>

CHARACTER DESIGN TIPS

4 top character design secrets

15 hours ago
>Be the first to comment (http://www.creativebloq.com/character-design/4-top-character-designsecrets-101413322#comments-list)

727 11
3
72
Tweet

Original concepts for game characters start with an

imaginative back story, says illustrator Tony Foti.

Megusta

Share

> There are countless ways you can design characters and their costumes, so

your job is to decide which elements will best convey the story.

Thekeytoagoodcharacterdesignisstory.Therearemanywaysto
createvariation,buteverypartyoudrawshouldtelltheviewermore
aboutwhothispersonis.Soit'simportanttoknowasmuchaspossible
aboutthepeopleandworldbeforehand.Sincewedonthaveagameto
workon,letsthrowtogetherabasicstory...
RoseVermillionistheCaptainofaNavalSpaceResearchteamsentto
recoversamplesfromahostilealienworld.Whentheshipsenginesare
compromisedduringatmosphericentry,Rosemustsurvivethecrash,
rescuehercrewanddiscoverwhowasbehindthesabotagebeforetheir
nefariousplanscometofruition.

Research is the key to creativity

Thisisagoodtimetolistoffsomeofthespecificsofyourcharacterand
theworldtheylivein.Age,build,socialclass,currentincome,former
income,familysituation,previousjobs,upbringing,emotionalmaturity,
strengths,weaknessesanythingyoucanthinkof.Themoreyou
understandaboutthecharacter,thecleareryourdirectionwillbewhen
creatingcostumes.
Researchisthekeytocreativity,solookupasmuchasyoucanabout
historicalcustomsanddresstogetanideaofwhatdirectionyouwantto
goin.Militaryuniforms,rankinsignias,hairstyles,fashiontrends,old
scifimovies,newscifimovies,avantgardefashiondesigners(Jean
PaulGaultierisagreatexample)soakitallupandpreparetodesign!

>

01. Silhouettes
Weusecookiesonthiswebsite.Byusingthissite,youagree
thatwemaystoreandaccesscookiesonyourdevice.Findout
moreandsetyourpreferenceshere
(http://www.futureplc.com/cookiespolicy/)

Beforedivingintoanythingtoocomplex,getthegeneralideadown.
Silhouettesenableyoutograspthefeelofacharacter'sdesignwithout
wastingtimeondetails.
Whileyoudraw,focusonhoweachshapefeelslikethepersonyou're
describingfortheviewer.Ifyoucantellwhatsgoingonfroman
outline,you'reontherightpathtoacleardesign.

>

02. Sketching

Onceyou'vecollectedseveralworkablesilhouettes,sketchthemout.
We'rejustfocusingoncostuminghere,butyouwouldbasicallyusethe
sameprocessforthemodel'sphysicalappearance.
Ratherthanstressingoutandoverthinkingit,trytohavefunandlet
yoursubconsciousfillinthedetailsthataremissingfromthe
thumbnails.

>

03. Colour coordination

Nowyouhaveacostumethatfeelsright,it'stimetocomeupwitha
colourscheme.Copyandpastethechosenoutfitafewtimes(Iliketo
tryoutatleasteight)aroundthecanvas,createalayerbelow,andjust
startpaintingunderthelines.
Figuringoutwhatyoulikeanddon'tlikeabouteachonewillhelpyou
getclosertotherightdesign.

>

04. Pipeline thinking

Takingcaretopaintthetexturesofdifferentmaterialscanbeagreat
helptootherpeopleinthepipelinewho'llbeworkingwithyourdesign
lateron.

>

Artist secret

Flipthecanvasperiodicallytogiveyourbrainsomethingnewtolookat.
Thesimpleactofturningeverythingaroundwillsoonhighlightany
errorsinthedesignthatyoureyesmayhavealreadybecomeusedto.
Words:TonyFoti(http://www.tonyfotiart.com)
TonyFotiisaUSfreelanceillustratorwhocontributestoD&Dand
FantasyFlightGames'StarWarsandTheLordoftheRingslines.This
articleoriginallyappearedinImagineFX
(http://beta.imaginefx.com/shop)issue99.
Tags: Characterdesign(/tag/characterdesign), Illustration(/tag/illustration),
Digitalart(/tag/digitalart), Tips(/tag/tips)

0 COMMENTS

Log in to Creative Bloq with your preferred social network to comment

or log in with your Creative Bloq account

Username

Log in

Password

Forgottenyourusernameorpassword?(/user/password)

Don't have an account?

Join (/user/register)

Joinnow.It'scompletelyfreeandtakesseconds

Advertising (/Advertising)

About Us (/About-Us)

Contact (/Contact)

CreativeBloqispartofFutureplc,aninternationalmediagroupandleadingdigitalpublisher.Weproducecontentacrossfivecore
areas:

Technology

Entertainment

Music

Top

Creative

TechRadar(http://www.techradar.com/)
CVG(http://www.computerandvideogames.com/)
MusicRadar(http://www.musicradar.com/)
DigitalCameraWorld(http://www.digitalcam
T3(http://www.t3.com/)

PCGamer(http://www.pcgamer.com/)
Guitarist(http://www.musicradar.com/guitarist)
MollieMakes(http://www.molliemakes.com

Mac|Life(http://www.maclife.com/) GamesRadar(http://www.gamesradar.com/)
FutureMusic(http://www.musicradar.com/futuremusic)
PhotographyWeek(http://photographywee

GizmodoUK(http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/)
TotalFilm(http://www.totalfilm.com/)
Rhythm(http://www.musicradar.com/rhythm)
TheSimpleThings(http://www.thesimpleth

More...(http://www.futureplc.com/whatwedo/portfolios/technology/)
More...(http://www.futureplc.com/whatwedo/portfolios/entertainment/)
More...(http://www.futureplc.com/whatwedo/portfolios/music/)
More...(http://www.futureplc.com/whatwe
Sport&Auto
BikeRadar(http://www.bikeradar.com/)
Cyclingnews(http://www.cyclingnews.com/)
FootballWeek(http://www.thefootballweek.net/)
TriRadar(http://www.triradar.com/)
More...(http://www.futureplc.com/whatwedo/portfolios/sportandauto/)

AboutFuture(http://www.futureplc.com/about/)

Jobs(http://www.yourfuturejob.com/)

Advertising(http://www.futureplc.com/whatwedo/advertisingsolutions/)

PrivacyPolicy(http://www.futureplc.com/privacypolicy/)

PR(http://www.futureplc.com/news/)

DigitalFuture(http://advertising.digitalfuture.com/)

CookiesPolicy(http://www.futureplc.com/cookiespolicy/)

Terms&Conditions(http://www.futureplc.com/termsandconditions/)

Subscriptions(http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/)

InvestorRelations(http://www.futureplc.com/investors/)

ContactFuture(http://www.futureplc.com/contact/)

FuturePublishingLimited,QuayHouse,TheAmbury,BathBA11UA.Allrightsreserved.EnglandandWalescompanyregistrationnumber
2008885.