Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles in My Crusty Goobers Style
In this post, I’m sharing a timelapse video where I draw Krang from the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, reimagined in my Crusty Goobers style. Just like the other videos in this series, there’s no sketching first and no erasing. I start directly with a pen and let the drawing develop naturally. Whatever happens on the page becomes part of the final character.
That approach is at the heart of how Crusty Goobers characters are created. This video is a good example of that mindset applied to a familiar character. Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles this way shows how you can take something recognizable and reinterpret it in a loose, playful style without worrying about perfection.
Why Drawing Along Matters More Than Getting It Right
One of the main reasons I like sharing these videos is to encourage people to draw along. Watching Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles happen in real time helps show that drawings don’t need to be carefully planned to be fun or expressive.
If you’re drawing along, you can:
- Start with pen instead of pencil
- Let mistakes stay on the page
- Adjust your drawing as you go
- Use markers or whatever tools you have
- Focus on enjoying the process
This approach removes a lot of pressure, especially for kids. When they see that the drawing isn’t perfect from the start, it makes them feel more comfortable picking up a pen themselves.
Why This Works So Well for the Crusty Goobers Style
The Crusty Goobers characters are meant to feel a little weird and unpredictable. That’s why starting directly with pen works so well. It forces you to commit to your lines and respond creatively when something unexpected happens.
You can see that clearly while Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles in this video (below). The character evolves as the drawing progresses. Some lines get heavier, some shapes shift, and instead of fighting that, I let the character lean into it.
That same mindset carries over into the Crusty Goobers books. The characters aren’t meant to be polished or symmetrical. They’re meant to feel alive and fun to draw.
Using Familiar Characters as Drawing Warm-Ups
Krang doesn’t appear in my Crusty Goobers books, but Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles is a great warm-up exercise. Familiar characters make it easier to jump in without overthinking things.
Because you already know who the character is, you can focus on drawing instead of planning. That makes it a great way to loosen up before creating original characters of your own.
Many kids find that after drawing along with a video like this, it’s easier to start inventing their own characters using the same loose approach.
Markers, Color, and Keeping It Loose
After the pen work is finished, I color the drawing with markers. Marker coloring keeps the energy consistent with the rest of the process. It’s fast, bold, and encourages you to keep moving forward instead of slowing down to fix small details.
Watching Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles go from black-and-white linework to a fully colored character shows how much personality color can add, even when applied simply. Kids especially enjoy this part, since markers feel immediate and playful.
There’s no pressure to stay perfectly inside the lines. The goal is to support the character, not polish it.
How This Video Connects to the Crusty Goobers Books
The Crusty Goobers art books are built around this same idea: draw first, think less, and keep going. While the books focus entirely on original characters, the drawing process is the same one you see in this video.
If you enjoy watching Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles unfold this way, you’ll recognize that same energy when flipping through the Crusty Goobers pages. The books encourage kids to:
- Draw without fear of mistakes
- Commit to their lines
- Adapt when things don’t go as planned
- Have fun with unexpected results
That freedom is often what helps kids stick with drawing long-term.
An Active Kind of Screen Time
Videos like this work well as a more active form of screen time. Instead of just watching, kids are encouraged to grab paper and draw along. Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles becomes a starting point for creating rather than just consuming content.
Parents often tell me they like pairing videos like this with the books—watch a drawing happen, try it yourself, then keep drawing offline.
About the Timelapse Drawing Video
The video captures Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles from start to finish in a single pass. I don’t plan things out ahead of time or work underneath with pencil. I draw straight in pen and respond to the lines as they appear. If a shape turns out differently than expected, I don’t fix it—I work around it.
That’s often where the personality comes from.
Watch The Video Here:
Once the linework is finished, I color the character using markers. Marker coloring fits perfectly with this process because it keeps things moving. There’s no second-guessing and no undo button. You commit to the color and keep going, just like with the pen lines.
Final Thoughts
This timelapse video of Drawing Krang from Ninja Turtles is meant to show that drawing doesn’t need to start with a sketch or end perfectly. Sometimes the best drawings come from starting with a pen, accepting mistakes, and letting the character evolve naturally.
If that approach sounds fun to you or your kids, the Crusty Goobers art books are built around that exact mindset. They’re about drawing freely, experimenting, and enjoying the process without overthinking it.
Thanks for drawing along with me.
Kevin Coulston is an accomplished cartoonist, animator, and writer. He is the author and illustrator of over 80 (and still counting) children’s drawing books available here on FirstArtBooks.com. Kevin has also authored numerous kid-friendly comic book series, including “Dylan McVillain: A Super Villain with the Best Intentions” and “The Adventures of a 4th Grade Space Captain,” along with the Children’s Picture Book series “Alexis and the T-Rexes.”
