Bad Toon Rising: Creating Cartoon Characters from Memory

Have you ever been in the situation where you start doodling a popular character for fun, but with no point of reference you realize you aren’t quite sure what the character looks like? Does Mickey Mouse wear suspenders? Does Porky Pigs have a shirt under his jacket? Does Fred Flintstone wear a tie? We’ve all seen countless images of Disney, Looney Tunes, and Hannah Barbara characters. It’s easy to imagine what they look like in our heads, but trying to get that mental picture down on blank paper can certainly be a challenge, and it can also be hilarious.

The folks behind the brilliantly simple Bad Toon Rising project understand the humor in a poorly executed drawing better than anyone. Creators Kay Hyatt and Charlotte Cooper encourage amateur artists to try and draw their favorite popular cartoon characters using nothing but pencil, paper, and their memories. Judging by the selected drawings they have posted on their website, it doesn’t seem like they favor total accuracy, which is awesome.  The weirder the final result turns out, the better.

Can you guess what characters these drawings are supposed to be of?

Bad Toon Rising Examples

I decided to sharpen up my Blackwing pencil and try the exercise out myself. How do you think I did?

So what do you think Studio 602ers? Want to give your own Bad Toon Rising a shot? Just pick a popular cartoon character and see how well your memory serves you. Be sure to post a picture of your final product in the comment section below.  Send the pictures over to Bad Toon Rising’s website as well, where they are also openly welcomed. We can’t wait to see what all of you creative folks come up with. Just remember, no peaking!