How to Draw Karlsson

We present you a new lesson in which we show you how to draw Karlsson, a famous Swedish character created by Astrid Lindgren in the 1950s.

It was a tale about a little man with a sense of humor and a propeller on his back that allowed him to travel through the air.

Not only a book was written about Karlsson, but a cartoon was also shot (like about Cheburashka or Drutten, which is also known in Sweden).

We note that for the times when there were no modern technologies, this cartoon was animated very well, and we will try to convey this unique style in our drawings.

How to draw Karlsson step by step

Step 1: Sketch the head outline with light lines

First, sketch out the head of the cartoon character in a pear-like shape. Then, mark two simple lines with which you can further draw the details of Karlsson’s face. In the lesson on how to draw Winnie the Pooh, you could see the same head shape.

Step 2: Sketch the simple shape of the body

Then draw a large oval – this will be Karlsson’s torso. We remind you that in the first steps you do not need to press too hard on the pencil. The torso of this cartoon character is slightly larger than the head. Use very light, almost invisible lines to indicate the body parts.

Step 3: Draw the arms and hands of Karlsson

Use a few simple lines to sketch out the arms of Karlsson on the sides of the top body. The arms look like a couple of curved ovals. Next, draw the hands in the form of circles and fingers in the form of ovals. The lines should still be very light.

Step 4: Add the character’s legs and shoes

Now, move to the bottom of the body, and using simple and light lines, sketch out the short legs and heavy shoes. So, if the basic initial construction lines are ready, and the proportions are set, move on to the next step to start working on the details.

Step 5: Draw the character’s main facial features

Start detailing the cartoon character, and using the guidelines from the first stages, begin to draw the face of Karlsson. At first draw the cartoon eye using the vertical facial construction line. Then draw the smiling mouth and the nose in form of a potato. Mark a couple of small wrinkles around the eyes and above the mouth.

Step 6: Sketch the palm-shaped hairstyle

Now draw the ear and hair that looks like a palm tree. Don’t forget to mark the hair on the temples. The hair should be drawn from roots to tips, so they look realistic. Then, draw the small cartoon ear on the side of the head. Next, using short, curved lines draw the eyebrows above the eyes.

Step 7: Clean up and darken the head

Erase all guidelines from your sketch and trace all the outlines of the head to give this part a clear and clean look. Paint the eyebrows, mouth, and visible pupil in a bold black color. This will give your drawing a more cartoonish look.

Step 8: Draw out the torso of Karlsson

Now similar using dark and bold lines, trace Karlsson’s top section of the pants. Mark a couple of curved lines to indicate the top edge of the pants. After that, draw a suspender and a large button. Draw the zipper using a couple of short lines. Remove the guidelines from the cartoon character’s torso.

Step 9: Detail the hands and add the propeller

Now, using dark and clear lines, draw out the hands in detail, adding small folds on the fingers and palms. After that, draw the cuffs on the sleeves. Then, draw the propeller that looks like a smooth line behind the left shoulder of Karlsson. Sketch two zigzag lines on the propeller, to give in a realistic look.

Step 10: Draw out the shirt of Karlsson

Many of you, dear readers, certainly like warm long-sleeve plaid shirts. And Karlsson, as you can see, wears such a shirt. Draw the texture of the plaid shirt using crossing lines. Trace the top of the body and remove all remaining lines from this section.

Step 11: Draw the pants and shoes in detail

Using dark and clear lines, trace the pants and shoes of the cartoon character. Draw the folds and the sole of the shoe. In addition, draw the folds at the bottom of the pants. You can leave your Karlsson drawing as in this illustration, add shadows with hatching, or color the sketch.

This character combines a classic cartoon appearance with several distinctive and unusual features unique to him. By drawing Karlsson, you can practice many important aspects of mid-20th-century cartoon character design.

Like most traditional cartoon characters, Karlsson has very recognizable shapes and simplified proportions – a large head, big expressive eyes, and clear outlines. If you capture all these traits on paper, you’ll create a convincing cartoon-style character.

Practicing cartoon character drawing helps develop a wide range of skills, so we recommend visiting our Cartoons category, where you’ll find a large collection of lessons on characters from different countries and eras.

There, for example, you can learn how to draw Cheburashka, another European cartoon character, or draw Homer Simpson, an American character with proportions very similar to Karlsson’s.

If you like such characters, we advise you to visit our lesson on how to draw Cartman. Subscribe to us on social networks to stay tuned.