Achieving Effective Character Design
01. Pick your colour palette
Choosing a primary colour palette that matches your character’s personality is crucial. Don’t hesitate to draw on existing colour palettes; there are millions available online, so why deprive yourself? They’re a great basis for developing colours that work well together in your designs.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
02. Add a touch of madness
Once you’ve found the basic colour scheme, it’s important to find a complementary, more intense palette to highlight the character’s main elements. In this case, that meant the head, hands, and shoes. These colours direct the eye straight to the most important elements.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
03. Separate different parts
To avoid getting lost in the hundreds of different layers, it’s important to segment parts of the character. Here, I’ve split the clothing up into four groups: the coat, the jacket and shirt, the trousers, and then everything else. The head is separate.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
04. Match stylised elements
For the character to fully function, surrounding elements such as smoke, light, and the ground must be stylised in the same manner as the character. For this chap, the design is semi-realistic with sharp shapes, so I worked the smoke and shadows in the same way using a textured brush.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
05. Create the Shapes
It’s important to be able to simplify the various subjects using easy, effective tricks. For example, with glossy materials, a simple white highlight will immediately give an impression of volume, seen here in the edge light (A) that gives volume to the glove, and in the highlight (B) and bounce light (C) that reflects the light onto the metal.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
06. Divert expectations
Here I’ve taken an old diving helmet and turned it into a machine that fills with beer, which swills around the character’s head. To accentuate the goofiness, I also attached beer bottles to the back of the device, as I think it’s important to add a touch of fun to my character designs.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
07. Create a sense of composition
Where the character looks is crucial, as it gives the viewer a sense of how to read the image. In general, to avoid blocking the composition, I’d advise having the character looking or turned towards the right (A) to let the drawing breathe. Conversely, if the character is looking to the left (B) then the atmosphere feels more closed off and less conducive to that sense of the image breathing that we’re looking to create.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
08. Find a focus
Focusing on the element you want to emphasize most is important to give meaning to the character and the image. Here, the focus is on the character’s face and eyes. The lower part of the body is hidden and therefore more mysterious.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
09. Pose the character
The pose and direction of the character’s gaze is important for the atmosphere. The character seen from a low angle and looking at us (A), gives the impression of being threatening. The next character (B) is contemplative, posed and looking towards the viewer, so the feeling is calmer. The final character (C) is just standing stoic, looking into the distance at something that we can only imagine.
[Image: François Bourdin artwork]
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating effective character designs requires careful consideration of many factors, including colour palettes, stylised elements, and composition. By following these tips and staying focused, you can create characters that are engaging and memorable.
FAQs
Q: What is the most important step in creating a character design?
A: The most important step is choosing a colour palette that matches your character’s personality.
Q: How can I avoid getting lost in the hundreds of different layers in a character design?
A: Segment parts of the character, such as clothing and accessories, to simplify the design and make it easier to manage.
Q: How can I add a sense of composition to my character design?
A: Focus on the character’s gaze and pose to create a sense of direction and atmosphere.
