Doctor Who: 10 Amazing Fan Art Pieces Featuring The First Doctor

The First Doctor might be the oldest and most dated, but that hasn’t stopped Doctor Who fans from adoring him throughout the decades. New generations of Whovians might have a hard time getting on board with the outdated nature of his classic black and white serials, but there’s something fascinating about William Hartnell’s portrayal of the character that has stood the test of time.

In fact, the character was so popular that he was even brought back to fight alongside the Twelfth Doctor in the 2017 story Twice Upon A Time. Here are 10 amazing fan art renditions of the First Doctor that have come out of the community over the years.

10 Color Portrait

Art By Steve did a lovely portrait of the First Doctor, complete with his signature scowl and ill-temper. He nails the Doctor’s fashion sense to a T, right down to his monocle and Astrakhan fur hat.

The level of detail and artistry in this piece is off the charts, and it wouldn’t look out of place if framed and hung on the wall of a Whovian’s den. The crisp colors also bring life to a Doctor that has spent most of his on-screen time in the black and white format of early 60s television screens.

9 Vintage Doctor

Monica RavenWolf did a superb job of crafting this work which has a timeless vintage feel, thanks primarily to her art style. The dark background blends nicely into the Doctor’s dark coat and grey vest, which in turn is peppered with faint blues and whites.

Of special note is the way Monica textured the First Doctor’s combed-back hair. The piece looks like it was lifted straight out of the halls of time itself, from a completely different (and much older) artist. This speaks to her level of sophistication when it comes to creating art.

8 Comic Book Doctor

SupInternets succeeds in creating a superb comic-book-style rendition of the First Doctor which looks like the cover to a #1 Doctor Who issue. In the background is the now canonized depiction of Gallifrey’s Capitol encased in a dome.

In the background is the classic Tardis with the First Doctor’s granddaughter Susan leaning through the entrance. It’s a smart and snappy fan depiction of the iconic, classic character.

7 Pencil Doctor

Rick Parker busted out the pencils for this sketch of the First Doctor in one of his most famous poses. It’s a neck-up bust pose of William Hartnell cracking a bit more of a smile in contrast to his grumpier persona.

The simple sweeps and crisscrossing lines come together to depict a remarkably lifelike representation of the First Doctor, and the amount of detail in his tie, hair, and face is remarkably good, as is the shading.

6 Oil Painted Doctor

JossuJB delivers a much different interpretation of the First Doctor character with this oil painted work that blends simplicity with sharp lines to help translate all the key details of the character’s face and personality.

The heavy use of blues and greens is accented with flesh tones in the Doctor’s face to create a nice contrast, and his gaunt appearance is a bit sharper and more obvious in comparison to the real-life actor who portrayed him.

5 Vaporwave Doctor

Art By Sheila uses desaturated blues and greens on this brilliant piece which relies heavily on strong light sources to sell its allure. Here, the First Doctor strikes his classic pose in front of the Tardis, which in turn is flanked by a grid-style interpretation of what could be the time vortex.

The piece looks slightly empty without the addition of any text or logo elements against the sharp horizontal lines and light sources, but it’s a minor quibble against an otherwise stunning and very unique portrait of the character.

4 Sketched Doctor

Like other artists on this list, HoganVibe draws upon his own unique style and vision for the First Doctor, which stands in contrast to the real-life depiction. The sharp, sketchy pens and airbrushed shading and flesh tones work well against the white canvas to make the Doctor stand out.

In fact, it’s the scribbled nature of the art style that makes the piece work. The brown border doesn’t work as well as it should to frame the shot, but that’s a small detraction from a very stunning work of art.

3 Brushed Doctor

RJN16 gives the First Doctor a much more friendly and benevolent look in this wonderful piece comprised mainly of directional brush strokes with a minimalist touch. The shaded teal background helps push the Doctor to the forefront, who has been dolled up with charcoal blacks, rusty blonds, blood reds, and forest greens.

Abstract takes such as this one truly stand out when it comes to fan art, and the style helps compliment the most classic (the original, you might say) of Doctors.

2 Classic Doctor

Bungle0 uses classic 1940s-style artwork and shading combined with sepia tones to elicit nostalgia in this wonderful work. It’s obviously meant to create a sense of timelessness as old as the Doctor himself, acting as an art-inspired snapshot of the character in motion.

The attention to detail in this piece is fantastic, right down to the traditional keyhole in the Tardis, as well as its St. John Ambulance logo. Exactly what kind of rebuke the Doctor is giving to the audience, however, remains a mystery.

1 Magazine Doctor

DawidB uses distressed effects brilliantly in this amazing faux-magazine cover representing the First Doctor facing down his mortal enemies, the Daleks. The color palette is indicative of 1960s sci-fi comic books, as is the minimalist art style that eschews heavy details in favor of a cleaner and more dynamic look.

The level of detail in the Doctor is top-notch, right down to his checkered pants. The entire piece is topped off with the little 10 cent foil badge, making it one of the most believable mock comic book covers in Doctor Who fandom.

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