How to Illustrate a LeBron James Cartoon Character
Download Source Files
Hello fellow vector artists, I am a cartoonist/illustrator who specialized in retro style vector cartoons. You can find more of my work and books at my web site. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how I use Adobe Illustrator to create vector cartoons.
Introduction
I am a freelance independent cartoonist specializing in vector based retro cartoons and character designs for magazines, skateboard deck designs, and packaging designs. I have a somewhat complicated process because I don’t use strokes or brushes on most of my shapes. I prefer to have shapes sit on top of other shapes so that I can easily vary the line weights.
Final Image Preview
Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month. You can view the large version here.
Sketch
I start by scanning in the hand drawn sketch. I scan my images at 300 dpi and use levels to clean up the images. I usually sketch with Sanford Terra Cotta col-erase color pencils and tighten up the sketch with blue lead mechanical pencils.
Step 1
I start by importing the scanned image into a 7" by 8" CYMK Illustrator file. I color in CYMK because all my images are designed to be printed.
Step 2
I set the layer with the drawing to Template in the Layer Options palette. I then dim the image somewhere between 30 to 45%.
Step 3
After zooming in I Use the Pen Tool to trace a silhouette of each element of the figure. I set the Pen Tool to No Fill and a stroke of .25 pt. I usually work from background to foreground with my elements.
Step 4
Here I have traced the outline of the figures main body.
Step 5
Next I duplicate the shape and draw a slightly smaller shape inside the larger shape. The larger shape will act as an outline to the smaller shape. I think most artist use strokes, but I don’t like uniform lines around my shapes. I like them to have varied line weights.
Step 6
Since the left arm is in front of the rest of the body, I put it on its own layer.
Step 7
Next I use the Ellipse Tool to redraw the basketball. After making concentric circles, I use the Pen Tool to make the T shape of the basketball. I then increase the stroke to 4 pt. Then I used Expand under the Object menu to change the lines to shapes.
Step 8
The head and sweat band are also on their own layers, with the sweat band on top of the "head" layer. Areas of black like the hair and beard are made up of one shape not two.
Step 9
Next I trace the facial features.
Step 10
While tracing the uniform I use the "Haettenschweiler" font to duplicate the numbers.
Step 11
Here I added and traced the LeBron James logo.
Step 12
With the tracing complete, I switch the objects from Stroke to Fill. The white filled shapes are sitting on top of the black filled shapes. The black shapes act as outlines for the white shapes.
Step 13
Next I open up the Pantone palette and choose the base colors for the objects. I replace the white color in the object with the base colors.
Step 14
I replace most of my black lines with a dark shade of the base color. Here I used a darker version of the orange in the basketball.
Step 15
With the base coloring complete I next use gradients to add highlights to the objects.
Step 16
Here I have created a smaller circle within the basketball. I create a gradient with a lighter version of the base color blending to the base color. I organize my colors in color groups based on the objects like skin, clothing and in this case a basketball.
Step 17
Here I used a light yellow orange to add some reflected light to the basketball.
Step 18
I use the Pen Tool to create highlight shapes. As with the basketball, I blend a lighter color into the base color.
Step 19
I have found that the key to getting color to blend nicely in the gradients is to covert your colors from Spot colors to Process colors in the Swatch Options.
Step 20
I use the lighter color to add highlights where I think light would hit first.
Step 21
The image is almost complete. I add a couple of hard shadows to make some features pop. The shadows are darker than the base color, but lighter than outline color.
Step 22
Finally, I make a copy of all the layers onto one new layer behind all the other layers. I merge all the elements into one big silhouette. This is one of the few items I stroke to add a black outline around the entire image.
Final Image
The final image is below. You can view the large version here.
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very nice! have to try that soon!
cheers!
Very nice character design – i definitely dig the method you used on step 5 to anti-uniform the outline of the character. Very useful trick, Brown
Thanks for sharing !
Instead of outlining it again you can go to Object > Path Offset Path
Thanks, Jonathan – i am aware of the this option though. It was more the anti-uniform part in the outlining of the character i thought was a nice trick. Thanks, anyhow
+ the copy+paste in front, is a wee bit quicker
Very nice character. Thanks for sharing this tutorial
Great Tutorial,
Easy to follow, well Explained.
Thanks
Awesome tut, It’s always great to see how other illustrators work. Thanks
Great result! James looks so funny xD but where are the source files?
Awesome result and great description of steps! In step 5 you mention not using strokes. I’ve seen other tutorials that use brush strokes where it results in varying line weights. Just thought I’d mention it!
Great tut! I wonder how this would look with the Mesh tool involved, now that would be something to see.
Nice illustration style!
The ears seems kind of weird but nice tutorial none the less.
If you haven’t checked out this guy’s website…you need to now! Seriously, one of the best illustrators out there today. There’s not a single technique here that cannot be applied to any other project you may have. Thanks, WB!
Agreed.
I purchased three prints from Wardell’s Guitard Legends series a few months ago. They’re hanging above the couch in our family room. VERY nice work!
Doh. That was supposed to say Guitar, not Guitard.
Do I need Plus membership to get source files of this image? Can anyone help me?
“You can find the Source files in the directory labeled “source” that came in the files that you downloaded” Where are these files?
I fixed the language there. And yes you do need to be a Vector Plus member. Thx.
Funny and awesome result! He seems too cheeky, but the final result is great!
Love your work, thanks for sharing this with us
Draw
Colour in illustrator
While cool these are really getting boring. The majority of your readership would fail the first step.
Josh. This tutorial isn’t targeted at beginning illustrators, though they may find it inspirational. You’ve outlined the most basic approach here, to draw and color in Illustrator.
It’s the nuances that intermediate to advanced illustrators will find interesting in this tutorial. Also, seeing how a pro works is great. It often gives you a tip, approach, or technique that you hadn’t considered.
We do have plenty of tuts aimed at beginners here on the site though. Thx.
thanks .good tutorial
good
Man o man those are some big lips.
nice illustration..thats awesome..
this tutorial is racist…you should have titled your post “How to Illustrate a Monkey” instead!
@Paul Davis – I disagree. Saying that this is “racist” implies that the image is somehow derogatory. This is a playful image, done by a serious artist, and done in a respected style as a caricature.
In caricatures features are commonly exaggerated for effect. In this case, I think the effect is fun, rather than offensive. I think the spirit behind this is possitive and should be looked at in that light. Just look at the fun tattoos on the arm for example, which complement the cartoony feel of the piece. That’s my interpretation. Your certainly welcome to your interpretation. Thx.
Not to mention Wardell Brown is black, himself.
Wardell is anything but racist.
He is African American, and one of the most pleasant and respectful Cartoonists I know.
racist..lips are HUGE! haha
Killer tutorial. Kick ASS portfolio.
This was amazing….TFS!
Excellent work but i don’t like the basket ball, it looks little flat and the gradient doesn’t work well.
very timely tutorial with the playoff success of the Cavs
Very helpful tutorial! Thanks for sharing
Although I don’t really understand step 5. “Next I duplicate the shape and draw a slightly smaller shape inside the larger shape.”
Do you duplicate the shape? Does it has something to do with the Pathfinder shape modes?
In the end you have 1 big black shape for the outline and 1 white smaller shape for filling the inside right?
Thanks in advance!
great mate
This looks sweet. The only thing about this is you gotta have drawing skills as well.
Come on guys, no need to be racist. This is just an illustration. Anyway its cool.
I glad I read through… picked up a few tips. I do vector cartoon illustrations for a living also. Some of your thins bother me (i.e. the left arm and had, especially where it meets the chest) but since I do styleguide work, it’s in my nature to be overly picky. I bookmarked your site for sure!
Great job. Thanks for the share.
great tutorial!.
thanks for sharing.. i’ve learned a lot from this one. ^^
Wow…. keep them coming!
Woho! That’s some awesome work there, bud!
Too good. Bookmarked, gotta go and study for now 
Great free spirit you ve got there .Some artist don’t really like to share
Gracias for
sharing and pushing some of us to beyond our comfort zones.
Great tutorial – your explanations were very helpful and concise – it’s a great illustration!