Let's Be Real: Character Design Can Be Overwhelming

Let's be real: diving into character creation can seem pretty overwhelming at first. But don’t worry! Whether you're sketching out your original character's form or picking out the perfect color scheme, this guide is here to make the character creation process easier for you. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve got a few original characters swirling around in your head, just begging to be brought to life. Let’s help you get those characters out of your imagination and onto the page!

If you’re like me, you might be tempted to skip the basics and jump straight into the fun stuff. Trust me, I get it. Learning the fundamentals of character creation can feel like a drag. But think of it like building a LEGO set. You might want to get right to assembling the cool spaceship, but without a solid foundation, it's just going to crumble. The same goes for creating your original character. Knowing the basics is the difference between a character that’s just “okay” and one that’s truly memorable.

Before You Dive Into Character Creation

The 3 Core Principles of Character Creation

Now, you might be hesitant about diving into the fundamentals of character creation. But think of the basics as your toolkit. Sure, you can use a shoe to hammer in a nail, but wouldn’t a real hammer be so much better? Without understanding and applying the core principles, creating an original character might be a lot tougher than it needs to be.

And here’s a little secret: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Every artist has their own way of doing things. Some swear by clean lines and clear shapes, others thrive on loose, expressive gestures. Some lean on strict guidelines, while others embrace complete creative freedom. We’re all different!

That said, there are some basic elements of character creation that are almost universally useful. As you keep designing your original characters, you’ll develop your own process. You might even find that you prefer focusing on just one or two of these elements. And that’s totally cool! But for now, I recommend considering all three of these in your designs. Soon enough, you’ll discover what works best for you!

Bold Silhouettes and Shapes

Think of an original character’s silhouette as their shadow. It’s crucial to design characters that stand out from each other, and unique, recognizable silhouettes are one of the best ways to do this. A great silhouette makes it easy to identify a character, even when all you can see is their shadow. Including interesting shapes in the silhouette helps set your original character apart from the crowd.

TIP: ‘Shape language’ is a nifty trick where you use shapes to hint at a character's personality. For instance, soft, rounded shapes can suggest that a character is friendly and approachable. We’ll dive deeper into this later on.

Colorful Palettes

Imagine squinting at your original character until all you can see are their colors. Even without seeing any details, those colors can tell you a lot. For instance, bright, cheerful colors might suggest a bubbly, happy character.

TIP: Playing around with contrasting colors can make your characters really pop! Try experimenting with combos like:

• Teal + orange
• Magenta + lime green
• Yellow + violet

Expressive Emotions

To take an original character from “meh” to amazing, it’s all about how they express themselves. You can do this through exaggeration, body language, and proportions. Pushing these elements can bring tons of life to your character, so don’t hold back!

TIP: Before you start distorting proportions, make sure you’ve got a good grasp of anatomy. You can break the rules, but it helps to know them first.

Study What Works

These three core principles are at play in every original character you know and love. To see them in action, pick a character you’re fond of and spend some time studying them. (Research is always more fun when it’s about something you enjoy!) To apply these principles to your own character creation, you’ve got to understand the basics first.

Start by examining the character’s silhouette. How does it compare to other original characters in the same series? Can you tell who’s who just by their outline? Take note of which features help distinguish one character from another. This exercise can give you ideas for your own character designs.

Next, break the character down into shapes. Maybe a tall, slender original character is mostly made up of rectangles, while a short, stout one is built from circles. A good exercise is to trace the character’s shapes and see what you can learn. What do the shapes add to the final design? What role do they play?

Then, create a color palette based on the character. You can use tools like a color picker or websites like coolors.co to extract colors from an image. Once you’ve got the palette, ask yourself:

• Are the colors warm or cool?
• Do they harmonize or contrast?
• What emotions do they evoke?
• What vibe do they give off?
• Why did the original artist choose these colors?

Let’s say you’re studying the colors from the original characters in “Steven Universe.” One character might have a palette full of soft pastels, while another sports bold, saturated colors. Think about the personality traits these colors might represent.

Finally, look at how the character’s features are exaggerated. Maybe a character with big, round eyes is meant to seem innocent, or a character with a huge smile is meant to look extra cheerful. Ask yourself, “What is the artist trying to communicate through this exaggeration?” It often hints at the character’s personality, but not always!

Don’t forget to check out the poses, too. How does the character carry themselves? Do they stand tall and confident or slouch and look unsure? The way a character moves can say a lot about who they are.

Put Your Knowledge to the Test!

Ready to test what you’ve learned? Pause before reading further. If you’ve never seen this original character before, jot down your first impressions based on these images. Then, do a quick search online to see if your guesses were accurate. Based on that alone, do you think this character’s design is effective?

Take “SpongeBob SquarePants” as an example. His design is all about exaggeration! His wide, expressive eyes and big, bucktoothed grin instantly tell you he’s an upbeat, friendly character. The bright yellow color of his body makes him stand out even more. Without even seeing his actions, you can guess a lot about his personality just from his design.

This is what character creation is all about. Through shapes, colors, and expressions, you’re able to convey who your original character is to the audience. This is your ultimate goal when designing characters!

Bringing Your Character to Life

When you meet someone new, your first impression is usually based on how they look. But when it comes to character design, it’s often the other way around! Before you nail down your character’s appearance, you’ve got to figure out who they are on the inside. I know, it sounds a bit backward, but stick with me! It’s much easier to define a character’s appearance once you’ve gotten to know them a bit better.

Defining WHO Your Character Is

First off, consider your character’s target audience. Designing a character for kids is a whole different ballgame compared to designing one for adults. Keep your audience in mind as you think about your character’s personality. What traits would they find appealing or relatable?

Get ready for a brainstorming session! You can start with a pencil and paper or use a character description template to get the ideas flowing. This stage can be tricky, but don’t worry if you get stuck. You might just need a spark of inspiration! For now, focus on jotting down potential traits, interests, or quirks your character might have. Don’t forget to add flaws—those imperfections make your character more realistic and relatable.

Think about your character’s role in their world. Are they going on a journey or adventure? If so, how might their personality evolve? Even if you’re not planning to put your character in a story, considering how they might change over time can be helpful. And hey, sometimes original characters (OCs) are just fun to draw for the sake of it! You can always revisit this stage later.

Finally, get everything down in writing! You’ve gathered a lot of information about your character by now, and writing a character description will help you keep track of it all. Plus, it’s a great reference tool as your character grows and changes. Don’t forget to update your character description as they—and you—develop!

Designing Your Character’s Appearance

Now it’s time to think about how your character’s personality influences their appearance. The art of character design is all about making the outside reflect the inside. Your audience should be able to pick up on hints about your character’s life and personality just by looking at them. For example, a cheerful mechanic probably wouldn’t wear pristine white clothes all the time—that’d be pretty impractical! And they’re unlikely to have a permanent scowl if they’re always in a good mood. This next part will give you the tools to let your character’s appearance do the talking.

Designing with Personality in Mind

Shapes are the building blocks of your character. Before you start sketching, think about your character’s core traits. Are they kind? Edgy? Now, consider how those traits might translate into shapes. Is kindness soft and round, or does it have sharp edges? This is where “shape language” comes into play—it’s your