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Drawing Chewbacca
December 14, 2005

Ever wanted to draw Star Wars characters and vehicles just like the professional comic book artists? In this step-by-step series, Star Wars artists and illustrators show you how to draw some of the most beloved characters in the saga, as well as new faces and creatures from Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith (now available on DVD).

The fur-covered Wookiee, Chewbacca, was known not only as Han Solo's sidekick in the original trilogy, but also as a loyal warrior during the Clone Wars on his home planet of Kashyyyk.

Star Wars illustrator Cat Staggs explains with easy-to-follow steps on how to draw Chewbacca.

Steps 1-7 are to be drawn lightly with a pencil. No pen, no dark lines. Finished lines and details will come at the end.

Step One:
Begin your drawing of Chewbacca by first imagining him as a "hairless hairball," then lightly draw a simple oval. Now cross the oval with two center lines: one vertical and one horizontal. (As these lines begin to break down the oval shape into smaller shapes, you might start to see places for Chewie's eyes and nose). Draw a second horizontal at chin or chest level and then split the space between the central and second horizontals with a short, mouth-size line. Finally, split the distance between mouth and eye lines with a short nose line.
Step Two:
Next add the eyes, nose, and mouth using very basic, lightly-drawn shapes. Fuzzball looks pretty silly without hair. But first we need to create some bone structure for your Wookiee.
Step Three:
Hair drapes over bones, like water runs over rocks. It clings, rises and falls in and around. Create this effect by adding lightly-drawn shapes that further break down the oval into smaller areas. Circle the eyes and the nose to form the eye sockets and nose-bridge. Extend the downward lines of the nose then the mouth, circling around and in with each line. Within the bottom circle, draw two more lines above the shoulder line to form the hills of Chewie's chin. Move the space between the eye sockets, nose bridge and muzzle (nose to mouth area) and show the circular cheeks.
Step Four:
Include a brow line over Chewie's eye sockets. Add nostrils for breathing. Form a simple mouth by outlining your original mouth shape. Sketch in lightly-drawn teeth. Begin Chewie's hair by outlining his eye sockets with a circular "fringe" of lines. Add a second, much larger series of "fringes" beginning from his temples down through his shoulders and to his chest.
Step Five:
Each shape that you've lightly drawn should now receive a hair transplant. So replace your shapes with "fringes" -- lines that further show how Chewie's hair rises over his brown line, wrapping back over his scalp. It streams over his cheekbones and chin draping down onto his shoulders. Erase the under drawing and begin to add details gradually.
Step Six:
Note that each line you add forms a crease, and that creases are the dark areas, the shadows opposite the highlights. Slowly render hair through individual lines that build shadows and highlights. But don't try to show each hair. And remember that Chewie's hair has mass and body -- and even bounce!
Step Seven:
Continue to build shadowy spaces within his hair especially in areas like the eye sockets, nostrils, and mouth. Also show the shadows under and between clumps and fringes of hair. Remember the darkest shadows are next to the brightest highlights.
Step Eight:
As your drawing now has volume and appears to be 3-D, continue to build volume starting with the lightest shadows. Work towards the darkest shadows gradually, leaving the highlights for the last. This particular project includes the addition of white to further highlight the fine hair and other tiny details like the light shining in Chewie's eyes.


Once your masterpiece is complete, if you would like to submit it to Bantha Tracks, send it by regular postal mail to our NEW address here: Bantha Tracks, P.O. Box 29901, San Francisco, CA 94129-0901. Or click here to read our submission guidelines and find out where to send your art by email.
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