Decide what your basic cartoon will be, such as a person or an animal, and if you'll be drawing just the face, the upper torso or the complete body. Think in terms of shapes; everything is comprised of some type of shape, so consider the shape of the character you have in mind and draw them in a series of circles, ovals, squares, etc. Remember to use broad and easily legible lines.
Draw the facial features on the head, again remembering the exaggeration rule. Generally speaking, most major TV cartoon characters have larger than normal eyes, which makes for a better onscreen visual than beady eyes. For example, a classic character like Bugs Bunny or a contemporary character like Stewie Griffin have eyes that take up most of the space on their faces.
Add in the rest of the facial features, such as a small or large mouth, nose and ears. Keep these elements very basic (no details are really needed) as an overly detailed cartoon will create a distracting visual. Consider the rest of the body. Bugs' head is the largest part of his frame, while Peter Griffin's is smaller than his body. Draw the body accordingly.
Draw in the remaining details, remembering that most cartoon people have fewer than five fingers and toes. Once you are done, trace your drawing in black ink to make your art stand out on the page.