Character Conceptual Design

[2 classes, 80 min each]

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, students will design their own original characters — the same kind of work used to develop characters for animated films, video games, and comic books. Though audiences rarely think about it, a finished character represents many hours of development: its appearance has to feel true to its personality while also resonating with a viewer at a glance. Students will work through facial expression, hairstyle, clothing, and other defining details, then produce a full model sheet — front, side, and back views — the same way a professional studio would.

Lesson Objectives

Understand and apply the creative process animation studios use to develop and design characters.
Design an original character whose appearance reflects a defined personality.
Produce a complete model sheet, illustrating a character's front, side, and back profiles.

Builds on: Human Figure Drawing (Simple Formula)

Why Front, Side, and Back Views?

Professional productions almost always require front, back, and side profile drawings of a character, since the character needs to be recognizable from every angle once it's animated, modeled, or sculpted. This set of views is often called a model sheet, and it's the reference every other artist on a production works from — so accuracy and consistency across all three views matters just as much as the initial design itself.

Discussion Brainstorm

Share your favorite character from a cartoon, video game, book, or film.
Describe the character's appearance and dominant color.
What do you like about this character, and how do they make you feel?
What's your preferred drawing style — Disney, The Simpsons, Marvel, manga, or something else?
Now think about your own character:
- Is it male, female, or neither?
- What kind of clothing are they wearing?
- What's their hair like?
- What's their overall mood — cheerful, sad, quiet, calm, grumpy?
- What personality traits define them?
- What colors define their clothing, eyes, and hair?
- What name would you give them?

You'll Need

Sketchbook
Pencils, colored pencils, and markers
Character design references (optional)
Ruler
Black permanent marker

The character’s name can also be a defining feature of the character.

Professional productions often require the front, back and side profile drawings, since the character will be seen from various angles.

What to Do

Everyone has different artistic tastes and influences, so your characters will too — draw in your own natural style, or borrow from a style you admire. It helps to write down your character's attributes before you start drawing.

Rough Concept. Make a few rough sketches of your character without overthinking it — just let ideas flow. Jotting down attributes beforehand (personality, age, likes, dislikes) can help you brainstorm faster.
Choose a Character. Pick your favorite sketch and give it a name. Write a short profile: age, likes, dislikes, and personality traits.
Front View. Lightly sketch your character's front profile, leaving room beside it for the side and back views. Start with the largest body parts first (torso), then add the head and limbs, so the figure stays well-proportioned on the page.
Details. Add fingers, hairstyle, clothing, and any other details that reflect your character's personality. Make sure pose, facial expression, and outfit all point toward the same personality — a shy character and a bold character shouldn't stand the same way.
Exaggerate. Push your character's most defining features further than realism would allow. Large eyes should be very large; a big smile should be even bigger. Exaggeration is what makes a character read instantly.
Side and Back Views. Using your front view as reference, draw the side and back profiles. Use a ruler to measure and carry proportions across all three views accurately.
Ink. Once you're happy with your drawing, trace your pencil lines with black permanent marker and erase any remaining pencil.
Color or Paint. Add color with markers, crayons, or paint. Apply flat, solid color first, then add shadows based on a consistent light source to give the character depth.
Design Another Character. If time allows, design a second character for your first one to interact with — or build out a whole cast.

Terminology

Conceptualize — To come up with a concept or idea.

Animation Studio — A company that produces animated media.

Exaggerate — To make something larger or more pronounced than normal.

Model Sheet — A reference drawing showing a character's front, side, and back views, used to keep the design consistent across a production.

3D Modeling — Creating a three-dimensional representation of an idea.

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