Zenntheartof 101
Zenntheartof. That hyper-simplified art style I’ve fallen so in love with. I figured it was about time I did a post on it.
Okay, so. The style originates back in circa 2003 with the style of The Artist Formerly Known as St.Push. In subsequent years, Tyber has been pretty circumspect about stripping his stuff from this time (weren’t we all), so I can’t find any good examples of the characters I’m talking about, though I can tell you that they in turn were influenced by the style of comic artist Sam Keith.
Anyway, the first character I remember drawing like this was badpanda,[i] who was pretty much exactly what it sounds like and who graced a layout of void-star.net for a couple of months.[ii] I think I sketched in the style on-and-off for the next couple of years, but the name “zenntheartof” didn’t appear until 2008, after a period of careful thought looking for something catchy. As you can probably guess, zenntheartof is short for “Zen and the art of cartooning”. Mmm, pretentious and middle class!
The style has definitely gotten a boost since I’ve started working, since it’s excellent “meeting doodle” bait. Which is why a lot of it is drawn on slightly yellowish, lined paper; my various Moleskine diaries.
Anyway, enough introduction. On with the drawing!
Step #1
Zenntheart of 101: Step #1
Okay, first things first; start with a circle. This is your head, and will usually be circular (unless you’re drawing, like, a pterodactyl or something). I don’t generally draw zenntheartof characters particularly big, so my head circles are never more than about two or three centimetres in diameter.
Next, add in the “base” of the eyes; we’ll do some expressions in the next step, but for now just circles. The main thing to remember is that the “far eye” should be noticeably smaller that the near eye. For the record, this isn’t perspective; even if you character is directly facing the viewer, one eye should be smaller (it’s usually the left-no-your-left).
As a general rule, zenntheartof characters have more forehead than chin, though you might need to adjust as necessary, especially if you’re going to give your finished product a mouth.
Step #2
Zenntheart of 101: Step #2
Now we’re going to sketch in the basics of an expression by “cutting” our eye-circles with lines to represent the upper and/or lower eyelids. This is probably the most important step; the main “trick” with zenntheartof is learning to express emotion using only a pair of eyes. Sometimes I cheat and add in eyebrows and a mouth, though it’s worthwhile to note that I do, in fact, consider this cheating.
Step #3
Zenntheartof 101: Step #3
Add in the basic outline of a body. Where circles make up the main zenntheartof head-shapes, the bodies are made up almost exclusively of inverted Vs (a.k.a. Λ) with various levels of curve attached. Most zenntheartof pictures are torso-length, with the foundation lines being the Λ coming down out of the head. Pretty much everything from there on in is optional, including arms, shoulders, hands and legs.
As you can see from the right figure, above, when drawing women I tend to cut into the Λ for the purposes of boobs and hips, though how exaggerated this ends up being probably depends on the character (q.v. Jenny Quantum’s panel).
Other than that, anatomy is mostly optional. Hands are usually large and have three fingers. Arms tend to be jointless and whatever length they need to be for whatever pose they’re in. Zenntheartof is all about the expression of character, so go with something fun.
Step Profit!
Zenntheartof 101: Step Profit!
Okay, you’ve got a basic expression and the outline of a body. Now it’s “… and profit” time; filling in the details.
Honestly, this one’s up to you. Just remember; keep it simple. This can be kinda hard with over-complex characters (q.v. Loki, above) but the general rule is to use the least amount of detail — that is, simplified shapes — for whomever it is that you’re depicting. Because our anatomy is so basic and so uniform, conveying character comes solely down to this step. Things to consider:
- Emotion: When you imagine this character, what expression does he usually have? Is he smug, irritated, happy, flirty or bored? (e.g. Lex tends towards ironic apathy; Captain Jack has a lascivious grin.)
- Pose: How does this character stand? Ramrod straight or more relaxed? Leaning forward or backward? Folding her arms across her chest or resting on her hips? Whatever it is, exaggerate it! (e.g. Clark stoops; Captain Jack stands hips-first.)
- Clothing: What does your character “usually” wear. Characters on TV shows probably have a bigger wardrobe than you’d expect, but what is the outfit or particular piece of clothing that defines that character, even if he doesn’t actually wear it as much as people think? (e.g. Lex wears a two-piece suit, Ianto three, and Loki’s outfit is right just over-the-top…)
- Props: Cheating time! Is there some item your character can be holding that will help identify her to the audience? (e.g. Loki smokes; Lex has pie[iii]; Miriah brandishes her pistols.))
Remember, you don’t have much to work with, so make it all count!
And yeah. That’s Zenntheartof 101; now you too can fill your notebooks with silly little fanart cartoons. It’s awesome, srsly.
Happy sketching!