Want to start drawing cartoons digitally without spending a dime?
Good news — today’s free apps offer powerful features that make it easy for beginners and pros alike to sketch, color, and create amazing cartoon art from anywhere.

Here’s a list of the Top 5 Free Apps for Digital Cartoon Drawing that you can download and start using right now.

 
1. IbisPaint X
Platform: iOS, Android

Why It's Great:
IbisPaint X is one of the most popular free apps for beginners who want to draw comics, cartoons, and manga-style art.
It offers hundreds of brushes, layers, stabilizers for smoother lines, and even time-lapse recording to replay your drawing process.

Features:

Huge variety of customizable brushes
Easy-to-use layer system
Built-in templates and comic tools
Tip: Ads can be removed with a small fee, but they’re non-intrusive in the free version.

 
2. Autodesk SketchBook
Platform: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac

Why It's Great:
Originally a paid app, SketchBook is now completely free — and incredibly powerful.
It has a clean, professional interface and tools designed for illustrators, cartoonists, and concept artists.

Features:

Intuitive layout that's beginner-friendly
Infinite canvas zoom
Predictive stroke smoothing (perfect for cartoon linework)
Tip: Save your work often — SketchBook autosaves but sometimes needs manual backups on older devices.

 
3. MediBang Paint
Platform: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac

Why It's Great:
If you love drawing comics or manga-style cartoons, MediBang Paint is your perfect match.
It offers cloud saving, comic panel creation tools, and a ton of free brushes and fonts.

Features:

Cloud-based so you can access your drawings across devices
Tons of free comic fonts
Easy drag-and-drop comic panel tools
Tip: Great for collaborations — MediBang lets you invite friends to work on projects together.

 
4. Krita
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux

Why It's Great:
While Krita is mostly known for professional painting and illustration, it’s also a fantastic free tool for cartoonists.
Its customizable brushes and stabilizers are perfect for smooth cartoon inking and coloring.

Features:

Brush engines designed for comics and line art
Powerful color and blending tools
Open source and totally free (no hidden costs)
Tip: Krita works best on desktops or laptops — not tablets or phones (unless you have a Surface Pro).

 
5. Clip Studio Paint (Trial Version)
Platform: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac

Why It's Great:
While the full version is paid, Clip Studio Paint offers a free trial that’s so feature-packed, you can create full cartoon projects easily.
It’s beloved by professional manga artists, illustrators, and animators.

Features:

Unbeatable pen and brush quality
Animation tools included
Tons of downloadable assets (backgrounds, effects)
Tip: Take advantage of the trial’s unlimited features while you can — it's a great way to practice high-level digital cartooning for free!

 
🎨 Final Thoughts
You don’t need expensive software to start your cartoon drawing journey.
With the right free app, a little practice, and your imagination, you can create amazing characters, comics, and animations right from your phone, tablet, or computer.

Explore, experiment, and find the app that feels right for you — your best cartoon characters are just a few sketches away!

Cartoon characters are more than just drawings; they’re cultural icons.
They make us laugh, teach us lessons, and leave a lasting impression on generations.
Some characters have become so famous, they’re recognized around the world — even without words.

Here’s a look at 10 of the most iconic cartoon characters of all time and why they continue to capture our imaginations.

 
1. Mickey Mouse
Debut: 1928 — Steamboat Willie
Creator: Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks

No list would be complete without Mickey Mouse, the cheerful, optimistic mouse who launched the Disney empire.
With his simple design — big circular ears and white gloves — Mickey became the symbol of animation magic worldwide.

 
2. Bugs Bunny
Debut: 1940 — A Wild Hare
Creator: Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, and Leon Schlesinger Productions

With his wisecracking attitude and signature phrase “What’s up, Doc?”, Bugs Bunny redefined cartoon humor.
He’s clever, mischievous, and always one step ahead — a true animated legend.

 
3. Homer Simpson
Debut: 1989 — The Simpsons
Creator: Matt Groening

D’oh!
Homer Simpson is the everyman character that millions identify with — lazy, lovable, and hilariously flawed.
The Simpsons became one of the longest-running TV shows ever, with Homer at its heart.

 
4. SpongeBob SquarePants
Debut: 1999 — SpongeBob SquarePants
Creator: Stephen Hillenburg

Living in a pineapple under the sea, SpongeBob is endlessly cheerful and just a little bit absurd.
His wild optimism and surreal world have charmed kids and adults alike, making him a modern icon.

 
5. Scooby-Doo
Debut: 1969 — Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Creator: Joe Ruby and Ken Spears

The lovable, snack-obsessed Great Dane with a nose for mysteries, Scooby-Doo is one of the most recognizable cartoon animals ever.
His goofy cowardice and heartfelt loyalty made him a permanent favorite across generations.

 
6. Tom and Jerry
Debut: 1940 — Puss Gets the Boot
Creator: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

The ultimate cat-and-mouse chase.
Tom and Jerry’s mostly silent, slapstick battles have entertained millions for over 80 years — proving that brilliant physical comedy never goes out of style.

 
7. Betty Boop
Debut: 1930 — Dizzy Dishes
Creator: Max Fleischer

Betty Boop became one of animation’s first major female icons.
Her flapper style, bold attitude, and distinctively high-pitched voice made her a cultural symbol of the Jazz Age and beyond.

 
8. Pikachu
Debut: 1996 — Pokémon Red/Green (Game), Pokémon Anime
Creator: Satoshi Tajiri (concept) / Ken Sugimori (design)

Small, yellow, and shockingly powerful, Pikachu became the face of the massive Pokémon franchise.
Thanks to global media and video games, Pikachu remains a beloved ambassador for anime and gaming.

 
9. Garfield
Debut: 1978 — Garfield Comic Strip
Creator: Jim Davis

The ultimate lazy cat, Garfield's sarcastic wit and love for lasagna have made him a household name.
His grumpy yet endearing personality continues to entertain comic strip readers and cartoon fans everywhere.

 
10. Charlie Brown
Debut: 1950 — Peanuts Comic Strip
Creator: Charles M. Schulz

Charlie Brown’s constant struggles and quiet perseverance made him a symbol of the underdog spirit.
From the Great Pumpkin to the football gag, his stories are full of humor, heart, and humanity.

 
🎨 Final Thoughts
These iconic cartoon characters have become part of our shared cultural memory.
They’ve survived through decades — and sometimes centuries — of changing styles and technologies because they capture something timeless: humor, hope, and the human experience.

Whether you grew up with them or discovered them later, these characters continue to inspire artists, storytellers, and dreamers around the world.

 If you've ever dreamed of creating your own fun and expressive cartoon characters, you're in the right place!
Drawing cartoons isn’t about perfection — it’s about capturing emotion, movement, and personality with simple, bold shapes.

Even if you've never drawn a stick figure before, these 5 easy steps will help you start drawing cartoons today.

 
1. Start With Basic Shapes
Every great cartoon starts with something simple: basic shapes.
Circles, ovals, rectangles, and triangles are the building blocks of cartoon characters.

A circle might become a head or a body.
A rectangle could be a robot’s torso or a blocky backpack.
A triangle might form a superhero’s mask or a monster’s tooth.
Tip:
Lightly sketch your basic shapes first. Keep your hand loose and don't worry about perfect lines!

 
2. Sketch a Simple Outline
Once your basic shapes are on the page, it’s time to connect them and create a loose outline.

Draw arms and legs using simple lines (think of noodles or sticks).
Connect the head to the body with a curve for the neck.
Add simple hands and feet (ovals work great here).
This rough outline helps you pose your character — are they standing tall, jumping, or sitting?
Action makes cartoons exciting, even in a still drawing!

 
3. Add Expressive Features
Now comes the fun part: the face!

Eyes: Make them big for cuteness or small for seriousness.
Eyebrows: Tiny lines that can instantly show mood (happy, angry, surprised).
Mouth: Experiment with huge smiles, dramatic frowns, or silly open mouths.
Nose and ears: Keep them small and simple unless you want an exaggerated feature.
Tip:
In cartoons, bigger expressions = stronger emotions.
Don't be afraid to make eyes gigantic or mouths hilariously wide!

 
4. Clean Up and Define Your Drawing
Once you have your rough sketch, it’s time to clean it up:

Trace over your favorite lines with a darker pencil or pen.
Erase extra lines or overlaps that aren’t needed.
Add small details like clothes, patterns, or textures.
This step turns your sketch into a polished cartoon.
You’ll be amazed how much cleaner and more exciting your drawing looks after this!

 
5. Add Color and Final Touches
Cartoons come alive with bright, bold colors!

Pick a simple color palette (3–5 colors to start).
Use colors to highlight the character’s personality (bright colors for cheerful characters, darker shades for villains).
Optional: Add a simple shadow under the character’s feet to give them weight.
You can color by hand with markers or digitally using free apps like IbisPaint X or MediBang Paint.

Tip:
Stay playful — color outside the lines if you want! Cartooning is about having fun, not stressing over perfection.

 
🎨 Final Thoughts: Your Cartoon Adventure Starts Here
Drawing cartoons is one of the easiest and most joyful ways to express yourself.
All you need is a pencil, some imagination, and a willingness to be a little silly.

Remember:
✅ Start simple.
✅ Focus on shapes and emotion.
✅ Practice a little every day.

Your first cartoons might be messy — and that's GREAT! Every masterpiece begins with a single squiggly line. ✏️✨

 Cartoon drawing has evolved dramatically over the centuries, from simple pen-and-ink sketches to animated films lighting up movie screens and digital devices around the world. But how exactly did this playful and powerful art form come to be? Let’s take a journey through the fascinating history of cartoon drawings — from their earliest beginnings to their modern-day transformations.

 
🏛️ Early Beginnings: The First Cartoons
The roots of cartooning stretch back thousands of years.
Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Greeks used illustrations and hieroglyphs to tell stories through images. Although these weren't "cartoons" in the modern sense, they share a common spirit: visual storytelling.

The term "cartoon" itself comes from the Italian word cartone, meaning "big paper." In the 1400s, Renaissance artists like Leonardo da Vinci created preparatory sketches on large paper before painting murals. These early "cartoons" were serious art forms, laying the groundwork for more humorous uses in later centuries.

 
📰 18th–19th Century: Cartoons Enter Popular Culture
In the 1700s and 1800s, satirical cartoons exploded in popularity across Europe.
Artists like James Gillray and George Cruikshank in England created political cartoons to poke fun at leaders and social issues.
These early cartoons often exaggerated features — big noses, tiny bodies — to make their points clear and funny, a tradition that continues today.

Meanwhile, the invention of mass printing (like the lithograph and later, newspapers) allowed cartoon drawings to reach a much larger audience for the first time.
Cartooning had officially entered popular culture!

 
🎨 The Birth of the Comic Strip
By the late 19th century, comic strips were born.

One of the first major comic strips, “The Yellow Kid” by Richard Outcault, appeared in The New York World in 1895.
The Yellow Kid's success showed newspapers that cartoon characters could sell papers — and set the stage for a cartoon revolution.

Soon after, beloved characters like Krazy Kat, Popeye, and Little Nemo in Slumberland delighted readers with their imaginative stories and whimsical drawing styles.

 
🎥 From Static Drawings to Animated Motion
As technology advanced, artists dreamed of making their drawings move.

In 1908, French artist Émile Cohl created the first true animated cartoon: Fantasmagorie.
It was a simple black-and-white stick figure cartoon — but it opened the door to endless possibilities.

Then came the giants:

Walt Disney introduced the world to Mickey Mouse in 1928’s Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon with synchronized sound.
Warner Bros. gave us Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and an entire cast of unforgettable characters.
Fleischer Studios created Betty Boop and Popeye animations, blending music and humor.
Animation pushed cartoon drawings from the page to the screen, forever changing entertainment.

 
🖥️ Digital Revolution: Cartoons in the Computer Age
By the late 20th century, computer technology revolutionized cartoon drawing again.

Programs like Adobe Photoshop and CorelDRAW made it possible to draw digitally, opening new creative frontiers.
Meanwhile, entire cartoons were being animated with computers:

Disney's Beauty and the Beast used early CGI.
Pixar’s Toy Story (1995) became the first fully computer-animated feature film.
Today, artists around the world create cartoon drawings on tablets, phones, and laptops — with tools like Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, and Krita.

 
📱 Cartoons in the Modern World: Memes, Webcomics, and More
In the 21st century, cartoon drawings aren’t just for movies and newspapers — they’re everywhere:

Webcomics (like Sarah’s Scribbles or Strange Planet) reach millions online.
Memes use quick cartoons to spread humor across the globe.
Social media allows artists to share their work instantly with millions.
Cartoon drawing has never been more accessible — or more powerful.

Today, anyone with a phone or tablet can sketch, publish, and inspire the world.

 
🎨 Conclusion: From Sketches to Screens and Beyond
From ancient wall paintings to global social media sensations, cartoon drawing has grown from humble sketches into a universal language.
It entertains, informs, and connects us — often without saying a single word.

And the best part?
The future of cartooning is still being drawn — by artists like you. ✏️

So grab your pencil (or tablet), unleash your imagination, and be part of the next exciting chapter in cartoon history!