Chirp is the most well dressed explorer in the meadow he never leaves home without his tailored blue trousers and signature crimson traveling cape. You can see him proudly striding through the dewy grass in his sturdy gray boots always in style, his golden yellow head catching the last rays of the sunset.
Been feeling so inspired by all the tiny crawlers popping up in the Lets draw a bug challenge hosted by 
I love seeing the drawing take shape right before my eyes It started with just a few scribbles in my mind that slowly turned into a dapper gentleman bug.
At first, it was a clean and minimal line drawing that is safe and generic enough to pass for a bug. I really focused on those big, expressive eyes and his pair of elegant antennae that give him such a curious look. Not to miss that small smile on his face as if begging to be taken cared of. I wanted to give him a very human like quality, which is why I stylized him to wear actual clothes I added those tiny, pointed boots and a little cape that drapes over his wings. The cape goes well with the wings when they are not spread. There is something so charming and huggable about a cricket dressed for a chilly evening stroll through the garden. The lines felt very steady, and I made sure the silhouette was clear before moving on to the messy part.
Fast forward and it now shows some real life to it as I grabbed my washable markers. You can see them I spread them there in the photo just simple, bright colors that make the process feel so nostalgic. I chose a palette that felt adventurous: a bright, bold blue for his trousers and a rich, deep red for his cape. Using these markers helps me maintain that clean and flat aesthetic that I am always striving for in my work. I love how the blue ink saturates the paper, giving his legs a sturdy, vibrant look that defines his stance. Would you believe it I used eight colors here?
The finished result is exactly how I envisioned it in my imagination. I added some yellow and orange highlights to his head to mimic a warm, sunlit glow, almost like he’s catching the last bits of sunset. Since I am using washable markers that attempt may not always work as colors tend to get transparent. It was such a great experience to see how the different shades of brown and gray in the markers could define his little vest. The layering process really helps the character pop off the page and feel like a real part of a storybook for a cute cricket.
This little guy feels like he has a whole story to tell. I am already debating if he will be a traveling messenger or maybe a tiny explorer heading to a bug convention. The process of stylized character design is just so rewarding because it lets you create your own world and build it with interesting characters. I am just happy that the community provides such a supportive space for us to experiment here on Draw A Day. Even if I can't commit to every single day, this dapper cricket was definitely a mood booster for me.
I just have to ask, if bugs wore clothes in real life, which one do you think would be the most fashionable in a tiny suit?
