Character Design Field Guide #001

Before we jump into the idea of dimensionality or gesture, we can take a look at the basic building blocks of any drawing: Shapes. Namely, circles, squares, and triangles. Each of these shapes is a creative tool that helps us communicate what we want to express in a drawing.

1. Shape Psychology
   Each shape carries with it a distinct feeling. To understand how a shape might make us feel we can use what’s called the ‘Sit Test’. Picture yourself sitting on top of any of these shapes. With a circle, we might feel a sense of fun. It might feel comfortable, but it also might feel unstable. With the square we feel like we’re sitting on top of solid base. It feels reliable and stationary. With a triangle, it would feel uncomfortable sitting on the point, and invokes a feeling of danger or menace

2. Shape Manipulation
   With these basic shapes, we can manipulate them in a number of ways we can taper them, twist them, stretch them, squash them, inflate or deflate them. We can round them off give them curves or make each We combine them, add a second or third, change their relationships, in interesting ways.  We can blow them up, melt them, or have them succumb to any multitude of natural disaster.

3. Drawn to life
   The easiest method for bringing a shape to life is to add eyes. After that you can add any number of facial features and suddenly the shape has personality.

Now Let ‘s take these ideas and spend 10 minutes turning shapes into characters