Photoshop is not only powerful on image editing or photo manipulations, but also very useful to produce image creations. Even from scratch, pure from your imaginations. We can take character design for example. When you design a character, you put your imaginations on your canvas. You can do it although you start from a blank canvas, and this tutorial will help you to see the process.

What you’ll be creating

On this tutorial, you can draw a pirate character using Photoshop from blank page without any additional resources or stock images. You’ll use shape layers, understand the highlight and shadow, paint using Brush Tool manually, it just need your patience. Use Adobe Photoshop CS3 or higher, let’s jump in!

final-results

Step 1

Create a new document. Then pick Rounded Rectangle Tool (U), set its radius to 40 px and its color to #ebbda1. Draw a rounded rectangle, this will be the face of the pirate. Holding down the shift key while creating rectangle constrains the rectangle to a square.

step-001

Step 2

Then pick Pen Tool (P) and check the “Auto Add/Delete” option on the option bar. Go back to the rounded rectangle you’ve made and click on the center of its bottom side to add anchor point. While Pen Tool still active, hold the “Cmd/Ctrl” key to change it to Direct Selection Tool temporarily. Drag the new anchor point downward.

step-002

Step 3

Release the “Cmd/Ctrl” and delete two anchor points near to it. The Pen Tool will be automatically converted to Delete Anchor Point Tool when you stick it on the anchor point.

step-003

Step 4

To create ears, use Ellipse Tool (U). Hold down “Shift” key while drawing ellipse in order to be in one layer with the face. Then rotate and duplicate it.

step-004

Step 5

Use Rectangle Tool (U) and set the color setting to #a42335 then draw a rectangle for Headband.

step-005

Step 6

Add anchor point on the center of its bottom side and move it down.

step-006

Step 7

With Pen Tool (P) draw the dangling part of the headband, place it behind the face’s layer.

step-007

Step 8

Using Ellipse Tool (U) create a white ellipse for the iris of left eye and black one for the pupil on the center. Group them and name it “Left Eye”.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

30 responses to “How to Draw a Cute Pirate Character in Photoshop”

  1. Ps freak Avatar
    Ps freak

    Great tutorial thanks for sharing .pls we need more of this,and little more details on reasons for choice of colours

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Scary

  3. moo Avatar
    moo

    you’re not alone bud

  4.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    i hate this

  5. jim jim jr (jjr) Avatar
    jim jim jr (jjr)

    Great tutorial it was fun and entertaining so much that i couldnt do it

  6. dn Avatar
    dn

    awful. I hate this so much.

  7. b Avatar
    b

    terrible tutorial.

  8. Akki Avatar
    Akki

    boo!

  9. Olanrewaju Majente Avatar
    Olanrewaju Majente

    pls is ps use for publishing comics

  10. Advices for all Avatar
    Advices for all

    quite interesting :)

  11. Trevor Garratt Avatar
    Trevor Garratt

    It is hard for me to comprehend the detail that is needed for this to go through photoshop.

  12. seputar android Avatar
    seputar android

    Thanks for sharing

  13.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    nice demo

  14. allie rose Avatar
    allie rose

    awesome

  15. Josiah Avatar
    Josiah

    Some pen instructions could be clearer on how to do them

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      yes i can’t do the anchor selection on headband

  16. Sandeep moun Avatar
    Sandeep moun

    TOOOOO GOOOD . This site made me to learn photoshop,i love these tutorials

  17. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    I like the idea of this tutorial, it’s very creative and the result looks great.

  18. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    This is a really inspiring collection for all, I like it, thanks for shearing!

  19. Maria Avatar
    Maria

    Thanks a lot for this tutorial! I learnt a lot from this! Keep posting more! <3

  20. Doug Avatar
    Doug

    hello guys! i’m new on photoshop and i having trouble at textures in step 19, can anyone tell more details about this step? thanx! :)

    1. Faqeeh Avatar
      Faqeeh

      Go to layer palette, put your cursor on the black “front part” of the hat, click to activate it. Then Create a new layer using “Ctrl+Shift+N”. Fill it with black, and then create clipping mask using “Ctrl + Alt + G”. Click menu “Filter > Sketch > Chalk & Charcoal” and set like the example.

  21. Simone Avatar
    Simone

    Thanks, I learned a lot from this

  22. LOLOzwloki Avatar
    LOLOzwloki

    Hey, thanks for the pirate. I have learned some new blending techniques and fogging

  23. shaun Avatar
    shaun

    I have to do this in class and I find it extreamly difficult so i decided to copy and paste it.

  24. Abdullah Al Hamdan Bappy Avatar
    Abdullah Al Hamdan Bappy

    I will try.

  25. Maria Kjartansdottir Avatar
    Maria Kjartansdottir

    Great tutorial, can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much for putting so much work and effort into making it clear.
    Happy Photoshoping,
    M.

  26. awais_cute Avatar
    awais_cute

    helo:)

  27. git Avatar
  28. Shawn Rubel Avatar
    Shawn Rubel

    It wasn’t as hard as it initially felt like it would be. Thank you for the another amazing tutorial, might pass this on to some of my game dev friends :)

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Photoshop Tutorials

Get the latest Photoshop tutorials, download and updates delivered to your inbox.

Continue reading