Tell a Story

What is it visually about an interesting character that draws you in and makes you examine them closely,
taking in all the wonderful detail? When you look at a character that has depth, you’ll find there are
things about the character that tell a story. It could be the clothing they wear, the hairstyle they have or
even something as subtle as a facial expression. These intentional, carefully placed details are meant to
clue you in on who the character is and what their history might entail. In a production environment,
every character you create will have a story behind them. Your characters will be more successful if you
take the time to familiarize yourself with this story and think about ways you can influence your design
with it.

Research other characters

For guidance, it can be helpful to try and deconstruct why certain character designs work and why some
don't. There's no shortage of research material to be found, with illustrated characters appearing
everywhere: on TV commercials, cereal boxes, shop signs, stickers on fruit, animations on mobile
phones, and more. Study these character designs and think about what makes some successful and what
in particular you like about them.
Exaggerate

Exaggerating the defining features of your character design will help it appear larger than life.
Exaggerated features will also help viewers to identify the character's key qualities. Exaggeration is key in
cartoon caricatures and helps emphasise certain personality traits. If your character is strong, don't just
give it normal-sized bulging arms, soup them up so that they're five times as big as they should be.
Who is the Character Aimed For?

Think about your audience. Character designs aimed at young children, for example, are typically
designed around basic shapes and bright colours. If you're working for a client, the character's target
audience is usually predetermined, as Aussie artist Nathan Jurevicius explains.

"Commissioned character designs are usually more restrictive but no less creative. Clients have specific
needs but also want me to do my 'thing'. Usually, I'll break down the core features and personality. For
example, if the eyes are important then I'll focus the whole design around the face, making this the key
feature that stands out."
Create Clear Silhouettes

Another good way to make your character distinct and improve its pose is to turn it into a silhouette.
"Then you can see how the character ‘reads’ and if you need to make the gesture more clear. Do you
understand the emotion of the character and see the line of action? Can things be simplified? Try not to
overlap everything, and keep the limbs separate."
Create a Line of Action

One key aspect to consider when creating a character design is the line of action. This is what defines the
direction of your character, as well as being a useful narrative tool and bringing a feeling of movement.

"Try to bring the line of action all the way out to the extremities," "A ballet dancer is a good example:
they emphasise the line from the tips of their toes to the tips of their fingers. The line of action is also
easier to see in creatures with fewer limbs, which is why mermaids are an ideal subject for developing a
strong line of action."
Line Quality

The drawn lines of which your character design is composed can go some way to describing it. Thick,
even, soft and round lines may suggest an approachable, cute character, whereas sharp, scratchy and
uneven lines might point to an uneasy and erratic character.
Add accessories

Props and clothing can help to emphasise character traits and their background. For example, scruffy
clothes can be used for poor characters, and lots of diamonds and bling for tasteless rich ones.
Accessories can also be more literal extensions of your character's personality, such as a parrot on a
pirate's shoulder or a maggot in a ghoul's skull.

Facial Expression

Expressions showing a character's range of emotions and depicting its ups and downs will further flesh
out your character. Depending on its personality, a figure's emotions might be muted and wry or
explosive and wildly exaggerated.
"When you know the basics of drawing a face, play with the expression of the character," "Use a mirror
to read your own face and notice the subtle changes. Push and pull the eyebrows to show emotion.
Avoid giving the face symmetry. The mouth will always favours a side and it gives life to the drawing. And
give the head a tilt to add nuance."

Create the right environment

In the same way that you create a history for your character, you need to create an environment for it to
help further cement believability in your creation. The world in which the character lives and interacts
should in some way make sense to who the character is and what it gets up to.