#Character design is so important

[uzlolzu]

Every characters of yours feels so believable and real in the way the look

How do you go about creating them do you collect references first or do it entirely from imagination?

First off: Thank you!

I have far too much to say about character design, but I’ll try to keep it brief-ish and not answer ten other things in addition to your question.

It’s nearly always from imagination these days. Sometimes I look for photos if I’ve decided to draw a type of person I’m unfamiliar with and feel specifics are important, but I constantly try to expand my mental library so that I won’t have to find references. I pretty much live for character design and I have spent the last twenty-five years or so developing the skills I find useful for it. Perhaps my efforts weren’t very focused when I was nine, but the ambition to “make a better heroine” was there. So, I’ve read a large number of anatomy books and keep on reading new ones, I do studies, and I continuously question my tastes, experiences and go-tos to be able to grow past them – little by little. Still, I absolutely use references sometimes, just generally not for design purposes or to a particularly large extent when I work on illustrations. I mainly use them when I struggle with an angle (in which case I usually find a mirror or take a photo of myself) or when studying. I often consult my anatomy books, however, and the two anatomical models on my desk, Mr. Skeleton and Mr. Half skin-half exposed superficial muscles. (I won't show a picture, since I know many people find them nasty and I don't want to tag this post as nasty. But they're beautiful friends.)

Anyway. How do I actually go about it… When drawing? Well, I usually have a pretty good idea of a character’s personality before I pick up a pen. That’s important to me. If I don't have one already, I mostly start with a written description rather than anything visual. Just a few words, to get an idea. Those texts aren’t based on anything and usually not very detailed, but they have the essentials. Being able to describe someone for myself and work from there, instead of from a vague thought, helps me to start. After I have a clear picture in my head, I usually make either a painterly portrait or a number of small head sketches.

For example, this is my first picture of Tege:

And these are my first pictures of Liam:

...When that’s done and I’m happy with the restult, I’ll have a perfect reference for later pictures. Eventually I’ll have a bunch of pictures of a character that I can start second-guessing and slowly change to perfection. Maybe I’ll get there one day.

[cronchy-baguette]

Why, Miss Elphaba--look at you. You're beautiful.

[missinglaterals]

The epicness of 'just some guy' fashion

[viveela]

It must be weird to live so long that an integral part of himself is now accepted, he'll need more time to get there too

[avephelis]

just wanted to say it's really awesome seeing the positive reception to chunky mikey LOVE YOU ALL 🧡🧡

[theartingace]

Enjoy a GIANT Wolf 359 sketchdump!

The gang's all here!

[wtfforged]

reattempt at some kind of sona/oc thing

[marronje]

I promised and I did it

I call this ✨strawberry Ochako✨

Not perfect, but I tried to make it practical (I just wanted to give Ocha some cool pants)

(my rambling about the og design which started it all)

Special thanks to @lily-claw, your input was major here haha (maybe that's why I've stolen the "KILL WITH MY KNEES" idea y'know XD)

And these are with the massage points if any of you are curious

[hildegardladyofbones]

One of the best things about Disco Elysium by far is that it does not fear ugly women. The world is full of ugly men, but ugly women are so hard to come by.

[hazelnutnebula]

and you'll always be the silly guy of all time 🧡🌻🐶

[diddlesnap]

this line always shocked me like i always forget peeta's popular because the only friend of his who's ever so much as named is delly. and they were really just friends when they were little kids.

[medi-bee]

isat pokemon au, my liege?

my rambling in tags

[mortemilla]

odo sketches

[goldiipond]

kids these days love falling into mountain holes

[the-cooler-kizy-art]

I've never shared my doodles of Poseidon, mostly because i. Keep forgettinb to...

And some additional doodles of Apollo, Hermes, Ares, Aeolus and Eurymene!!

[grayscaleearts]

i realized i never actually shared my attempt at my human in the official palia artstyle! sometimes you just want to give your character an "official" character card to match the characters in the game hehehe