Got any character visual design tips for a newbie?

[sageoftruth]

I just finished a "Comics and Sequential Art" class a few weeks ago. I've been writing short stories as a hobby for years, so to keep the drawing hobby alive, I've been working on concept art for the characters from my stories. However, I seem to have trouble connecting the dots when it comes to figuring out what looks and apparel would best express who my characters are. I know we've got quite a few talented artists on these forums. Do any of you have some advice for this confused newbie on brainstorming a character's visual design?

 

[PapaGreg096]

If you want to create a monster girl go for scary yet sexy
Neferpitou from Hunter X Hunter is a good example

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/hunterxhunter/images/2/23/Neferpitou_021412070755.png/revision/latest?cb=20140119102633

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

The best advice I can give as a non-artist is two fold.

1. Keep it simple.

If you're thinking about things from a comic book perspective then you need to worry about keeping things "on model" meaning that you want your character to look the same from panel to panel and page to page. The easier the design the fewer things you can mess up on and the easier it is to keep things consistent. A lot of unnecessary details can really muddy up what would otherwise be a good character design.

2. If you want your character to be recognizable then they need a recognizable silhouette.

This goes with the first piece of advice, but it's slightly different. You should be able to portray your character with just their outline and a specific pose so that people can tell who your character is at a glance. Your character should be expressing their identity not just in their outfit and general design, but also in the way they stand and move. You should be able to get a feel for their personality just from how they're positioned in a scene. If you can do this with a character you've created then you know you've designed a good character.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Incorperating the "tone" of the character can be a good jumping-off point; Are they upbeat, downtrodden, energetic, lazy, kind-hearted, or cold. Try to make you're designs emulate that somewhat, so that at first glance you can get a rough assumption as to what they're all about.

 

[Fox12]

I always liked toned down character designs. Don't go the nomura route of sticking belts on everything. I'll take a Yukiko over a Lulu any day. Also, don't go overboard, but adding little touches can add a lot of character. The three pins on Chie's jacket are a good example, or, if you want a comic example, then The Comedians smiley face from Watchmen.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

If 40k, Blizzard and every fantasy thing ever is any indication, shoulder pads. SHOULDER PADS! The more shit you have on them, the better.

Follow along with my step-by-step instructions. I make drawing FUN!

Spoiler: Step 1: Draw a dude

Spoiler: Step 2: Add shoulder pads

Spoiler: Step 3: Maybe give it some spikes. Gotta have spikes.

Spoiler: Step 4: Oohh, lets not forget the class Skull on Chain! Oh yeah, that's looking good

Spoiler: Step 5: He needs some Umpf, so add some details. Little things that give the shoulder pads a little pop

Spoiler: Step 6: Probably a good idea to add more shoulder pads. And be sure to connect them with a chain. Gotta' make it look real.

Spoiler: Step 7: Add a little height. I chose the Arizona, but he'd look equally awesome with the Enterprise or maybe the Vengeful Spirit.

Spoiler: Step 8: And finally, most importantly, add Majesty!

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

There's an old thread on the old Megatokyo forums [http://forums.megatokyo.com/index.php?showtopic=1715168] for a Character Design 101 class from a professional artist, who's one of the mods there. The forum is a lot quieter and less lively, but that character design class is about as close to a professional design tutorial you can get on the cold, distant wastes of the internet. Bounce through those threads, and you'll find a wealth of knowledge that an art hobbyist like myself would never be able to give you.

If you want the quick TL;DR from me, some quick tips:

1. Outline - One of the best uses of a character is understanding that the design should be comprehensible even in its most abstract form. If all of your characters were just silhouettes, they should still be mostly identifiable compared to their peers. This means deciding on an outline and major features that are clear, visible, and comprehensible at a glance. This will help make all future aspects of the design more directed as well.

2. Major Theme - Figure out what works for this character. For example: Tali (Mass Effect) has a clear hood and helmet structure, one that persisted throughout the trilogy. Does this character use big weapons? Heavier, stockier build? Faster character? Figure out what major themes you want your character to run on, then build from that. Heavier characters should have bulkier, heavier armor to emphasize their weight. Light characters have open apparel for air flow to the skin (lots of sweat), but also to emphasize the drifting movement in action (lots of flowing ribbons and fabrics, for example).

3. Simple Design - Simply your design as much as you're able. Keep the parts of it that should be iconic front and center, and try not to add too much noise otherwise. This will simplify the process of keeping character on-model, as others in this thread have suggested, and will also help keep the characters strengths in mind when designing.

Hopefully this points you in the right direction. There's a lot to unpack in character design, so you've certainly set a Herculean task for yourself.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

SNIP

Oh that's basically what I said, just with more words and Tali. So...props. Tali makes everything better.

 

[Frezzato]

A long time ago a teacher told my entire class, "You have 999 bad drawings in you and one good one. Start getting the bad ones out."

What this means for you is that your characters will evolve over time as you see fit, so start somewhere and work your way up from there. Even Mickey started out as a slinky stick figure. Remember that nothing is precious. They're ideas, and ideas must evolve.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I'm a terrible artist, but my parents are art majors. Does that count?

Anyway, I'll echo what people have said about keeping it simple and a distinctive silhouette. You'll want people to be able to recognize your character at a glance.

And for God's sake, DON'T make a "SO EDGY" character comprised of red and black. The internet's inundated with enough of those as is.

If 40k, Blizzard and every fantasy thing ever is any indication, shoulder pads. SHOULDER PADS! The more shit you have on them, the better.

Follow along with my step-by-step instructions. I make drawing FUN!

Spoiler: Step 1: Draw a dude

Spoiler: Step 2: Add shoulder pads

Spoiler: Step 3: Maybe give it some spikes. Gotta have spikes.

Spoiler: Step 4: Oohh, lets not forget the class Skull on Chain! Oh yeah, that's looking good

Spoiler: Step 5: He needs some Umpf, so add some details. Little things that give the shoulder pads a little pop

Spoiler: Step 6: Probably a good idea to add more shoulder pads. And be sure to connect them with a chain. Gotta' make it look real.

Spoiler: Step 7: Add a little height. I chose the Arizona, but he'd look equally awesome with the Enterprise or maybe the Vengeful Spirit.

Spoiler: Step 8: And finally, most importantly, add Majesty!

Wait, you forgot the name! He needs a name!

How about...Troydork the Shouldernator?

TROYDOOOOOOOOOORK!

 

[Cold Shiny]

1. be simple and concise

2. create a theme AND STICK TO IT. (so many people do not understand this)

3. make sure you aren't accidentally ripping someone else's stuff off.

4. feel free to over exaggerate, features stand out that way.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

The best advice I can give as a non-artist is two fold.

1. Keep it simple.

If you're thinking about things from a comic book perspective then you need to worry about keeping things "on model" meaning that you want your character to look the same from panel to panel and page to page. The easier the design the fewer things you can mess up on and the easier it is to keep things consistent. A lot of unnecessary details can really muddy up what would otherwise be a good character design.

2. If you want your character to be recognizable then they need a recognizable silhouette.

This goes with the first piece of advice, but it's slightly different. You should be able to portray your character with just their outline and a specific pose so that people can tell who your character is at a glance. Your character should be expressing their identity not just in their outfit and general design, but also in the way they stand and move. You should be able to get a feel for their personality just from how they're positioned in a scene. If you can do this with a character you've created then you know you've designed a good character.

Was going to give you these exact 2 tips. Seconding both these.

 

[09philj]

Do your research. Look through modern and historical clothing and armour and incorporate bits you like. Additionally, consider the aesthetic of the world they'll inhabit and whether they mesh.

 

[sageoftruth]

The best advice I can give as a non-artist is two fold.

1. Keep it simple.

If you're thinking about things from a comic book perspective then you need to worry about keeping things "on model" meaning that you want your character to look the same from panel to panel and page to page. The easier the design the fewer things you can mess up on and the easier it is to keep things consistent. A lot of unnecessary details can really muddy up what would otherwise be a good character design.

2. If you want your character to be recognizable then they need a recognizable silhouette.

This goes with the first piece of advice, but it's slightly different. You should be able to portray your character with just their outline and a specific pose so that people can tell who your character is at a glance. Your character should be expressing their identity not just in their outfit and general design, but also in the way they stand and move. You should be able to get a feel for their personality just from how they're positioned in a scene. If you can do this with a character you've created then you know you've designed a good character.

Thanks. I've started talking at length with friends about your second tip. My character has a sash, tied with a knot, but I considered changing the knot to something that sticks out more, like a knot with longer ends to it. I'm glad I came back though. I forgot to consider body expression. I'll need to put some thought into her posture.

 

[sageoftruth]

There's an old thread on the old Megatokyo forums [http://forums.megatokyo.com/index.php?showtopic=1715168] for a Character Design 101 class from a professional artist, who's one of the mods there. The forum is a lot quieter and less lively, but that character design class is about as close to a professional design tutorial you can get on the cold, distant wastes of the internet. Bounce through those threads, and you'll find a wealth of knowledge that an art hobbyist like myself would never be able to give you.

If you want the quick TL;DR from me, some quick tips:

1. Outline - One of the best uses of a character is understanding that the design should be comprehensible even in its most abstract form. If all of your characters were just silhouettes, they should still be mostly identifiable compared to their peers. This means deciding on an outline and major features that are clear, visible, and comprehensible at a glance. This will help make all future aspects of the design more directed as well.

2. Major Theme - Figure out what works for this character. For example: Tali (Mass Effect) has a clear hood and helmet structure, one that persisted throughout the trilogy. Does this character use big weapons? Heavier, stockier build? Faster character? Figure out what major themes you want your character to run on, then build from that. Heavier characters should have bulkier, heavier armor to emphasize their weight. Light characters have open apparel for air flow to the skin (lots of sweat), but also to emphasize the drifting movement in action (lots of flowing ribbons and fabrics, for example).

3. Simple Design - Simply your design as much as you're able. Keep the parts of it that should be iconic front and center, and try not to add too much noise otherwise. This will simplify the process of keeping character on-model, as others in this thread have suggested, and will also help keep the characters strengths in mind when designing.

Hopefully this points you in the right direction. There's a lot to unpack in character design, so you've certainly set a Herculean task for yourself.

Thanks. That was very informative. I haven't visited the site yet, but I'm happy to check any sources right now, so I appreciate the link. I'll see what I can do about simplifying the character. Her attire is already fairly bare-bones as is, but I haven't yet looked into what parts of it should be important for defining her. She does wear a few heirlooms that could be useful for that.

 

[sageoftruth]

As noted, keep it simple. That said, if a character is supposed to be opulent or boastful, don't be afraid to make them detailed. A boastful warrior is likely to keep trophies on him and an extremely rich person is more likely to overdecorate their crap. What I'm saying is that there are times when you not only can but should break the "keep it simple" rule. Just don't do it too often.

Another thing I recommend is the "nude test", that means to keep your characters distinct even without clothing, you must draw them without clothing. I'm not talking about sexual poses or pin-ups or anything like that. I mean literal character references in which the characters are nude.

The nude test sounds interesting. One of my characters does have a distinct, stern expression, but perhaps I can find other distinct traits to add to it.

 

[Gray-Philosophy]

I consider it somewhat of a process.

Start with the most obvious features first, something that tells what kind of character it is by immediately looking at it (unless you're deliberately trying to make a mysterious character). After that, perhaps the character has some distinct personality traits. Is it a good guy or a bad guy? is it a jovial and outgoing character? or a secluded and antisocial character? things like that could be expressed through body language. Further yet, perhaps they have traits related to their upbringing, culture or status. Something that might influence what they'd wear, or items they bring with them.


Say you're making a strong and powerful character. Broad strong shoulders and a square jaw comes to mind. Perhaps he's a warrior, so some kind of armour might be fitting. Then again, he might not be in "combat mode" so he could just be wearing ordinary clothes. Maybe give him a visible scar to show his battle prowess, and so on. As the character takes shape on the paper, in my own case, I find that I suddenly think of various details to add along the way. Hope it helps


EDIT:
<-- To use my own avatar as an example

It's a bit of a comical parody of a knight. Supposed to be noble and heroic at heart, so I gave him a confident and heroic pose. Despite this he isn't really physically imposing, he's clumsy and socially oblivious with no sense of situational awareness. So his armour is slightly misfitting, the feather on his helmet is flimsy and bent and he isn't very tall (not visble on this image) but still keeps his boastful confidence up regardless.

 

[Dragonbums]

I just finished a "Comics and Sequential Art" class a few weeks ago. I've been writing short stories as a hobby for years, so to keep the drawing hobby alive, I've been working on concept art for the characters from my stories. However, I seem to have trouble connecting the dots when it comes to figuring out what looks and apparel would best express who my characters are. I know we've got quite a few talented artists on these forums. Do any of you have some advice for this confused newbie on brainstorming a character's visual design?

Best advice I can give in terms of character design is this:

1. What real life cultures, countries, and myhtos most inspires you? Research their attire, why they go for those designs and adapt it (creatively of course.) to the world your in.

2. Do you have a particular love for certain fashion? This is kind of an offshoot of the first one, but aside from cultural wear you can look in to fashion designer looks from current to the past for inspiration.

3. What is the overall 'feel' of the environment your characters are in? Is it modern? Scifi? fantasy? A mix of genres?
What are the occupations and financial backgrounds of your characters? Someone who cleans out sewage for a living isn't going to care much about pretty clothes on the job.

4. What are the personalities of your character? Are they flirty? reserved? Shy? Out going? Reckless? Heck, do they like certain designs themselves? Are they really in to punk? Pastel?

Like all venues though good outfit design is a practiced skill. I can't say I'm all that hot at it myself, but these are very good questions to ask yourself when designing armor/clothing for your characters.

I also find that picking up art books from television shows and video games helps a lot in guaging how artists go about designing clothes for a specific character that looks 'them' but still manages to be cohesive in the larger world.

 

[Drathnoxis]

No less than 3 tones to a hairstyle, and don't be shy to get a little crazy with the spikes and swirls.

Mismatched pant legs, preferably different lengths.

Gotta have different colored irises for an extra unique character.

Stick a belt everywhere you can manage, even in places people don't normally wear belts.

Clothes are like onions, they need layers!

Be sure to accessorize accordingly: goggles, jewelry, funny hats, the more the better.

If 40k, Blizzard and every fantasy thing ever is any indication, shoulder pads. SHOULDER PADS! The more shit you have on them, the better.

Follow along with my step-by-step instructions. I make drawing FUN!

SNIP

This is good advice too, be sure to follow it.