Ever wanted to draw Star Wars characters 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. So get your pencils and paper ready!

Darth Sidious, a mysterious Sith Lord, used his apprentice Darth Maul in Episode I to track the JediQui-Gon Jinn and a young Obi-Wan Kenobi to Tatooine. Despite the death of his prized apprentice Maul, none of the Jedi knew for sure of Sidious' existence, or of his true identity, until Episode III.

Star Wars comic book artist Randy Martinez explains his easy steps to draw Darth Sidious with examples below.

Steps 1-5 are to be drawn lightly with a pencil. No pen, no dark lines. Finished lines and details will come at the end in the last step.

Step One: The Head
Very basic step, but probably the most important.
1. The Head: Draw a big sideways oval in the center of the page.
2. Draw a horizontal guideline through the middle of oval.
3. Draw a vertical guideline through the middle of oval.
4. The Jaw: Draw a "V"ish shape that starts where the horizontal guide intersects with the oval, and ends where the vertical guide line intersects with the bottom of the oval.
5. Draw a horizontal guideline where the jaw line intersects with the oval.
6. Draw a horizontal guideline half way between the two horizontal guidelines you previously drew.

Step Two: Big Face features and Hood
What are the biggest features on Darth Sidious' face?
1. Nose: Draw a "V"ish shape for his nose. Make sure the tip of his nose lines up with your middle horizontal guideline.
2. Eyes: For now make a small circle just below the top horizontal guideline.
3. Brow: Make two vertical ovals just above the nose and where the nose intersects with the top front corner of the eye.
4. Mouth: Pretend you are drawing half of a banana. The bottom horizontal guideline should run through the center of the fat end (of the half banana). The pointy side should not go much further back than the eye, and should not go higher than the center horizontal line.
5. Chin: Draw a "C" at the bottom of the Jaw line. Just to make the chin protrude a little more.
6. Hood: Try to copy the shape that I have drawn, but notice that it's almost like a triangle attached to a rectangle.

Step Three: Smaller Face features and Hood
Expand on those big features and enhance them with Sidious' smaller features.
1. Nostrils: Use a shark fin shape for his nostril. It's very angular.
2. Teeth: Just a couple simple line as shown. Be sure to put his bottom teeth out farther than his upper teeth. It gives the feeling he's giving an evil laugh.
3. Bottom Lip: A simple "C" shape again. Use the bottom line of that banana shape as your guide. It should run through the middle of the "C."
4. Neck: He's got a little bit of a double chin, so don't make this line straight. Bow it down a bit.
5. Robe Clasp: Pretty simple, a triangle.
6. Hood top: Make that point at top front of his hood a little rounded so it looks more like cloth. And then draw a little dip on top of his hood in between the front of the robe, and the top of his head.
7. Hood Bottom: Do the same rounding thing to the bottom of the Hood. It's okay to extend down past your original guidelines.

Step Four: Fine Face details
Now put some of those details that make Darth Sidious stand out in a crowd. What makes him really ugly?
1. Ridges on brow: Draw a couple of arches through the "Brow" shapes you drew earlier. They should kind of look like Easter eggs now.
2. Facial scars: Starting on top of the nose, make four swooping lines under the eye, going back to the hood. It should look somewhat like the "Puma" shoes logo.
3. Bottom eye lid: Draw a curved line that starts where the bottom of the "brow" shapes meet with the top line of those facial scars you just drew. This line should cut off the bottom of the eye circle and extend back to the hood.
4. Eye Pupil: Draw a small circle inside the eye circle. Put it to the right side of the eye circle. Then draw a dot in the center of the small circle you just drew.
5. Nostril: Draw a sideways comma, well a big comma, but that's what it looks like.
6. Back of Hood: A simple little "v" shape at the back of the hood will do.

Step Five: Ultra fine details
This is where we put all the really small details like wrinkles and stuff. This part is really up to you. Use your guidelines to tell where your wrinkles will go. Here is what I drew.

• Wrinkles in the brow
• Darkened around the eyes
• Lines in teeth
• Smile lines
• Skin flab under his jaw

Step Six: Finish him up!
Now is the really fun part. You can now use your pen or draw heavier with your pencil. We want to use all the guides we just drew but only "ink" the important lines. (Artist's hint, leave a small white circle in the upper corner of the pupil. This works as a high light and will give your eye's more life)
Now Erase all the left over pencil line and guides. It should look something like the one above. Congratulations, you are now strong in the power of the dark side of caricature!

My finished piece
As you become skilled in the art of drawing you can add shading and expression lines, and color. The best part about being an artist is you can draw things your way. This is how I would polish off mine. Have fun!

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.