I Turned Myself Into 5 Cartoon Styles
For this art style swap challenge, I drew myself in five different cartoon and animation styles: LEGO, Powerpuff Girls, Kpop Demon Hunters, Fairly OddParents, and Pokémon trainer. I used a spinner to choose each style from different categories, which made the challenge feel more random, fun, and a little intimidating.
Some styles were much easier than others. The simpler cartoon styles helped me ease into the challenge, while the more detailed styles pushed me outside my comfort zone and made me question my drawing skills halfway through. By the end, I ranked each version based on difficulty and how happy I was with the final result. This was such a fun drawing challenge for practicing character design, cartoon styles, and drawing myself in ways I never would have tried otherwise.
Style 1: LEGO Character
The first style I spun was LEGO, which ended up being a great way to start the challenge. Since LEGO minifigures all have the same basic shape, this style felt less intimidating than some of the more detailed options. I even used a LEGO character creator as a reference so I could base the drawing on a custom version of myself.
For this drawing, I focused on recognizable details like my red hair, freckles, and my favorite black-and-white letterman jacket. The hair took a little trial and error because it was hard to find curly LEGO hair references, but I tried to add some wave and texture while still keeping the simplified LEGO style. This version was simple, cute, and a nice confidence boost at the beginning of the video.
Difficulty rating: 2/5
Final product rating: 4/5
Style 2: Powerpuff Girls
The second style was Powerpuff Girls, and I was so happy the spinner landed on another simpler cartoon style. I based this version mostly on Blossom because she has red hair and the longest hairstyle of the original trio. Blossom was also my mom’s nickname in high school, so she already feels like the obvious best Powerpuff Girl to me.
This style was really fun because the Powerpuff Girls have such bold, recognizable features: giant eyes, simple shapes, flat colors, and very little shading. I used bright blue for the eyes and outfit details, pink for the clothing, and my now-perfected red hair color from the LEGO drawing. This one came together quickly and ended up being one of my favorite final results. She looks cute, clear, and instantly recognizable as a Powerpuff Girl.
Difficulty rating: 1/5
Final product rating: 5/5
Style 3: Kpop Demon Hunters
The third style was Kpop Demon Hunters, and this was where the challenge got much harder. Compared to LEGO and Powerpuff Girls, this style is more detailed, dramatic, and closer to a polished 3D animated character. I knew this one would push my people-drawing skills, and it definitely did.
I started with alcohol markers for the base colors, then used colored pencils to add shading and depth. The face gave me the most trouble because the proportions, feature placement, and expression were much harder to capture than in the simpler cartoon styles. I also had to make adjustments with acrylic markers, which helped in some places but made other areas feel a little strange. The hair was the most enjoyable part, especially adding long flowing texture, braids, and jewelry inspired by the dramatic character designs.
Even though I was not fully happy with the final result, I am glad I tried it. This style challenged me the most and reminded me that practicing harder styles is still valuable, even when the final drawing does not turn out exactly how I imagined.
Difficulty rating: 5/5
Final product rating: 2/5
Style 4: Fairly OddParents
The fourth style was Fairly OddParents, which brought the challenge back into simpler cartoon territory. I based this version of myself on Chloe because she has freckles, and even though I could have added freckles to any character, it felt like a good starting point.
Fairly OddParents has such a distinct early-2000s cartoon look, with simple shapes, bold outlines, stylized proportions, and of course, only four fingers. This drawing was much easier after the Kpop Demon Hunters style because the shapes were flatter and more forgiving. I added my freckles, red hair, and a simple outfit while keeping the overall look close to the show’s style.
This one was quick, cute, and recognizable, and I had fun learning that Fairly OddParents is one of Nickelodeon’s longest-running animated shows, second only to SpongeBob SquarePants.
Difficulty rating: 1/5
Final product rating: 4/5
Style 5: Pokémon Trainer
The final style was Pokémon, and instead of turning myself into an actual Pokémon, I decided to draw myself as a Pokémon trainer. I used a Pokémon trainer creator as inspiration to help plan the outfit, pose, and overall character design, then created my own version in my sketchbook.
For the hair, I chose a style inspired by Bianca from Pokémon Heroes, one of the Pokémon movies that brings me right back to 2002. Since I have always loved Pokémon, this style felt extra nostalgic and exciting to draw. The trainer design gave me enough structure to follow while still letting me customize the character to look like me.
This ended up being my favorite final result of the challenge. It felt recognizable, cute, nostalgic, and just detailed enough without becoming overwhelming. After all five drawings, the Pokémon trainer version felt like the perfect one to end on.
Difficulty rating: 2/5
Final product rating: 5/5
Final Lineup and Rankings
After drawing myself in all five styles, the easiest one was definitely Powerpuff Girls, while the hardest was Kpop Demon Hunters. The LEGO and Fairly OddParents versions were both approachable and fun, and the Pokémon trainer ended up being my favorite final result.
This art style swap challenge was such a good exercise in studying different cartoon styles, simplifying features, adapting my appearance, and practicing character design. Even though I felt unsure during parts of the process, especially with the Kpop Demon Hunters drawing, I am really glad I pushed through and finished the full page. It was a fun reminder that trying new styles does not have to be perfect to be worthwhile.
