Inspirational Warm-Up Exercises

Pets, Buddies and Invisible Friends Make Great Sidekicks

Did you have a stuffed animal collection when you were a child? A favorite pet? Perhaps a pet rock? Did you have an invisible friend who always stole that last cookie from the cookie jar and smuggled it up to your room before mom could find out? The best thing about having these little buddies is that they help you feel less alone in the world. They stick with you through thick and thin, and they never make fun of your wacky ideas. Take some time to remember this special friend from childhood. Think of how you might substitute your favorite sidekick for the orange kitty in You’ve Got a Friend.

Reference: Use a Stuffed Animal Model for Your Sidekick

This is your chance to be a kid again. I officially give you permission to invite a stuffed animal into your studio. If anyone looks at you funny, just tell them he’s here to work. Set the animal up in a pose similar to the one you imagine for the sidekick in your painting. This will be your model. Of course, you can also use a real cat as the model, but in my experience, they are not as good at holding still. Plus, stuffed animals have really cute expressions that tend to make people smile.

Borrow Traits From Your Sidekick to Develop Your Main Character

Before you draw your main character, take a good look at her stuffed animal sidekick. What kind of animal is it? Does it have stripes? Calico? Feathers? Tusks? A unique tail? Then think of ways you might use these attributes to add personality to your main character. When I painted You’ve Got a Friend, I decided to add a kitty ear headband to my main character. I also considered painting black tiger stripes on her dress, but I decided that it looked too busy. Brainstorm a list of ways you might clothe your character based on her stuffed animal.