How to Draw a Cute Bunny Character in Procreate with Lisa Glanz

Create the Character Outline 

For this tutorial, we are creating a cute bunny character. First, we start with a basic sketch of the bunny. Create a new layer and choose the Toothy Pencil brush to start creating the shape of the bunny.

Start by making a rounded head followed with the bottom body shape, narrow at the top compared to the bottom.

Don’t aim for perfection at this stage, just a basic shape of each body part shaped like a teardrop.

Draw the little feet, arm, jacket and a button.

Pro Tip: To draw cute characters, add accessories to bring out the character’s personality and generate more interest in the piece. Small details such as a bow, a jacket, bracelets, a cardigan, etc., will give a character cuteness.

Keep your arm flowing freely while you draw to get more natural strokes and shapes. Don’t try to draw the final perfect shape; go with the flow.

For this piece, Lisa has used the Oatmeal texture background from the Pencil Pack. The pack comes with three paper textures which gives drawing a realistic look; they come as JPEG files and in a Procreate document that is already setup for you, so you can play around with different textures.

For this cute bunny drawing, the palette used is the Seafoam Plush from the Pencil Pack which has shades of green and charcoal. It gives the bunny a sketchy and rustic look. The palette goes really well with dry media.

Pro tip: This template works perfectly when the paper textures are the top layers. If it was at the bottom, you would have to ensure all layers had the correct blending modes to let the underlying paper show through. But if the paper textures are on the top, you don’t have to worry about it.

Color the Character

Next, add a new layer followed with a dark green background color shown in the palette’s image. Use a dark shade to make the bright bunny color pop.

Before you start sketching the bunny, turn on the sketch mode to multiply.

Add a new layer,  choose a light color from the palette and go to the Hatch Dense Brush.

This brush will add a bold layer texture to the character and you can play around with different sizes. Color the face area and when you use this brush around the edges, it creates a fuzzy texture that mimics the fur. 

Next, fill the color in the rest of the bunny’s body.

Pro Tip: The smaller the brush size, the more dense the color fill.

Color the Jacket

Create a new layer to work on the jacket.

Choose a dark charcoal color and pick the Soft Charcoal Brush.

This brush is super versatile because it feels very similar to watercolor, but has a softer texture that you can control with pressure.

Stay on the same layer and choose the Soft Pencil.

Using this Soft Pencil brush, add details to the jacket, such as create an outline to the jacket where it starts and ends, collars etc.

Add a new layer on top of the previous one, go to the Noise Pencil Brush and add a shade of minty green to create details on the cardigan. As shown in the image below, use line work at the cardigan’s edges to create an outline and other minor details on the sleeves, collar etc., to bring out the bunny’s cuteness.

Color the Button

For the button, choose any brush with a soft texture. In this piece, Lisa goes with the Flat Soft Pastel brush to add some color.

Using the Selection Tool, select the area inside the button.

Next, go to the Hatch Thin Lite texture brush and choose a darker color than originally used for the button to add shadows.

Use the Soft Pencil brush to add more color and definition to the button.

The thread detail on the button to make it more realistic, as shown in the image below.

Add Details to the Face

Use the Toothy Pencil to add color and highlights to the eye. Eyebrows would define the bunny’s emotion, so choose what emotion you want the character to emote or create as shown in the image below.

Choose a similar color to the button to draw the nose.

Use the Noise Pencil to add softer details. Choose a light color shade with a soft pressure in circular motion to make the nose look fuzzy and natural. To soften the eye area, you can follow the same process as the nose.

Next, choose the Plush - Soft Blush Palette and the Flat Soft Pastel brush to add the pink color to the ears.

Pro Tip: Choose pastel and subdued colors to create a vintage-looking sketch.

Use the Shader With Dirt brush for the nose and the cheeks area.

Apply a soft pressure to see how it looks and build up more color in the area using circular motions.

Add Shadows and More Definition

Add a new layer above the other layers, use the soft Pencil Brush and add line work to the ears for more definition. Tilt the pencil on the side to add shading.

Update layer to multiply, choose a color slightly darker than the bunny and choose the Soft Touch.

When you add shadows, keep the light source in mind. For instance, for this bunny character, the light is coming from the top-right area.

A dark jacket needs more definition, so use an almost black color and the Harder Hatch brush. For this example, the shadow work is under one layer but you can create a separate layer for each shadow area.

Next, pick the Toothy Pencil to add more definition to the button. Switch back to the Hatch brush depending on how much definition you would like to add to your character.

Follow a similar process to create definition in the bunny’s body area. Choose the Toothy Pencil and add color to the bottom part of the bunny’s body.

Go to the Bunny layer, choose a light yellow color and select the Shy Pencil. Use it around the edges of your bunny to enhance fur definition.

Don’t forget the tail area, use the Shy Pencil to add the fur details. Next, go back to the Shadow layer and choose the Toothy Pencil to make the tail more realistic.

Add Contrast & Final Details

Add contract to the bunny by adding a light layer to the bunny which adds more definition. This also provides a 3D look and interesting highlights to the cute bunny character.

Create a new layer and choose the whites color palette and update the layer to ‘Add’.

You can choose any of the Hatch brushes, but for this example choose the Shader Soft Hatch Brush. Start from the bunny’s forehead and lightly bring the brush down and repeat the process to see more dimension in the face. Remember to stay on the right side of the face since the light source is coming from that side and hence, it will look lighter than the left. Do the same to his right ear. For the left ear, start from the top and lightly bring the brush down.

For the nose, choose the Noise Pencil to add highlights.

Next, choose the Shader Soft Hatch Brush to add details around the feet area.

Back to the button, choose the Noise Pencil, bring the opacity down and add details to the button. Now, go to the Hatch Hard brush to add more texture to the cardigan. Do this all on the ‘Add’ layer. Use the Shy Brush to add more definition to the fur.

Finally, showcase that the bunny is sitting on the ground. Add a new layer above the color layer, choose darker charcoal and switch it to multiply. Choose the Splinter Texture and Hatch Brush textures to form the ground under the bunny as shown in the image below. To add an extra layer of cuteness, add polka dots on the ears of the bunny.

You have now successfully created a cute bunny character. Follow these exact steps to draw your characters!