clothing to make the girl cartoon unique!

The face

Step five
Finish by adding in the face, drawing ovals for the eyes, a small triangle for the nose and curves for a mouth.
Don't forget to add eyebrows, eyelashes and lips to complete the image.