Since Among Us has been getting big, I've seen a lot of really awesome astronaut characters emerging. Of course, astronauts are a big challenge for some artists, so I figured I'd use my overwhelmingly useless spacesuit knowledge to help out. As always, don't be scared to comment with any questions you have. (Also, if you do make any OCs using this, you can absolutely show them off here! I always want to see more cute space characters.)
1 - Use References[ All images used below are public domain. ][ General Sources: Evolution of the Spacesuit, Spacesuit Evolution in Pictures, NASA's Guide to Spacesuit Evolution ]
As with any art, it's extremely beneficial to use references when drawing characters in spacesuits. If you struggle with the "traditional" spacesuit style, don't worry! Space travel has been around for a long time, and there are a ton of different suits you can try. Below are a few that you may have been before. These are, of course, only examples meant to guide you, and I highly suggest getting creative when designing your own suit.
Gemini (G4C) Suit(This suit includes the helmet featured in my avatar!) The Gemini missions featured several different spacesuit variations, as they provided many new opportunities for NASA to specialize these suits for different functions. The G4C in particular offered
great mobility,
internal and external spacecraft use, and a
high level of customization. I like to reference the body suit of this one when drawing intra-vehicular activity suits, because it's very loose-fitting and comfortable-looking.
If you follow my art, you've definitely seen this one, because it's my favorite. I draw Mercury suits a lot because I love the distinctive shape of the helmet and the cool reflective fabric of the bodysuit. I personally think these are the coolest looking American spacesuits, and there are plenty of references since Project Mercury was such an important development at NASA. These suits offer
good mobility and
an attractive design, but were
only for intra-vehicular use.
You've almost definitely seen these, because these are the suits that landed on the moon. (Though, if you haven't seen the
internal suit, I suggest taking a look.) These are characterized by their large outer helmer, bulky body design, and life support "backpack". These are a popular inspiration for a lot of art, including some of my own. They offered
a bulky design,
limited movement, and
good protection.
The EVA suits used on the ISS are another design you've probably seen pictures of before. These are designed with safety as the priority. Astronauts who have used them have described them as being
their own spacecraft rather than a true suit, and it's easy to see why. They're very rigid and, like the A7L, are identifiable for their large helmets and life support systems. These suits are also designed for
functionality in both extreme light and total darkness, due to the speed of the ISS bringing astronauts through night and day very quickly, so I think they're a great inspiration for horror-themed spacesuits.
I love Sokols. Sokol suits were designed in the early 70s and are still used today when transporting astronauts to and from the ISS. While they aren't designed for extra-vehicular activity, they can protect their wearers from craft depressurization. What I really adore about them is their blue-trimmed design and almost fishbowl-like helmet. They
aren't very comfortable, and they are
secured with rubber bands, but they
look great and are
surprisingly protective.I hate these because I have a sense of style and I'm not a particular fan of private space companies, but they're neat. These suits were first tested this year by the private space exploration company SpaceX. According to
their website, these suits feature a 3D printed helmet, touchscreen-compatable gloves, and personal protection. They have a very
sci-fi type design and are by far the
most comfortable suit on this list.
Some people are tempted to load their character's design will all the cool gadgets and scientific instruments they can name. That's typically not a great idea, however. Overcomplicating a spacesuit design can make your character difficult to draw and write about. The suit example I've shown here is my fursona's spacesuit, which I've drawn from his reference here. It's designed entirely for me to be able to draw without wanting to break my art tablet in two. The design still features a life support pack and abdominal instrument panel, but it's easy to recreate. I also have space for identifying designs such as the "paw pad" gloves and interchangeable pride flag patches. Incorporating little things like that can help create unique designs, even among similar characters.
3. Use Your StyleNot a lot to say here. Just get as creative as you want to. If you're a cartoon artist, don't make yourself try to draw realistic astronauts. If you're a more realistic artist, maybe try to copy some images for practice. NASA, Roscosmos, and other space agencies have a lot of free-use images you can play around with. Have fun with your art and draw what you enjoy drawing.
