Traditional Illustration: How to draw R2D2

Testing poses and crops for my sketch card. Also exploring rust effect and colors.

If you are a beginner this is a good place to start since everything is either a circle, a half circle or a rectangle with very minor variations. You can stop at any stage if you like the result!

Step 1

Start with a half a circle connected to a rectangle. There's a slight slant so the body and the arms form kind of an X.

Do this step in pencil so you can adjust the lines when you need to.

Step 2

use a warm grey alcohol-based marker to lightly add the shadows. There are several brands of these markers, most popular is Copics. I used Alpha Design Marker.

Step 3

Get any brush with a round pointy tip and start adding colors. I used a brush pen that you can fill with water. You will only need 2 colors:

a dark blue like Ultramarine Blue or Primary Phthalo blue

and a Burnt Sienna!

No need to freak out if the colors spill out a little.

Wait for a layer to dry before you add a new one.

Step 4

Go over the shadows with a dark colored pencil. Keep your hand light on the paper. I used Polychromos Paine's Grey (I think!)

Step 5

Use any black pen to add lines to the gaps and on the left edge of the droid. I used a Bic.

Hope you like the result. Please share your art with me on my Facebook Page and let me know if you have any questions :D

Have a look at my traditional fan art.

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Heidi Ahmad (@heidiGFX)

Digital Illustrator & Colorist

Telling Stories Through Light & Color

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Third Culture Kid (TCK)

Freelance Writer/Translator - Design Guide Magazine

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