Superman, Bugs Bunny, and Darth Vader are some of the most memorable characters in TV and film. They all came from the world of 2D and 3D animation. But before these characters are animated, they are designed. Beyond mere drawings, iconic characters are meticulously crafted, given unique personalities and intricate details that breathe life into narratives. Now let’s get into this. Here are 13 tips and expert advice for brilliant character design. 

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1. Hold on to the magic and keep it alive.

illustration of designer with tools

Most character designers often start their projects with a sketch. It’s because they believe this is where the essence of the character is captured. So, when working with your design, never lose that magic.

Renowned illustrator and art director Laurie Rowan says he tries sticking to his original drawing style. That way, his instinct is to try and polish it up. While drawing, artists feel like they just encountered these characters. 

As soon as you start to finalize the drawing, you may lose some of the dynamics. Therefore, having as much personality and life in the early stages is essential. While it is true that you can include movements later in the animation stage, it is much better if movements are already embedded in the initial sketch.  

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2. Don’t rely on the reference materials too much.

You aim to create an original character design, even if inspiration may come from somewhere. Most illustrators agree not to put the reference materials before them as they work. Here are some of the reasons why illustrators step away from reference materials when working: 

  • Some illustrators prefer to rely on something other than reference materials for all their imagination to flow freely. 
  • They avoid direct references when using their interpretation of the subject matter. 
  • Some illustrations prefer internalizing the reference information beforehand and focusing solely on the artwork. 
  • Illustrators want to create unique and imaginative artwork. 

3. Be inspired by conducting research.

illustration of light in a box

Analyzing the effectiveness of different character designs can give you valuable insights. Various research materials contain illustrated characters. You can find them in various mediums, such as TV commercials, cereal boxes, shop signs, mobile phone animations, and more. By studying these designs, you can understand the factors contributing to their success and identify personal preferences that resonate with them.

4. Exaggerate.

Exaggerate your design’s defining features to make it genuinely captivating. This will create a larger-than-life presence. By amplifying these traits, viewers can quickly identify the character’s critical qualities. This technique is particularly significant in cartoon caricatures because it highlights specific personality traits. For example, if your character possesses strength, don’t just give them average arms; enhance them to be five times larger than usual to emphasize their immense power.

5. Think about your audience.

If the designs are aimed at young children, the character is typically designed around basic shapes and bright colors. As Australian artist Nathan Jurevicius explains, the character’s target audience is usually pre-identified when working for a client. 

Commissioned character designs are more restrictive but no less creative. In this situation, breaking down the character’s core features and personality is recommended. Jurevicius says if the eyes are essential, he’ll focus the entire design around the face to make it stand out. 

Do you know how Cartoon Network characters are so simple, while Disney characters are super detailed? We’re not saying that Cartoon Network’s artists are lazy. It’s all about finding the right balance. They need to make sure the character’s personality shines through, but they also have to consider the style of the show and how much time and resources they have.

6. Make your characters unique.

Your character design must be visually strong and exciting to get people’s attention. A robust character design leaves a lasting impression on the audience. It combines unique aesthetics, dynamic poses, vibrant colors, intricate details, or distinctive features.

7. Create a line of action.

One crucial aspect to consider when creating a character design is the line of action. This defines the direction of your character, is a helpful narrative tool, and creates a feeling of movement. A ballet dancer is a good example. 

8. Include silhouettes.

illustration of man sculpture

Another way to make your character distinct and improve its pose is to turn it into a silhouette. This way, you can see how the character appears and if you need to make the gesture more transparent. Before implementing this strategy, ask yourself this question. Do you understand the character’s emotion and see the line of action? Can things be simplified? Try not to overlap everything, and keep the limbs separate.

9. Find the perfect posture. 

Félicie Haymoz has worked with Wes Anderson on his animated features” Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Isle of Dogs.” When working on a new design, Haymoz likes to start by finding the individual character’s posture. This element kicks off the whole feel of the personality. As you draw, try to capture the stance of the character. Likewise, you must ensure that the face is drawn at a perfect angle to match the posture. 

10. Consider the meaning of lines.

The drawn lines of your character design 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 character.

For instance, straight lines and curves give your character design a rhythm. A straight line leads the eye quickly, while a detailed line slows down the eye. 

11. Choose colors wisely.

illustration of color wheel

Colors can help communicate a character’s personality. Typically, dark colors such as black, purple, and gray depict baddies with evil intentions—light colors such as white, blue, pink, and yellow denote innocence and purity. Comic-book reds, yellows, and blues might evoke hero qualities in a character design.

Always maintain a balanced design by choosing the right colors. Complementary colors create dynamism, while monochrome colors invoke feelings of calm. 

12. Build it in 3D.

Building your character in 3D opens possibilities for bringing your creation to life. Instead of a flat, 2D image, a 3D character can be manipulated and viewed from various angles. It provides a more immersive and realistic experience.

The 3D illustration model offers numerous advantages. It allows for greater flexibility and versatility in terms of animation. It also creates complex and dynamic poses, making the character more expressive and engaging. A 3D character can be easily adapted for different purposes, such as video games, movies, virtual reality experiences, or even 3D printing.

13. Integrate the importance of the environment.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you must illustrate an entire world for your character—unless that’s what the assignment requires. But you must envision this to achieve an outstanding character design. It’s like a person living in their world, and how they interact with it defines who they are. That said, the environment in which your character lives will make it more realistic.

What is a Character Design? 

Character design is the process of bringing concepts and ideas to life. It includes giving characters features such as physical appearance, personality, and behavior. This is possible through psychology, art, and storytelling through animation, comics, film, video games, and toy design.

Character design has three components, and these are:

  • Silhouette: It shows the outline of a character’s shape, excluding interior details like facial features and colors. Using shape language, you can create meaning through the lines, curves, and angles of a character’s silhouette. These elements can show the difference between a character that appears to be soft and cuddly and one that looks fierce and dangerous.
  • Color palette: This refers to using different colors to make a character unique. Through color theory, you can select colors that convey emotions to the audience. For example, blue can convey a character’s calmness, while red can mean passion or intensity.
  • Exaggeration: It means making some part of a character’s features more prominent than others. For example, you can enlarge the eyes or enhance movement to enhance the character’s dynamic. The overall personality of your character depends on what you exaggerate. You can make it appeal to beautiful, comical, heroic, evil, etc.

What Does a Character Designer Do?

Character designers, or character animators, meticulously craft every detail of a character to convey their personality, role, relationships, and other crucial aspects. Creativie companies like Netflix, Disney, Sony, Dreamworks, Squarespace, Deloitte, Snapchat typically hire character designers for their projects.

The key responsibilities of a character designer may include:

  • Conceptualizing and designing characters’ visual appearance
  • Developing characters’ personalities, behaviors, expressions, and movements
  • Leveraging psychology to delve into a character’s psyche
  • Exploring how characters impact a story’s plot and themes
  • Collaborating with a team to create characters aligned with a script
  • Utilizing digital design tools to represent characters visually
  • Staying current with the latest animation and 3D design technologies

Depending on your interests, you might specialize in a specific area of character design, such as:

  • Anime Character Design: Creating human-like characters with exaggerated expressions and large, expressive eyes while maintaining proportional bodies.
  • Fantasy Character Design: Designing supernatural beings like elves, witches, fairies, mermaids, and other mythical creatures.
  • Cartoon Character Design: Developing characters for animated series or films, focusing on a drawn, rather than realistic, appearance.

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