HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CHARACTER DESIGN SKILLZ
(I wrote this out to help me get through a lecture i gave recently at Woodbury… Hope this can help out some of you folks out there.)
_sketch on trains, in cafes, in cars, bars, cafeterias, etc.
_BECOME A SOCIOLOGIST Study people.
_Understand context. “Why does that big burly man with all the tattoos look so intimidating” Break down his shapes, outfit, posture, mannerisms. All this stuff is a gold mine when its time to create original characters from your head. You are building a library of useful traits, shapes, expressions, etc.
_Incorporate gesture drawing, acting, and design studies into your observational drawing.
(READ Drawn to Life by Walt Stanchfeild) Can you nail that posture in one line, can you reduce his body into one big shape?
2. GET REALLY GOOD AT GATHERING REF
_Spend a good amount of time after launching yourself on an assignment scouring the net for ref.
_Don’t be a victim of “paralysis by analysis”
first cast your net wide and eventually only put on your reference sheet what is necessary for your project. I know its fun but its usually not necessary to spend days gathering ref, unless its for a huge project with many characters
_STUDY HARD but DON’T BE A SLAVE TO YOUR REF
Spend a good amount of time studying and absorbing your reference. If its an animal your drawing for the first time, gather ref to help you draw it as it appears in nature and study its skeletal and muscle structure, watch videos of it in motion.
Eventually you want to be able to cast the ref aside and CARICATURE the animal in whichever way you see fit. That is where your unique take will come out.
_BE SPECIFIC NOT GENERAL
It might seem contradictory to my last point, but using your reference to avoid generic drawings is a great way to build strong designs. If you are drawing a WW2 soldier, then don’t bother making up his outfit and equipment, use the ref you gathered to make the design “READ” as a WW2 soldier. Look at the buckles and straps and hats and guns they use, then design off of that.
_Study artist you like and see what makes them so good. DO NOT COPY THEIR STYLE AND TRY TO PASS IT AS YOURS. You can draw over their work, break it down and try to understand it better but stealing styles is a big no no.
_Always look for inspiration. Follow your favorite artists, buy art books, look for inspiration everywhere. This will help keep your approach fresh, constantly look at different sources and types of art. This is also important in knowing what approaches work best for certain types of projects.. is a UPA inspired approach best here, or maybe a superhero type design works for this assignment.
_Always work on your drawing. THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT FOR TIME AND EXPERIENCE.
_Develop solid draftsmanship. Over time you will find a style that works for you, but being able to understand and interpret forms never goes out of style.
_Understand the basic principles of design and composition. Big and small, straight v curves, no-ladder effect, rule of 3rds, rhythm, balance, etc.
_BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. Drawing a lot helps you figure out what you like and don’t like to do. Find ways of drawing that you enjoy and are true to you. You may be asked to draw that way for a long time on a project so it would be good if you are working in a fun style that you believe in and developed yourself.
_Make your designs relatable, “i know a guy that looks like that” “i wouldn’t want to mess with that dude” Keep them full of energy and life. They will need to move around and be animated, no one wants to see a boring design animated!
