Draw A Cartoon With A Prop
Draw a cartoon character and add a prop (hat, skateboard, or balloon). Practice sketching, coloring, and using proportions to tell a story.
Step-by-step guide to draw a cartoon with a prop
Step 1
Think of a fun cartoon character idea like a silly animal a superhero or an imaginary creature and picture one action they do.
Step 2
Choose one prop for your character from a hat skateboard or balloon and imagine how they will use it.
Step 3
Lightly draw a big round shape for the head and a simple shape for the body to set your character’s overall size.
Step 4
Use the ruler or your eye to compare the head size to the body and set how many "heads" tall your character will be.
Step 5
Draw the character’s face features inside the head shape using simple circles and lines for eyes nose and mouth.
Step 6
Sketch the arms and legs in the pose you want so the body points toward the prop and tells part of the story.
Step 7
Draw the prop interacting with the character (hat on head skateboard under feet balloon tied to hand) and make sure its size matches the character.
Step 8
Add clothing hair and little personality details to your character using clean simple lines to make them unique.
Step 9
Darken your favorite final lines with a black marker or fineliner to emphasize the shapes.
Step 10
Wait for the ink to dry then gently erase the pencil guidelines so only the clean ink lines remain.
Step 11
Color your character and prop using bright colors and fill large areas first for neatness.
Step 12
Add a few small shadow or highlight marks under the feet or next to the prop to show depth.
Step 13
Give your character a name and write a one-sentence idea about what they are doing next to the drawing.
Step 14
Share your finished cartoon with its prop on DIY.org so other kids can see your story.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have a black marker, fineliner, or a ruler?
Use a sharpened dark pencil or a ballpoint pen instead of the black marker/fineliner and use a book spine or the straight edge of a cereal box in place of a ruler when you 'Use the ruler or your eye' to set head-to-body proportions.
My ink smudged or my proportions look wrong—how can I fix that?
Draw very lightly as you 'Lightly draw a big round shape' and the body, check proportions early with a ruler or straight edge so the prop 'size matches the character,' and always wait for the ink to dry before you 'gently erase the pencil guidelines' to avoid smudges.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger kids keep it simple with a big head, single prop sticker, and crayons for the 'Color your character' step, while older kids can use the 'Use the ruler or your eye' head-count method, add detailed 'clothing hair and little personality details,' and practice shading.
How can we extend or personalize the finished cartoon?
Make a short three-panel comic showing the prop in action, add background elements and 'a few small shadow or highlight marks' for depth, write the character's name and the one-sentence idea, and then 'Share your finished cartoon with its prop on DIY.org.'
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Facts about cartoon drawing for kids
✏️ Many artists start with 30–60 second gesture sketches to capture a character's movement before adding details.
🧢 Just one prop—like a hat—can instantly tell viewers about a character's job, personality, or mood.
🎈 Michael Faraday made the first rubber balloons in 1824 for scientific experiments, long before party balloons became common.
🛹 Skateboarding began in 1950s California when surfers strapped wheels to boards to 'surf' on land.
🎨 The word "cartoon" originally meant a full-size preparatory drawing used by artists, not just funny TV shows!
How do I draw a cartoon character and add a prop?
What materials do I need to draw a cartoon with a prop?
What ages is this cartoon-with-prop activity suitable for?
What are the benefits of drawing cartoons with props, and any safety tips or variations?
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