Determine what type of "Dragon Ball Z" person you would like to create. You can design a protagonist such as Goku or an antagonist such as Vegeta. Some characters have an alien appearance while others look more human. You should also choose the age and gender of your "Dragon Ball Z" person at this point.
Draw the head of your "Dragon Ball Z" person. Sketch out the outline of the face with pencil and paper. The sides of the face should start with two 85 degree lines angled inward, each with a slightly shorter 45 degree line continued from the bottom end of the first. The ends of these 45 degree lines should meet to form the chin of the character--the face should resemble the bottom half of a tall octagon. Draw large spikes from the opening on the top of the face--each spike should be fairly wide and at least as tall as the face. The hair is typically black or blond and very layered and long. Some characters are bald and others wear hats or protective headgear to cover their hair.
Draw the face within the head. The eyes are the main feature and take up most of the upper half of the face. Use large triangular eyes for aggressive characters and more rounded eyes for friendlier characters. Add small black pupils and simple eyebrows to complete the eyes. Draw a small J-shaped line for the nose, centered on the face and directly below the eyes. Use shading to make the nose look more realistic and size the nose approximately as tall as one eye. Directly below the nose, draw a short horizontal line for the mouth, as wide as the nose. If you want your character to smile or talk, you can use a small rectangle or triangle with white teeth to represent the mouth. Don't forget to finish the face with ears centered on each side of the face.
Create the body of your "Dragon Ball Z" person. While most "Dragon Ball Z" characters have an athletic or muscular build, others are overweight or very skinny. If you wish to make a "DBZ" character that is a woman, an elderly person or a child, lessen the size and soften the contours of the body along with adjusting facial features and garments appropriately. If you are creating a main character such as Goku or Vegeta, draw large muscles. Consult images of your favorite "Dragon Ball Z" characters to determine your preferred body type.
Add clothes, accessories, a name and super powers. "Dragon Ball Z" characters can wear a variety of different armors, regular garments, futuristic clothing and other garb, so clothe your character however you see fit. Many of the main characters in "DBZ" wear loose orange and purple clothing or colorful protective armor, although the outfits vary greatly depending on each character's style. Draw the clothes on top of the body and then erase any body contour lines that should be covered by the clothes. Give your "Dragon Ball Z" person special weapons, Super Saiyan abilities and a name that fits his appearance.