How to have good character design?

Character design is key in visual stories like video games and animated films. It’s how the audience connects with the story.

But what makes good character design and how to make a good character design?

This article will look at the main ideas and tips for making characters that people remember.

1. You must understand Your Audience

Understanding your audience, especially when designing characters for children, is the most important aspect of character design.

For example, children have unique preferences and cognitive abilities that need to be taken into account to make the design interesting for them.

Age Consideration:

Children (3-13 years)

• Use Bright Colors: Children in this age group are attracted to bright and vibrant colors. Use primary colors: Red, blue, and yellow.
• Simple Shapes: Complex designs can be too difficult for understanding. Use simple shapes that are easy to recognize.

Example: Think of 2d characters like Mickey Mouse or Peppa Pig. Their designs are simple yet memorable.

Teens (13-18 years)

• More Detailed Designs: Teens can appreciate more complex designs.
• Relatable Characters: Characters that reflect the emotions and situations teens face may be more interesting.

Example: Characters from anime series such as Naruto or My Hero Academia often resonate with teens. You should also consider game characters for this age.

Adults (18+ years)

• Sophisticated Designs: Adults often prefer more nuanced and detailed characters.
• Themes and Symbolism: Include themes and symbols that are relevant to an adult audience.

Example: Characters such as Tony Stark from Iron Man or Walter White from Breaking Bad have a complexity that appeals to adults.

You should also consider the Genre Preferences of your character

For example, when we take action genre:

• Dynamic Characters: Characters should exhibit energy and movement.
• Strong Features: Bold lines and strong features can make the character stand out.

3D Characters like Superman or Lara Croft are designed to fit the action genre.

Start with a Strong Concept

A well-defined concept is the foundation of good character design.

• Character Role: Is your character a hero, villain, or sidekick?
• Personality Traits: Define the character’s personality to guide the design.

Focus on Shape and Silhouette

The shape and silhouette of a character convey a lot about them.

It’s better to start with simple shapes.

Begin your character design by using simple geometric shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. These shapes can represent different parts of the character’s body or personality. For example, a circle might symbolize friendliness, while a square might indicate stability.

Example: If you’re designing a friendly and approachable character, start with a round shape for the head and body. For a more heroic or strong character, you might use more angular shapes like squares or rectangles.

The silhouette of a character is its outline, and it should be recognizable and unique even without any internal details. A strong silhouette can convey a character’s posture, emotion, and even personality.

Think of iconic characters like Joker or Batman. Their silhouettes are instantly recognizable due to their unique shapes and outlines. The Joker’s insane smile and Batman’s pointed cowl are distinctive features that make their silhouettes stand out.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different shapes and silhouettes. Try sketching multiple variations and see which one resonates with the character’s personality and role in the story.

For example, If you’re designing a cunning and sly character, you might experiment with elongated shapes and a hunched silhouette. Play around with different poses and angles to find the one that best captures the character’s essence.

Add Personality

Details add depth and personality to your character.

• Facial Expressions: Expressions can show emotions and personality.
• Accessories: Items like glasses or hats can add character.

Consider Color and Texture. Color and texture bring your character to life. There is Color Theory, it’s when you use color to convey emotion and personality. For example:

• Red: Passion, anger, or love.
• Blue: Calmness, intelligence, or trust.
• Yellow: Happiness, energy, or optimism.

If you’re designing a character that’s meant to be calming and wise, using shades of blue might be an effective choice.

Some points regarding Texture and Material Representation – textures can represent various materials and add depth to the character design. Textures can also convey emotions or the character’s state of mind.

For example:

• Rough, Jagged Textures: Aggression, tension, or conflict.
• Soft, Flowing Textures: Grace, elegance, or tranquility.

A character going through turmoil might have clothing with jagged, torn edges, while a graceful dancer might have soft, flowing garments.

Remember to Keeping Consistency

Maintaining consistency in character design is essential to maintaining a complete visual language throughout a project. Whether it’s consistency in style, proportion, or other design elements, it helps create a believable and connected world.

Design Language: Keep a consistent style throughout all characters. Before starting, define a style guide that outlines the visual rules for all characters. This can include line thickness, shading techniques, color palettes, etc.

We mean that If you’re working on a cartoon, the style guide might dictate bold lines and bright colors for all characters.

Create reference sheets for each character that includes various poses, expressions, and details. This ensures that all artists working on the project have a consistent guide.

Proportions: Maintain consistent proportions within the character. Even in stylized designs, understanding the basic anatomy helps in keeping proportions consistent. Know where joints bend, how muscles work, etc.

If a character has unusually long arms as part of their design, ensure that this proportion is maintained in every pose and expression.

How you can simplify the process of your work with outsourcing services

Outsourcing game art is now a common part of making characters in many studios. When developers outsource game art, they can work with skilled artists from all over the world. These artists know how to do different parts of character design, like shaping the character and adding color and movement.

This way of working helps make better and more varied characters and also saves time and money. It can be used to make special characters for a new video game or to add details to characters in animated movies. Outsourcing game art is a flexible and affordable way to meet the creative and technical needs of a project.

Be Mindful of Technical Constraints

Consider the platform and technical limitations.

• Platform Requirements: Different platforms have different limitations.
• Optimization: Balance detail and performance.

In the end, character design is about more than just making good-looking characters. It’s about making characters that people connect with and that fit into their world.

The first step in character design is knowing who you’re designing for. Whether it’s children, teens, or adults, it’s important to think about what they like and what they can understand. The type of story you’re telling also helps shape your characters.

Starting with a clear idea and focusing on simple shapes can help you make characters that stand out. Simple shapes like circles and squares can show different parts of a character’s personality, and a clear outline can make a character easy to recognize.

Adding things like facial expressions and accessories can make your characters feel real. Colors and textures can also help show what your characters are feeling.

Keeping a consistent style and size is key to making everything look right together. Having clear rules and examples can help make sure all characters look the same. Knowing basic body shapes can help keep sizes consistent, even in more creative designs.

Lastly, thinking about technical limits is important. Different tools have different limits, and finding the right balance between detail and performance is important for good character design.

Remember, character design is about trying new things and getting better over time. Don’t be afraid to try different ideas and make changes. Keep working on your skills, and you’ll be able to make characters that not only look good but also feel real and unforgettable.