12 TIPS TO DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTERS

Animation artist Brian Weisz gives an inside look at his work, offering insight on drawing exercises, ideation and key principles of design

- Brian Weisz

Studying character design is certainly a multifaceted subject. There are lots of ways to approach designing original characters, and learning design principles from all angles will round out your skills and strengthen your portfolio.

My experience creating characters for TV and film has taught me the importance of balancing technical skill with creativity and imagination. Generating creative ideas and being an effective visual communicator are key to finding work in animation.

Creating expressive characters full of appeal takes practice and instincts that can be attained through focused study. Part of being an artist is understanding that your evolution is a lifelong pursuit and progress is made by taking consistent small steps. Follow along as I offer ways to show personality in your work and draw from life experiences to find your voice as a character designer.

1 BODY LANGUAGE

The body language of a character communicates their emotional state and is an essential part of creating characters packed with life. Their expression runs through the entire design and doesn't solely depend on the face. Body language can be loud and bold or soft and subtle, and the hands can be just as expressive as the eyes and face. Even the colour is a form of expression. In this case, the hummingbird's feet are acting more like hands, which brings it more personality and dexterity. The pink and gold tones of the feathers provide a softness that balances the bold, sharp beak shape.

2 KEEP IT SIMPLE

A wide range of emotions can be drawn with just a few simple lines. A great exercise is to practise drawing clear, easy-to-read facial expressions.