This lesson will show you how to draw Willy Wonka, the chocolatier and a character from the story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

How to Draw Willy Wonka: Introduction

As you may know, I really enjoy drawing interesting and charismatic characters. Today, I want to show you how to draw Willy Wonka using a method that has become a classic on my website – focusing on simplified shapes, lines, and details to make the process as easy as possible.

We will draw Willy Wonka, illustrating his signature top hat, a suit reminiscent of late 19th-century fashion, his distinctive hairstyle, and, of course, his iconic cane. The character’s design in films and other adaptations is quite detailed, but to keep things simple, I have minimized unnecessary details while ensuring the drawing remains instantly recognizable.

If you want to improve your ability to draw people, I recommend checking out my person drawing lesson first. Practicing basic proportions and shapes can help you feel more confident when drawing Willy Wonka.

By following this approach, you’ll be able to create a clear and recognizable drawing of Willy Wonka without getting overwhelmed by complex details. Let’s get started!

Willy Wonka Drawing Tutorial

Materials

Pencil
Paper
Eraser
Coloring supplies

Outro

Time needed: 40 minutes

How to Draw Willy Wonka

Draw the head and body outline.
Let’s start this tutorial on how to draw Willy Wonka by sketching a simple base for the head and body. Draw the head as a rounded oval shape. Below the head, add a smaller, elongated oval for the torso. Make smooth and rounded shapes for a cartoon-like appearance.
Add the facial features.
First, draw the eyes as two small circles, positioning them at the center of the head. Below the eyes, sketch a small short line for the nose. Then, draw a simple curved line for his mouth. Finally, add two short, curved lines above the eyes for his eyebrows.
Draw the hat of Willy Wonka.
Willy Wonka’s signature top hat is a crucial element of his look. Start by sketching a curved brim just above the head. Next, draw two slightly curved vertical lines extending upward from the brim. Complete the hat by adding the top edge and a horizontal band across the middle.
Sketch the hair and bow tie.
Draw simple lines on each side of his face, extending outward and downward from beneath the hat for the hairstyle of Willy Wonka. Next, draw a small bow tie just below the head. The bow tie consists of a small oval in the middle with two symmetrical loops on each side.
Draw Willy Wonka’s coat.
Outline the main part of the coat, adding slightly curved lines extending downward from the bottom of the head. Keep the lines of the coat simple and smooth. Don’t forget to include the coat’s sleeves, which extend outward from the shoulders.
Draw the hands and cane.
Each hand consists of small curved lines that form simple, cartoon-like fingers. One hand should be gripping the cane. Next, draw long, straight vertical lines extending downward from one of his hands. At the top of this line, add a small circle to create the handle of the cane. The cane should be slightly tilted.
Add the pants and shoes.
With most of the upper body complete, it’s time to add Willy Wonka’s pants and shoes. Draw two slightly flared pant legs extending downward from the bottom of the body. At the bottom of each pant leg, add small rounded shapes to represent the shoes.
Add final details and erase the guidelines.
Now, draw a few additional lines at the top of the coat to indicate the lapels. Then, draw the vest, using simple short lines. Add small buttons on the front of the coat. Then, erase any unnecessary guidelines from previous steps to clean up the drawing.
Color your drawing.
Use a deep purple or burgundy shade for his coat, a lighter pink or beige for his vest, and dark gray or black for his pants. The top hat should be gray, with a lighter band in the middle. His hair should be brown, and his bow tie can be purple. Color the cane’s handle with a golden tone and the shaft in dark brown or black.

How to Draw Willy Wonka: Advanced Advices

Now, let’s try a few exercises to improve your character drawing skills and develop unique and interesting designs. For example, try drawing Willy Wonka in a more complex setting. You could place a factory in the background or depict a crowd of people standing behind him.

Additionally, practicing by drawing other characters can significantly boost your ability to sketch people, heroes, and even supervillains. Expanding your range of subjects will help refine your skills and make your drawings more professional.

Practice drawing Willy Wonka in different poses. Instead of always sketching him in a simple standing position, try drawing him walking, tipping his hat, or holding out a piece of candy. This will help improve your ability to illustrate movement.

Study Willy Wonka’s clothing and accessories. Pay attention to the details of his top hat, coat, bow tie, and cane. Practicing how fabric folds and how accessories interact with movement will add more realism to your drawing.

Redraw Willy Wonka in different styles. Try sketching him in a realistic, cartoon, or comic book style to experiment with different techniques. This will help you refine your artistic skills and develop a unique drawing approach.

Experiment with different versions of Willy Wonka. Try drawing him as he appears in different movie adaptations or create your own unique interpretation of his character with new outfits and features.

Conclusion

Today, we learned how to draw Willy Wonka, one of the most charismatic and interesting characters played by Johnny Depp, as well as other great actors in different adaptations.

In my categories for comics, movies, cartoons, and anime, I publish many drawing lessons featuring well-known characters from different universes. While these tutorials are adapted to my simplified drawing style, they still show how to draw very authentic and recognizable characters.