A Quick Introduction to Understanding Character Design!

Even with the best skilled artists out there, they can be horrible at understanding character design. While it is important to have basic artistic foundations for doing characters, not everyone has the ability to understand what the client wants.

For those that have been drawing a specific theme for a very long time, it becomes even harder to realize that they may not be character designers even in their niches. This is because we have our own style, beliefs, and methods of doing things in art.

What we think is the best concept ever, the client may not agree at all. The challenge is not for the artist to design a character, but rather, it's the artist's ability to ask the right questions about what is to be designed in the first place!

1. Identify the preference

Let's say that you have a client that wants you to do a specific theme. He or she desires to have mascot drummed up for a festival. You both talk about what you want. He or she specifies that they want a strong, stylish, and confident woman. Given those descriptions, you proceed to work on the client's description very enthusiastically as soon as you get home.

Personally, you think you done a perfect job with the character design as it is one of your best ones yet.

The next day, you show the client. Rather than being happy about it, the client feels that it's not up to her expectations. He or she hands you back your draft and requests that you redo the mascot.

What went wrong is that you, as the artist, failed to understand what the client wants. What does it mean to the client when the word 'strong' is used? Is the mascot just physically strong? The same can go for 'stylish' and 'confident.'

You must find out find out what the client means by those descriptions. Ask them to be specific as possible about what he or she considers 'strong,' 'stylish,' or 'confident.'

2. Analyze and divide the parts

Once you have understood what the client wants, the next step is understanding character design usually involves more than just the characters themselves. If the emphasis is on the 'stylish,' then you would focus primarily on the clothing.

If the emphasis is on 'strong,' then think about whether or not the character should be carrying anything. What about 'confidence'? What will you do to make the character seem confident? Some suggestions you can think about is poster and perspective.

You can work on all these individual parts in many different ways depending on which description gets priority. Of course, prioritizing is just one method.

It may be time consuming, but 80% of the work is done in this planning stage. At this time, you do not even have to draw anything yet. Just a text description is fine. However, any time that you are confused, try sketching out many simple versions of the same description to help you choose and build up your character notes.

3. Drawing and evaluating

Your probing has paid off! There were questions you asked the client that he or she did not even consider!

However, do not relax just yet. Even with the client's preferences and tastes in mind, you will need to do multiple samples of the same idea. You have to evaluate which areas are the best for showing off a specific description.

At the end of the day, the client will determine what will succeed and what won't work. When that happens, do not get personal. Do not be afraid to fail. Go back and discuss what went astray. It is a part of getting it right.

Obviously, if the client is happy with the design, you can move on and do additional jobs that the client requests.

4. Refining your own process

With the client happy, you can consider this job is complete.

The last method, in understanding character design, is to go back and reflect on the entire project. Refine you questions that are asked. What questions should you have asked instead? What part of the work flow took the most time? What can I do better next time?

Key questions like these will help you analyze your own analytical and drawing habits. At the end of the day, the artist must develop a process that they are familiar and exceed with, since there is not definitive method to understanding character design.

You want to balance your time spent versus the payout. Though artists would love to accept all jobs possible, it is not always a good idea to take jobs that require too much of your time like a subject you are not familiar with. Such inclinations to accept these jobs could lead to frustration, lost hours, and occupied space to fill in better productive projects.

Use your judgment when accepting design jobs. But most of all, have a good artistic foundation ready so you can challenge whatever is required to get the job done!

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