CHARACTER DESIGN

IN A NUTSHELL
( no stick figures)
 Character Design
- Easy to Identify Visually
- Believable (Character & Build fits into story)
- Distinct Personality
Character Design Tips

1. Research & Evaluate

* study the characters you’ve

brought to class from
animations/games

* what makes them successful?

* what do you like about them?

Character Design Tips
2. Designing
Characteristics
* Begin with simple shapes and
structures before adding details.

* exaggerate features to
emphasize character’s key
qualities

* choose props & clothing to

emphasis character traits &
background
Character Design Tips
2. Designing
Characteristics
* Begin with simple shapes and
structures before adding details.

* exaggerate features to
emphasize character’s key
qualities

* choose props & clothing to

emphasis character traits &
background
Play with shapes and develop various versions
of your character to find the ‘suitable one’!
Tip : Good Character Design
is recognizable simply by its
silhouette.
Once you’re satisfied with the general shape of the
character, add details inside the shape.
Character Design Tips

2. Designing
Characteristics
* Begin with simple shapes
and structures before
adding details.

* exaggerate features to
emphasize character’s key
qualities

* choose props & clothing to

emphasis character traits &
background
Character Design Tips

2. Designing
Characteristics
* Begin with simple shapes
and structures before
adding details.

* exaggerate features to
emphasize character’s key
qualities

* choose props & clothing

to emphasis character traits
& background
Clothing provide information about the character immediately.

E.g. Uniforms indicate a character’s occupation.

Weapons, accessories, transportation, etc. are all possible props.
Character Design Tips

3. Colours

* use colours to grab

attention & communicate a
character’s personality

* Eg. Dark colours depict

baddies with evil intentions

* Eg. Strong colours (red,

yellow, blue) characters a
heroic feel
Colour variations of same character may give different personalities
Character Design Tips

4. Expressions &
Movements

* Depending on the character’s

personality, a figure’s emotion
could be muted or explosive &
wildly exaggerated.

* Present how the character

looks from different angles and
their varying expressions in the
Model Sheet.
Body expressions to portray different emotions
SET DESIGN
IN A NUTSHELL
 Set Design
- Provides information
- Creates excitement
- Adds visual impact
- Enhances the storyline .
Set Design Tips

1. Research & Evaluate

* identify the locations &
settings of the background
images you’ve found from
animations/games

* observe these locations

* what makes them

successful?

* what do you like about

them?
Set Design
Examples of Set Designs from World of Warcraft (game)
Set Design Tips

2. Visual Impact
* line qualities & style

* colours are to be
complimentary to characters

* colours of location to
reflect the time of the day