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Drawing Obi-Wan Kenobi
November 10, 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).

As one of the most dedicated Jedi Masters of the saga, Obi-Wan Kenobi has helped shape the fate of an entire galaxy. He was more like an older brother than just a mentor to his inherited Padawan learner Anakin Skywalker. However, in Revenge of the Sith, as Palpatine manipulated Skywalker towards the dark side, Kenobi found himself in a lightsaber duel that would alter the friendship between the two Jedi forever.

Star Wars illustrator Sarah Wilkinson explains with easy-to-follow steps on how to draw Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Steps 1-9 are to be drawn lightly with a pencil. No pen, no dark lines. Finished lines and details will come at the end.

Step One:
To start drawing Obi-Wan's head, start with a circle.
Step Two:
Next, draw a half oval on the bottom of the circle. This will be Obi-Wan's jaw-line.
Step Three:
Find the center of your new shape, and divide it in half vertically. A common mistake is putting the eyes up too high on the head, but really the eyes are right in the middle of the head (vertically across). Also add his neck and indicate some shoulders.
Step Four:
To find the size of Obi-Wan's eyes, divide the eye line (from Step Three) into 5 equal sections. There will be an eye space on either side, and one space in between the eyes. They are almond shaped, with a half circle in the center (iris), with a smaller black circle inside of that (pupil). Remember to draw lightly at first.
Step Five:
Now we will find Obi-Wan's nose. Looking at the inner corner of each eye, draw a light line straight down the face. This is how wide his nose is. Go ahead and draw a shape similar to what is seen here. With noses, it's sometimes better to draw less!
Step Six:
Next up is his mouth. Draw a light line from the center of his eye (the black pupil) straight down his face. This will indicate the width of his mouth. Placement should be somewhere in between his nose and the bottom of his chin.
Step Seven:
Add Obi-Wan's ears. Generally the tops of the ears start level with the eyes. Don't forget to add Obi-Wan's facial hair and eyebrows. This is when it really starts looking like him! You can also erase the construction lines and keep the shapes you want.
Step Eight:
After the facial hair is added, add his head hair. There is a slight lift of his hair off his head, and a nice sweeping motion on top. It is parted to the side and tapers to a nice "trimmed look" close to the ears.
Step Nine:
This is an extra bonus if you want your drawing to look 3-D. Imagine there is a light shining on his face that is coming from an angle above him. Try it in the mirror or with a friend. The light makes shadows on the face that add depth and shape. The face rolls into shadow on the cheek and forehead, and the nose makes a sharp edge of shadow.
Step Ten:
Now you can add the finishing touches. When you are ready, darken your lines and add details: darken his eyes, add some tone to his robes, and make his beard hair thick. Feel free to get creative and use color. Good job, you've just drawn Obi-Wan!

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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