Cool Superheroes To Draw (And Free Tutorials To Help You Learn)
Thanks to a parade of blockbuster comic books, movies, and TV shows, superheroes are a huge part of worldwide culture.
And with a little help even total beginners can learn to draw these caped crusaders.
Our list of video tutorials will help aspiring artists learn everything they need to get started drawing their favorite characters. From Spiderman to the Black Panther, these handy guides will show you the ropes of sketching the world’s most famous crime fighters.
Batman
Batman is one of the most popular superheroes of all time and he’s a lot of fun to draw.
With his iconic bat costume Batman strikes fear into the heart of Gotham City’s notorious criminals.
Any good likeness of Batman will show off his costume, his extraordinary physical prowess, and the character’s flare for the dramatic.
Ramny from Draw It, Too! breaks the character down step-by-step so you can easily follow along and draw your own version of the dark knight.
With clear descriptions and good pacing Ramny delivers an excellent guide to drawing one of DC’s best characters.
This tutorial goes into plenty of detail with lots of close-up shots and descriptions so that an artist can easily follow along as the instructor creates a line drawing of Batman from scratch.
Wonder Woman
This Amazonian princess is possibly the most popular super heroine of all time.
A champion for peace and equality, Wonder Woman is an archetype of the super hero genre.
This step-by-step walkthrough will show you how to capture Wonder Woman’s signature sword and costume. The instructor starts with a general outline before diving into the details of the character.
Follow along and learn how to draw your very own version of Wonder Woman. Her action-packed pose will leap off the page.
Sculpted from clay and brought to life to defend the world, Wonder Woman is the perfect hero. Drawing her is excellent practice for any artist.
Spiderman
Any list of superheroes must include Spiderman.
With his eye-catching costume and witty banter Spiderman has been leaping off the comic book page and into our hearts for decades.
Drawing a good Spiderman is all about getting a dramatic pose.
Of course, you’ll need to get the details on the costume right too. And to really sell the likeness you’ll need to include the webbing and spider icon.
Don’t worry though. If you follow this detailed tutorial you’ll learn everything you need to draw Spidey.
I think Spiderman is particularly fun to draw because his powers allow him to hang from walls or upside down from the ceiling. He’s a great character to get creative with.
Captain America
Captain America has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years.
Thanks to the Avenger movies a new generation has come to appreciate this ultimate American patriot.
Known for his fierce loyalty and unique hand-to-hand combat style, Captain America is one of the greatest fighters in the comic book world.
In this tutorial video Mikey from mikeymegamega offers a short demonstration on how to draw America’s original super soldier.
With simple easy-to-follow instructions Mikey brings Captain America to life in a powerful pose that showcases the character’s iconic shield and imposing presence.
At the end Mikey shows you how to ink the drawing to obtain strong shadows which really help the sketch pop off the page.
Thor
Thor, the Norse god of thunder and lighting, wields the enchanted hammer Mjolnir.
As lord of Asgard, Thor uses Odinforce to tap into cosmic and mystical energies. Using his magic hammer Thor was even able to break Captain America’s virtually indestructible shield.
A good portrait of Thor will capture his confidence, strength, and nobility.
In this tutorial Ramny does a great job of walking you through the process using plenty of details. He moves at a slow pace that gives you plenty of time to study the action.
Drawing the portrait in landscape allows Ramny to present Thor in a dramatic pose that highlights the intricacy of his armor and mighty hammer.
The Hulk
Dr. Bruce Banner was once just a mild-mannered nuclear physicist. Hit by radioactive gamma rays, he was transformed into the incredible Hulk.
The green giant is best known for his amazing strength and raging temper.
And because the Hulk is all muscle and brawn, he’s a lot of fun to draw.
Capturing the Hulk is all about exaggerating muscle definitions to super human proportions.
Showing off the ridiculously powerful physique and tremendous anger of the Hulk is the key to a good drawing of this superhero.
Using this step-by-step video tutorial you can get started on the right foot. You’ll learn how to draw Hulk’s anatomy and how to create a dramatic pose with accurate foreshortening.
Wolverine
Of all the amazing characters in the X-Men universe, Wolverine has always been my favorite.
With his super human healing abilities and indestructible claws, Wolverine is both a formidable foe and an entertaining character.
Ever the renegade, this mutant brings fury wherever he goes.
This excellent tutorial will show you how to create a perfect drawing of Wolverine from his lethal claws to his signature grimace, you’ll learn how to build the character up from scratch using clean, simple shapes and guidelines.
Superman
The archetypal superhero has to be Superman.
He represents awesome strength, total courage, and impeccable moral fortitude. With his incredible strength and powers of flight, Superman strikes fear into the heart of even the most dangerous villains.
Drawing Superman should be a rite of passage for any budding comic book artist. His costume and super cape are among the most recognizable icons of American pop culture.
Not to mention that any practice drawing Superman is good practice for beginners. Sketching the character’s well-defined features will help foster a deep understanding of figure drawing and human anatomy.
Aquaman
Telepathic ruler of Atlantis, Aquaman guards the Oceans of Earth with his fantastic speed and the ability to command sea creatures.
As the founding member of the Justice League of America, Aquaman protects the world from evil with both his amazing abilities and political influence.
In this tutorial you’ll learn to draw the prince of the sea in a dramatic action pose wielding his trident super weapon.
This video will also show you how to capture Aquaman’s gritty determination as the figure leaps through the air ready to strike. At the end you’ll learn how to ink your drawing for maximum effect.
Black Panther
The King of Wakanda is a righteous and noble warrior who uses his fearsome abilities to defend the people of his nation.
This loyal and powerful superhero is a terrific ally of the Avengers and a fan favorite the world over.
The new Black Panther movie is one of the highest grossing films in history due to the popularity of this amazing character.
If you’re an artist who loves this movie then learning to draw the Black Panther is easy. Especially with this tutorial.
Follow the step-by-step instructions to draw your very own portrait featuring this valiant leader of Wakanda.
Iron Man
After a stunning portrayal on the big screen by Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man has skyrocketed in popularity.
The billionaire tech genius turned superhero is beloved for his crime fighting abilities as well as his outrageous wit.
Drawing Tony Stark in his iron suit is a unique challenge because of the mechanical nature of his armor. Iron Man’s highly detailed mechanical suite is all hard edges and rigid line work.
If that sounds tough don’t worry!
This tutorial video will show you how to draw Iron Man by breaking the figure into a series of simple shapes. Once you have the basic layout it’s much easier to fill in the details necessary to recognize the character.
Green Lantern
After obtaining the power ring from a dying alien, Hal Jordan was transformed from a normal test pilot into the Green Lantern.
As a member of the Justice League, the Green Lantern fights to protect Earth from all evil doers. He is well known for his honesty and fearlessness in the face of danger, as well as his smooth moves when it comes to romance.
This tutorial shows you how to draw an old school version of the Green Lantern from scratch.
You’ll learn how to construct the figure from a few basic guidelines and then flesh out the muscles of the body.
Be sure to pay attention to the artist’s keen understanding of anatomy in this video.
Human anatomy is an essential skill for all artists, especially comic artists.
Human Torch
The Human Torch can both fly and manipulate fire to his will.
Using his entire body as a flaming weapon, the Human Torch ignited a love affair with comic books fans that has lasted decades.
Drawing the Human Torch is easier than you might think. And thanks to this step-by-step drawing tutorial you can get started with the help of a pithy 9-minute video.
Not only will you learn to draw the figure soaring through the air, but you’ll learn how to wrap him in a flaming inferno that will set your imagination ablaze.
Storm
Born in America to an African Princess and an American photojournalist, Storm is a very powerful mutant who uses her psionic abilities to control the weather.
She used her powers to fight for good as a member of the X-Men before marrying the Black Panther and becoming Queen of Wakanda.
Now Storm’s super powers allow her to defend against telepathic attacks and harness lighting to fry her enemies.
Follow along with this tutorial to learn how to draw Strom in the act of summoning her amazing areokinesis powers.
After finishing the sketch you’ll learn how to professionally ink your drawing to obtain powerful shadows which add contrast to your drawing.
Mystique
Living up to her name, Mystique is a complex and mysterious character with an ambiguous agenda and uncertain past.
Is she a cold-blooded killer chasing the destruction of humanity? Or a misguided mutant with the potential for good?
A stunning portrayal by Jennifer Lawrence brought Mystique to the silver screen and solidified her character as one of the most recognizable in the X-Men universe.
With this short tutorial you’ll learn to draw Mystique by capturing the enigmatic brooding that defines her personality.
With this pose she hovers in space projecting an aura of foreboding mystery.
Mr. Fantastic
Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, is the leader of the Fantastic Four and a world class super hero thanks to his super powers and incredible intelligence.
Mr. Fantastic was exposed to extreme cosmic radiation which gave him the ability to stretch his body over long distances.
The power of elasticity from irradiation allows Mr. Fantastic to covert his body into a malleable state, making him a really fun character draw.
You can pose Mr. Fantastic in almost any way without losing the character.
Watch YouTuber electronicdave2 sketch and ink Mr. Fantastic in under ten minutes. Follow along and see if you can master this dynamic superhero yourself.
Silver Surfer
The herald of Galactus, born and raised on planet Zenn-La in the Milky Way’s Deneb system, the Silver Surfer rips through the cosmos on his surf board.
With an array of godlike cosmic powers and a tragic backstory, the Silver Surfer represents noble, unselfish deeds and symbolizes total freedom brought down to reality.
Though he made his first appearance as a sidekick to the terrible villain Galactus, the Silver Surfer soon became a fan favorite for the character’s sophistication and cosmic grandeur.
The Silver Surfer can be difficult to draw because of the reflective nature of the character’s body.
Learning to represent the look of chrome or liquid metal is a challenge.
But this 30-minute long tutorial will show you the tricks of the trade for achieving this effect.
Iceman
An original member of the X-Men, Iceman has the mutant power to freeze the moisture in the air around him turning himself and anything nearby into ice.
Iceman’s real name is Bobby Drake and he was trained at Professor Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
Iceman is famous for being incredibly honest, almost to a fault.
Like the ice he manipulates, he is transparent and cool in the face of danger.
Drawing Iceman is all about capturing the superhero’s icy stare and iron determination.
This hero never backs down and never gives up. He takes his opponents head on and bends with the chilling power of ice and grit. All of that will shine through in your drawing if you follow along with this video.
Cyclops
Now here’s a central character from the X-Men universe that’s been around since the first comic book.
Cyclops is dedicated to realizing Professor Xavier’s dream of finding peace between humanity and mutants. Over time Cyclops began to develop his own vision for the future based on his experience in the X-Men.
Most people probably know Cyclops for the impressive energy blasts he can fire from his eyes. To control his powers, Cyclops must wear a ruby quartz visor.
Easing Drawings 101 has a great tutorial for drawing a portrait of Cyclops.
You’ll learn a great procedure for drawing the head by dividing it into sections via guidelines. After drawing the outline, the instructor will show you how to properly model the surface of the head by adding shadows of various strength.
Pay special attention to the variation of lights and darks that the artist uses to achieve the portrait. You can apply this technique into almost every other drawing you do.
Batgirl
Batgirl is well known as Batman’s female sidekick and the daughter of Police Commissioner Gordan.
Like Robin, she helps Batman take down Gotham’s City’s toughest villains.
With her crime fighting skills Batgirl has saved the dark knight from certain peril on several occasions.
Librarian by day and crime fighter extraordinaire by night, Barbara Gordan—aka Batgirl—has been kicking bad guy butt since the early 1960’s.
DrawingWiffWaffles is a popular Youtube channel full of excellent tutorial videos.
In this video on drawing Batgirl you’ll find an entertaining and educational instructor who will walk you though drawing a full-color image of Batgirl. The final result is absolutely incredible.
Using pen and marker the artist clearly explains the process and offers helpful instructions as she draws the image. If you follow along you’ll get a really nice end result along with some confidence to dive into more superhero drawings.
Author: Josh Petty
Josh is an artist and game developer who specializes in sci-fi, fantasy, and abstract art. His work employs vibrant colors and combines elements of glitch art, outrun, retro-gamming, neo-geo, and conceptual art. He trained as an oil painter before picking up 3D modeling, animation, and programming. He now runs Brain Jar, a small game development studio that focuses on experimental, narrative-driven content. You can learn more on the website or on Twitter @brainjargames.
