How to Draw Captain Underpants
Let’s learn how to draw Captain Underpants by capturing his distinctive bald head, red cape, and, of course, his iconic underpants.
How to Draw Captain Underpants: Introduction
As with any well-known and recognizable cartoon character, Captain Underpants has several distinct features that we’ll focus on in this tutorial on how to draw Captain Underpants. If you’ve already gone through my lesson on how to draw a person, this one will feel much easier, since many of the steps are based on that basic human figure, with additional details that make this character unique.
In my example, Captain Underpants is shown in a classic superhero pose. You can change the pose in your version or add a custom background like a cityscape or any other setting to make your drawing more individual. Small adjustments like these can make your Captain Underpants drawing look more unique.
The color scheme in this tutorial is simplified, similar to what you’ve likely seen in many illustrations of the character. However, if you want your drawing to look more like the version from the animated series, try adding more shadows, highlights, and mid-tones to give the final image a more dimensional look.
Captain Underpants Drawing Tutorial
Materials
- Pencil
- Paper
- Eraser
- Coloring supplies
Time needed: 35 minutes
How to Draw Captain Underpants
- Draw the outline of Captain Underpants body.
Sketch the general outline of Captain Underpants’ body. Use a large rounded shape that resembles an upside-down teardrop or a bean. If you want to make your drawing of Captain Underpants in a different pose, you can change the position of the basic sketch at this stage.
- Draw the facial features.
Draw two small circles for the eyes near the top of the basic shape. Add two short curved lines above the eyes to form the eyebrows. Place a wide smile just below the center. Then, draw a small oval for the nose above the mouth.
- Start drawing Captain Underpants cape.
To draw the knotted cape around the character’s neck, sketch the tie at the front – a simple knot in the middle with small curved lines to represent the two flaps on each side. Add the visible folds to show how the fabric rests on the shoulders.
- Add the arms and hands.
Add the arms in a classic superhero pose, with fists resting on the hips. The arms should be drawn as bent lines extending from each side of the body. At the end of each arm, draw a hand with visible fingers clenched loosely. The hands can be drawn as a simple mitten-like shape with one or two curves for the fingers.
- Draw the underpants.
Now sketch the iconic underpants. Start with the waistband, drawing a curved horizontal band across the lower part of the body. Add dashed stitching lines along the top. Then draw the outline of the briefs with a vertical seam and rounded lines for the leg openings.
- Add the legs and feet.
Draw Captain Underpants’ legs underneath the briefs. Each leg should be short, thick, and slightly bent. Draw the feet flat on the ground, with visible toes. Use curved lines to shape each foot and small rounded bumps to represent the toes.
- Complete the cape.
Now extend the superhero cape from the neck to the back, drawing two lines curving down from the neck area and flaring outward. Capes in cartoons are more about simplified shapes than realism, so keep the shape light and simple.
- Erase the guidelines and add texture.
Decorate the cape with small dots to convey the character’s classic look. In cartoons, texture is usually minimal, but small repeating patterns or dots can help distinguish parts of the costume without cluttering the drawing. Remove any remaining guidelines.
- Color your drawing of Captain Underpants.
Finish the drawing of Captain Underpants by using a peach or light skin tone for the body, red for the cape and tie, and white for the briefs. In cartoon drawing, flat, solid colors often work best. If you want a more dimensional look, you can add shadows with a slightly darker tone of the base color.
Alternative Captain Underpants Drawing Tutorial
This method of drawing Captain Underpants follows a different step sequence compared to the first version, while keeping the same superhero pose. The shapes are constructed in a slightly altered order, starting with the top of the head and cape instead of the full outline of the body. This alternate technique shows how the same cartoon character can be drawn through another structured approach.
To draw Captain Underpants with this technique, begin with the upper part of the head and add the simple curved outline of the top. Sketch the tied knot of the cape directly under the head. Extend the body shape downward using two curved lines that form the rounded lower half. Draw the arms bent at the sides and add the fists resting on the hips.
Sketch the legs with curved lines and round shapes for the feet. Outline the visible parts of the cape falling behind the back. Decorate the cape with small dots. Add the underpants using clean lines, drawing the waistband and seam. Finish by drawing the face with a wide smile and simple features. Color the completed image using tones that match Captain Underpants’ look.
Conclusion
The Captain Underpants drawing tutorial is now complete, and you’ve seen two different ways to draw this recognizable and funny character. Both versions follow the same pose but use different step sequences and techniques.
You can try drawing both versions side by side or mix the techniques to create your own. Don’t be afraid to change the expression, pose, or background to make your drawing more unique. Practicing different methods like these helps you become more confident.
Check out other drawing tutorials and themed collections to keep developing your skills and have more characters to add to your sketchbook. For example, you can draw Lilo from one of the most popular Disney cartoons. Or try to draw SpongeBob, another super popular cartoon character.
