The Peashooter looks simple. It’s just a green circle with a snout, right? Wrong. If you’ve ever sat down with a sketchbook and tried to figure out how to draw Plants vs Zombies characters, you’ve probably realized that PopCap’s art style is a weird, deceptively complex blend of 2D flash animation aesthetics and classic 1950s monster movie vibes. It isn't just about drawing a cartoon. It's about capturing that "ugly-cute" essence where a zombie looks like he’s lost his job and his mind, while the plants look like they’re one minor inconvenience away from a total nervous breakdown.
Rich Werner, the original artist behind the game's look, didn't just doodle these. He created a specific visual language. The lines are thick. The eyes are always slightly asymmetrical. If you draw a Sunflower with perfectly even eyes, it looks "off." It looks like a generic clip-art flower. To get it right, you have to embrace the wonkiness.
The Secret Geometry of the Peashooter
Most people start with a circle. That’s fine. But the Peashooter isn't a sphere; it's more like a heavy teardrop resting on its side. You’ve gotta think about the weight. When you’re learning how to draw Plants vs Zombies icons, the "snout" or the cannon part of the Peashooter needs a flared rim. Look at the original 2009 sprites. The rim isn't just a line; it has thickness. It’s a 3D pipe.
Don't forget the leaf at the back. It’s not just a triangle. It’s a floppy, organic shape that reacts to gravity. If the Peashooter is firing, that leaf should be snapping back. Animation principles matter even in a static drawing. If you’re using a digital tool like Procreate or Photoshop, use a brush with a slight taper. The line weight in PvZ is consistently thick on the outside, thinner on the inner details. This "sticker" look makes the characters pop against the lawn background.
Getting the "Brain-Dead" Look: Drawing Zombies
Zombies in this universe aren't scary. They’re exhausted. That’s the key. When you’re figuring out how to draw Plants vs Zombies undead, start with the jaw. The jaw is always slightly unhinged. It shouldn't line up perfectly with the skull.
The eyes are the most important part. One pupil is usually smaller than the other. Or one eye is squinting while the other is wide open. This "dissociative" stare is what makes them funny rather than terrifying.
The Suit and Tie
The basic Browncoat Zombie wears a suit that is clearly three sizes too small. The sleeves should stop mid-forearm. The tie is always crooked. When sketching the torso, don't make it a rectangle. Make it a slumped, slightly curved shape. They have terrible posture. Their knees are always bent, and their toes point inward. It’s a "shuffling" silhouette. If your zombie looks like he’s standing up straight, erase it. Start over. He needs to look like he’s leaning toward a buffet he can’t quite reach.
Color Palettes and Shading Nuances
Let’s talk about the green. It’s not just "grass green." The Peashooter uses a lime-to-forest gradient. If you look at the game files, there’s a subtle airbrushed quality to the shading. It’s not flat cell shading like The Simpsons. It’s got depth.
- Use a light source from the top-left. This is the "global" light for most PvZ levels.
- Shadows should be a deep purple or a very dark teal, not black. Black shadows make the drawings look muddy and "amateur."
- Highlights are punchy. A tiny white dot on the eye or the curve of the head makes it look like it's made of firm, hydrated plant material.
Honestly, the hardest part is the Sunflower’s petals. They aren't identical. Some should overlap. Some should have a slight fold at the tip. If you make them perfectly symmetrical, you lose the soul of the character. This is a recurring theme when you're mastering how to draw Plants vs Zombies art: perfection is your enemy.
Why the Art Style Changed in Garden Warfare
It’s worth noting that the jump to 3D changed everything. In Garden Warfare and Battle for Neighborville, the characters got textures. The Peashooter suddenly had "skin" that looked like a succulent. The zombies had fabric textures on their suits.
If you’re trying to draw the 3D versions, you need to focus on ambient occlusion. That’s the soft shadow that appears in crevices. In the 2D version, you just draw a thick line. In the 3D-inspired version, you need to blend your colors to show where the arm meets the torso. It’s a much more painterly approach. Most fans prefer the 2D "Classic" look because it’s more iconic, but the 3D style is great practice for lighting and texture work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A lot of beginners make the Wall-nut too round. He’s not a ball. He’s a potato. He has a flat bottom and a slightly lumpy top. His eyes are also buried "into" his skin. You shouldn't just draw eyes on top; you should draw a little crease around them to show they’re embedded in the nut's shell.
Another big one: the teeth. Zombies only have about four or five teeth. They’re huge, square, and yellow. Don't draw a full set of human teeth. It makes them look like a weird guy in a costume instead of a cartoon zombie.
Advanced Tips for Original Character (OC) Creation
Once you know how to draw Plants vs Zombies staples, you’ll probably want to make your own. The community has been doing this for over a decade. To make a plant feel "official," it needs a clear function. Is it a catapult? A shield? A bomb?
The design should reflect that. A "Chili Pepper" looks angry because it’s about to explode. A "Tall-nut" looks stoic because it’s a wall. Give your character a personality through their eyebrows. Even plants have eyebrows in this world—they're just creases in their "skin."
Putting it into Practice
- Start with a "gesture" line. Even for a plant. Show which way it’s leaning.
- Block in the "head" and "body" using spheres or bean shapes.
- Add the characteristic PvZ eyes—big, white, with tiny black pupils.
- Use a bold, 5pt to 10pt liner for the outskirts.
- Fill with vibrant, saturated colors.
- Add the "stubble" or "dirt" details on the zombies for that extra layer of grit.
Actually, if you’re struggling with the zombies’ hands, just draw them like mittens first. Then break the "mitten" into three chunky fingers and a thumb. Most PvZ zombies don't have detailed fingernails or knuckles. They have "sausage" fingers. It’s much easier to manage.
The beauty of this art style is its accessibility. It was designed to run on PCs, phones, and consoles, meaning the silhouettes had to be readable at any size. If you squint at your drawing and can still tell what it is, you’ve succeeded. If it just looks like a green blob, you need to define those outer edges more.
Next Steps for Your Artwork
Grab a high-quality fineliner—something like a Sakura Pigma Micron—and a set of alcohol markers. Copic or Ohuhu work best for the smooth gradients needed for the Peashooter’s skin. Start by tracing a few official sprites to get the "muscle memory" of those weird, wobbly curves. Once you feel comfortable, try drawing the Doom-shroom or the Gatling Pea. These involve more complex overlapping shapes and will test your ability to keep the drawing clean while adding a lot of "hats" or accessories to the base model. Move on to environment sketches, like the cracked pavement of the roof levels or the pool water, to give your characters a place to live.