Character concept

Paul Mesken · Post by **Paul Mesken** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:04 pm

Hi RunFunky,

I would definitely make the colors of his suit lighter. You want crisp, strong shadows and you won't get that when the color is dark to begin with. I'd also would use 3 small buckles instead of four. You can make them bigger and they're more convenient to draw (just 1 through the middle and the other 2 through the middles of the halves the first 1 made). And I would make his ears pop out from under the mask, gives a bit more action.

By the way : notice how you tend to line everything up. You'd want to guard against this since it ruins depth. Look at the (2D) angles of the shoulders, for example. They're exactly the same angle, just running in opposite directions. But the view is a 3/4 view. The (2D) lines of the shoulders are also exactly the same length. This makes his right (our left) shoulder far too long. I also see that you don't have the back lines of the arms and legs disappear behind a chest or another leg. This shows best in the brown sketch. Notice how his right arm (left to us) is just attached to the side of the chest instead of disappearing behind it. You'd want to show one shape disappearing behind another instead of avoiding such a thing. Occlusion is a very helpful depth cue.

You'd want some more solid modeling on these drawings. Basically you draw a full frontal view while trying to get a 3/4. This shows perhaps best in the medial line of the green sketch : it's a completely straight line, as if drawn with a ruler. But this line is only straight in full frontal view (in any other view there is the curve of the belly and the one of the chest). Moreover : you've drawn the belt, the buckles and the bottom line of his jacket as perpendiculars of that medial line. But they should have been horizontal (modified by perspective, of course) unless he's strongly tilting to his left (in which case he would fall over).

In the first pencil sketch you did draw these horizontal lines right so I guess it's just an old habit that creeps in. That's why I'm telling you, it's mostly a habit to line things up and to draw unintentional symmetry. It makes things work nicely in 2D but destroys depth in the process.

Runfunky · Post by **Runfunky** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:31 pm

Paul Mesken wrote:Hi RunFunky,

I would definitely make the colors of his suit lighter. You want crisp, strong shadows and you won't get that when the color is dark to begin with. I'd also would use 3 small buckles instead of four. You can make them bigger and they're more convenient to draw (just 1 through the middle and the other 2 through the middles of the halves the first 1 made). And I would make his ears pop out from under the mask, gives a bit more action.

By the way : notice how you tend to line everything up. You'd want to guard against this since it ruins depth. Look at the (2D) angles of the shoulders, for example. They're exactly the same angle, just running in opposite directions. But the view is a 3/4 view. The (2D) lines of the shoulders are also exactly the same length. This makes his right (our left) shoulder far too long. I also see that you don't have the back lines of the arms and legs disappear behind a chest or another leg. This shows best in the brown sketch. Notice how his right arm (left to us) is just attached to the side of the chest instead of disappearing behind it. You'd want to show one shape disappearing behind another instead of avoiding such a thing. Occlusion is a very helpful depth cue.

You'd want some more solid modeling on these drawings. Basically you draw a full frontal view while trying to get a 3/4. This shows perhaps best in the medial line of the green sketch : it's a completely straight line, as if drawn with a ruler. But this line is only straight in full frontal view (in any other view there is the curve of the belly and the one of the chest). Moreover : you've drawn the belt, the buckles and the bottom line of his jacket as perpendiculars of that medial line. But they should have been horizontal (modified by perspective, of course) unless he's strongly tilting to his left (in which case he would fall over).

In the first pencil sketch you did draw these horizontal lines right so I guess it's just an old habit that creeps in. That's why I'm telling you, it's mostly a habit to line things up and to draw unintentional symmetry. It makes things work nicely in 2D but destroys depth in the process.

Paul - These are all great pointers! I appreciate you taking the time to critique it.

You're obviously a pro in the industry, and know what you're talking about. I'll be making the changes you suggested.

Thanks again!

Paul Mesken · Post by **Paul Mesken** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:35 pm

Runfunky wrote: You're obviously a pro in the industry

I'm definitely a pro in the industry but that industry is not the animation industry. I'm just a serious amateur. I Wouldn't want to give people the wrong idea

Runfunky · Post by **Runfunky** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:54 pm

Paul - Well, you could have said your name was Glen Keane and I would've believed it.

lwaxana · Post by **lwaxana** » Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:15 pm

Love this character design. The personality comes through well in the poses. Is it for a particular project? Frame by frame animation would be really nice with this style.

Acesonnall · Post by **Acesonnall** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:23 pm

First, amazing drawings (What program are you using?). However if you want him to look more like a bandit I say make him a little less "inviting" if you know what I mean. For example, you have his stance as a man with open arms, it almost makes him come off as a family man who couldn't find a legal job haha.

Nice though, keep it up.