Murder Drones, the thrilling animated series from Glitch Productions, features sleek, deadly robots that blend futuristic drone aesthetics with horror elements. These disassembly drones like N, V, and J have become fan favorites due to their quadcopter-inspired designs, complete with wings, tails, and digital visors. Drawing them allows you to capture their menacing yet charismatic vibe. Whether you’re a beginner artist or a seasoned illustrator, this guide will walk you through creating your own Murder Drones artwork. We’ll draw inspiration from real-world drone technology, such as quadcopters, FPV systems, and gimbal cameras, to make your drawings technically accurate and visually dynamic.
This tutorial focuses on drawing N, the friendly yet ferocious disassembly drone, but the techniques apply to other characters like Uzi or V. Expect a step-by-step process emphasizing proportions, details, and shading. By the end, you’ll have a portfolio-worthy piece ready for digital coloring or traditional inks.
Gathering Your Materials and References
Before diving into sketches, assemble the right tools. Quality materials ensure clean lines and vibrant results, much like equipping a racing drone with top-tier components.
Essential Drawing Supplies
- Pencils: Use HB for light sketches and 2B-6B for shading. Mechanical pencils (0.5mm) prevent breakage during fine details like tail sensors.
- Erasers: Kneaded erasers for subtle lifts and vinyl erasers for clean corrections.
- Paper: Smooth Bristol board (9×12 inches) or a sketchbook with 100gsm paper. For digital, opt for Procreate or Photoshop on a tablet.
- Inks and Pens: Micron pens (sizes 005-08) for outlining, mimicking the sharp edges of micro drones.
- Colors: Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, or digital brushes for metallic sheens and glowing visors.
- References: Screenshots from the series, focusing on poses. Study real drone anatomy—UAVs have modular frames that echo the drones’ bodies.
Set up a well-lit workspace with a reference board. Print or pin images of N in flight, highlighting wings akin to propellers and tails like stabilization systems.
Pro tip: Use a lightbox for tracing base shapes if you’re speeding up the process, similar to plotting flight paths in aerial filmmaking.
Sketching the Basic Structure
Start with loose gestures to capture the drone’s agile, predatory stance. Murder Drones have elongated, aerodynamic bodies optimized for speed, much like FPV drones zipping through obstacle courses.
Step 1: The Core Frame
- Draw a large oval for the torso—tilted 30 degrees for dynamic flight pose.
- Add a smaller circle at the top for the head/visor area. Connect with a neck tube, referencing sensors.
- Sketch stick-figure limbs: Long arms with claw hands, bent at elbows for action. Legs are optional or stilt-like for landing gear vibes.
Keep lines light. The body ratio is roughly 1:2 (head to torso), emphasizing slimness over bulk.
Step 2: Wings and Propulsion
Murder Drones’ wings fold like obstacle avoidance flaps.
- From the upper back, draw two large, curved wings—swooping backward like bat wings but with mechanical joints.
- Add three “blades” per wing edge, serrated for lethality, inspired by propellers.
- Below, sketch a long, flexible tail ending in a syringe tip. Curve it dynamically, as if stabbing.
Measure wings to span twice the body width for balance. Use construction lines to align symmetry.
Detailing the Face and Mechanical Features
Now refine with intricate elements. The visor screen is the focal point, glowing like a thermal camera in night ops.
Step 3: The Digital Visor
- Enlarge the head circle into a rectangular screen with rounded corners.
- Draw expressive eyes: X-shapes for anger, circles for surprise. Add a mouth line below—jagged for screams.
- Surround with antenna nubs and ear-like fins, akin to GPS modules.
Step 4: Armor and Accessories
- Body Panels: Add overlapping plates with rivets and vents, like drone cases. Use cross-hatching for texture.
- Claws and Joints: Sharp, three-fingered hands with hooks. Ball joints at shoulders/knees for posability.
- Nanite Acid Details: Drips or stains on the tail and claws—stipple dots for corrosion.
- Badges: N’s serial number “N” on the chest, stylized in block letters.
Incorporate wear and tear: Scratches from battles, glowing yellow accents for active AI follow mode.
Outline everything boldly once satisfied. Erase guidelines, revealing a clean base ready for depth.
Shading, Coloring, and Finishing Touches
Bring your drone to life with dimension and color, evoking 4K cameras capturing cinematic drone shots.
Shading Techniques
- Form Shadowing: Blend from light source (top-left for drama). Darken wing undersides and tail curves.
- Metallic Sheen: Highlights on edges—white pencil or digital glow. Midtones in cool grays.
- Screen Glow: Yellow-orange bloom around visor eyes, with rim light for emissive effect.
Layer softly; build gradually to avoid muddiness.
Coloring Strategies
- Base Colors: Matte black/silver body, yellow accents. V’s palette is redder for contrast.
- Digital Tools: In Photoshop, use clipping masks. Overlay mode for glows, mimicking optical zoom.
- Traditional: Gray Copics for base, yellow pencils for highlights. Blend with colorless blender.
For backgrounds, add ruined colony scenes—debris fields like mapping surveys gone wrong.
Advanced Variations
- Pose Twists: Dynamic angles—N diving with wings flared, using foreshortening.
- Group Shots: Draw Uzi (compact worker drone) beside N. Scale her smaller, with railgun arm.
- Customization: Swap wings for autonomous flight rotors or add remote sensing payloads.
Experiment with cel-shading for that animated look.
Tips for Mastery and Common Mistakes to Avoid
Perfecting Murder Drones art takes practice. Here’s how to elevate:
- Proportions Check: Flip your drawing horizontally—spot asymmetries instantly.
- Reference Real Tech: Study DJI Mini 4 Pro frames for modular designs. Watch drone races for motion blur inspiration.
- Digital Workflow: Layers for wings (separate), visor (glow layer), body (base).
- Avoid Pitfalls: Don’t overcrowd details—focus on silhouette first. Over-shading kills sleekness; keep 60% highlights/shadows balanced.
Share on socials with #MurderDronesArt. For cinematic flair, composite with aerial filmmaking stock—your drone dominating ruined skies.
Practice daily: 30-minute sketches build muscle memory. Soon, you’ll draw entire squads in epic battles. This fusion of art and drone tech makes Murder Drones endlessly drawable—grab your pencil and unleash the disassembly!