Image © Marta Garciá Navarro

Image © Saira Vargas

contents
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STYLIZED A MOTION STUDIO PROFILE: THE PERSONALITY MEET THE EXPRESSING VILLAINOUS
ANIMALS MASTERCLASS MUTI STUDIOS TEST ARTIST EMOTIONS VEHICLE

Melany Altuna Joakim Redinger Join us as we take Ilse Harting brings Saira Vargas takes Felipe Rodriguez Archina Laezza
creates her own explores how a peek behind two characters to us through the uses simple takes on our
stylized take motion can the doors of life, demonstrating process behind her shapes to express Characterize This
on a guinea pig contribute to Muti, Spain’s how personality colouful characters emotions with series, bringing to
and a wolf in this creating impactful most successful can influence and discusses her three colorful life a mean car in
in-depth tutorial character designs animation studio design career so far characters this short tutorial
WELCOME TO THIS SAMPLE ISSUE OF
CHARACTER DESIGN QUARTERLY

Packed within this sample issue of CDQ are some of our favourite
tutorials and interviews from recent issues of the magazine. Learn
how to create exciting new designs with in-depth tutorials by Greg
Baldwin and Melany Altuna, explore the secrets of adding personality
and emotion to your characters with Felipe Rodriguez, and explore
the secrets of lighting with Lynn Chen. We also take a peek
behind the doors of Muti Studio, and speak to Sandro Cleuzo
and Meike Schneider about the secrets of their character
designs, and their careers so far.

sam draper
EDITOR

Image © Johanna Forster

54 58 70 74 86 92 102
FRUIT WITH MEET THE CHARACTERIZE REIMAGINING LIGHTEN MEET THE MECH-ING
FEELINGS ARTIST THIS MOTHER NATURE UP! ARTIST A SCENE

Johanna Forster We speak to Isaac Jadraque Margana creates Lynn Chen shares Meike Schneider Learn how to
shows us how to veteran animator conjures a a unique take on some expert returns to CDQ for draw a stunning
express emotions, Sandro Cleuzo monstrous Mother Nature as tips for how to a chat about her robot from
creating a about his 35 hipster to life a wise old lady in use lighting to career, techniques, scratch with this
character with years working from the prompt this insightful step- create compelling and how her art in-depth tutorial
a fruity twist! in the industry 'Moon, hair' by-step tutorial characters style developed by Greg Baldwin
Image © Melany Altuna
STYLIZED ANIMALS:
GUINEA PIG AND WOLF
MELANY ALTUNA
I’m going to share with you my process for creating appealing, stylized characters. For me, designing a
character has always been like solving a puzzle, with many, many pieces. If I look at the whole project at
once, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, and my creativity will be blocked. If I split the work up and focus on
a few pieces at a time, then progress will be fun and give us great results.

So, what are the pieces of the puzzle that make for good character design? Well, there’s balance, flow,
rhythm, appeal, shape language, and much more! And at the same time, we need to focus on the story and
the character’s personality – it’s a lot to think about!

I will be working with traditional pencils and a sketchbook to warm up, and then my professional tools for
research and character development – a Wacom Cintiq, an iMac, and Photoshop.

"SO, WHAT ARE

THE PIECES OF
THE PUZZLE
THAT MAKE FOR
GOOD CHARACTER
DESIGN?
WELL, THERE’S
BALANCE,
FLOW, RHYTHM,
APPEAL, SHAPE
LANGUAGE, AND
MUCH MORE!"
6 | Stylized animals: guinea pig and wolf

This page: Sketching

early ideas for my story

Opposite page (top):

Early explorations
of the guinea pig
and wolf design

FINDING THE STORY

The brief for this project is very open – we will design two characters, a from anywhere. I was online shopping for outdoor clothing for my next
guinea pig and a wolf, and that’s pretty much all we know about them. It’s camping trip before this project, and that sparked an idea. I want my
important we create a backstory for the characters first which will guide main character to be a guinea pig and I want to focus the story on him.
the rest of the process. Let’s call him Jimmy. Jimmy will be a professional photographer that has
a unique encounter with a giant wolf. His job is to take the best picture of
Looking online for references is a good starting point. Search for things the wolf possible, but that might be easier said than done!
that grab your interest and get your ideas flowing. Inspiration can come
Melany Altuna | 7

ASKING QUESTIONS
With our characters in place, now we need to get a better sense of the
5 Ws – Who are the characters, where are they located, what do they
want, when is the story taking place, and why? These questions are a
great place to start your research that will help you find all the visual
elements needed to make your characters unique. I know this might
seem like it takes quite a lot of time, but it’s an important step in the
process, and one you should never skip!

LET’S START SKETCHING!

When I draw animals, I like to start by sketching from photo references.
I go online and collect lots of pictures of wolves and guinea pigs of all
shapes, sizes, and colors. This helps me get a feel for the shapes that
make this animal unique. Don’t worry too much about making anything
pretty at this point – just try to experiment, learn, and pay attention to
the proportions and characteristics. You never need to show this step
to anyone if you don’t want to. Keep that in mind and the pressure is
off – enjoy the process!
8 | Stylized animals: guinea pig and wolf

"I CONSIDER THE BALANCE

BETWEEN THE BODY AND FACE AND
HOW LARGE, MEDIUM, AND SMALL
SHAPES CAN AFFECT THE DESIGN"

SHIFTING SHAPES
After warming up in the sketchbook I like to look at all the drawings face and how large, medium, and small shapes can affect the design. I
and find a few that I really like, then start playing around with the push the shapes and play with size to find an appealing look.
proportions and shapes. I consider the balance between the body and
Melany Altuna | 9

BALANCING
THE DESIGN
I like to make sure I simplify the details
to create a clear silhouette, so the
character can read well from a distance.

Opposite page: The

first explorations of
Jimmy’s design

This page (top):

Creating a clear
silhouette

This page (bottom):

Adding props that
support the story

PROPPING UP THE STORY

Adding props to a character can help express a little more about their Working on this step I notice that people may mistake Jimmy for a
personality. In this case, we need to make it obvious that Jimmy is a tourist, and that’s not the look I want for this character. I need to make
photographer on a mission, maybe by adding a camera or backpack. I sure I stay away from anything that suggests “tourist” when moving on
also give him some glasses to compensate for his tiny dot eyes and to to color and poses.
help the audience understand who he is right away.
10 | Stylized animals: guinea pig and wolf

COMPLETING THE JIGSAW

Previously, I mentioned how I view the process of designing a character a jigsaw or puzzle, if you get stuck then the best thing you can do is take
like putting a puzzle together – the more you practice, the faster your a break! Go for a short walk, clear your mind, and when you come back
brain will start to put the pieces together all by itself. And just like with try a different approach.

DRESSING JIMMY FOR THE JOB

Time for color! At this point I go back to my references and look for colors for his outfit that complement him. While working through
consistent colors in their clothing. Looking at online stores helps you different variations I start to notice that certain color combinations will
know what’s on trend at the moment and what look could stand out. It make Jimmy look older than I want. Keep in mind the story you are trying
might even help you to find a more unique color combination than you to tell at every step of the process – every visual element influences
originally imagined. what the audience will take from your design.

I want Jimmy to have warm colors in his hair – a mix of medium browns
will look really pretty. We can then use the hair as a base and choose
Melany Altuna | 11

THE WOLF AT THE DOOR STEPPING AWAY

Now, let’s start working on the wolf. Again, I pick my favorite early To be honest, I wasn’t happy with how any of my first sketches of the
sketches and start pushing shapes to create a good balance. I want the wolf turned out, so I take a break and go back to it the next day. Stepping
wolf to feel big and elegant – I’m looking for a rhythm that flows from away from a project can sometimes help with your perspective – when
the tip of her foot to the last hair on her tail. I’m imagining the final you go back to it you can see it with fresh eyes. I start thinking of the
design as almost a full silhouette, with bright eyes and lots of texture, so overall shape and pose, and drawing the wolf starts to become easier.
I focus on poses that read easily. Thinking about straight vs curve, line of action, and simple vs complex
helps me get a better silhouette for the wolf. When I’m happy with the
Keeping a small silhouette of the other characters in your scene close to overall shape, I start getting into the face and hair details.
hand can help build contrasting shapes and keep a nice sense of scale.

Opposite page:
Finding a color
palette that’s
right for the story
I want to tell

This page (top):

Exploring the
design of the wolf

This page (bottom):

Finding a nice
silhouette
12 | Stylized animals: guinea pig and wolf
Melany Altuna | 13

Opposite page:

"WHEN CLEANING THE LINES, WE Experimenting with

posing Jimmy and

WANT TO MAKE SURE THE ENERGY the wolf together

AND OVERALL FEELING OF THE This page: Cleaning

SKETCH DOESN’T GET LOST"

up the characters for
the flat color layer

TELLING THE STORY

Now we know how both characters look, we can start playing with It’s important to remember that character design should always be in
posing them. I want the poses to show who they are and what’s going on support of the story. Without a story, a design can look good, but it
in the story. Try to start this step really loose – think about the energy won’t be a real character.
and the story moments more than technicalities right now. I decide on
a few poses to show – I want the characters face to face. I want to see
how they look running from one another, and I want the wolf to catch
Jimmy! Just feel free to play with different ideas, keeping in mind who
CLEANING UP
the characters are and what they would do in any given situation. AND COLORING
When cleaning the lines, we want to make sure the energy and overall
You can take this step as far as you like, making as many poses as you feeling of the sketch doesn’t get lost. It can be hard, and a bit frustrating,
want and picking your favorites. You can even clean them up and color but if you make sure you keep the important pieces, you can make it
them, but this step isn’t about creating anything clean and perfect – you work. You can do the clean-up with just basic shapes to prep for the
just want to tell the story and keep the characters on model. render, or with line art.
14 | Stylized animals: guinea pig and wolf

A COLORFUL
ENCOUNTER
Once we’re happy with the flat color shapes,
we can start adding textures, detail lines, and
shadow and light. I like to keep it simple and
not get too crazy with the rendering when the
shapes and expressions are already reading
well. I add a close-up of Jimmy so the audience
can see him better, without losing the contrast
in size between him and the wolf.

And that’s pretty much it! I love the story and

characters I’ve come up with and will continue
drawing them and see where the story ends. I
hope Jimmy makes it out of the situation and
manages to deliver his work on time!

Final image © Melany Altuna

Melany Altuna | 15
JOAKIM RIEDINGER
Our whole universe is in constant motion – flowers grow, trees sway,
people walk, and everything is always evolving. Movement is at the
center of our lives, but how do you express this energy in your work?
Let’s look at a few principles that will help to translate force into
movement in drawings.

DRAW SMALL, QUICK

THUMBNAILS FIRST
Drawing small thumbnails allows you to think
about the overall design, silhouettes, and action
lines, rather than focusing on small details. It’s
also much faster to generate a lot of ideas when
they are done in a few seconds.

STARTING STATIC
To create the illusion of movement and motion
in your drawing, you need to avoid symmetrical
poses. They tend to stiffen a drawing and seem
unnatural – unless, of course, you want to
convey that someone is firm and strict, like this
police officer.
Joakim Riedinger | 17

FOLLOW THE FLOW

Unlike a static pose, a dynamic pose always follows
the flow of its movements. The action starts
somewhere and ends somewhere else, which
explains its imbalance. It helps to know which exact
moment of an action you are drawing: what phase
of a gesture are you drawing? How much force can
be seen or felt? This breakdancer is at the apex of
his action, putting all his weight on one arm.

STAY LOOSE IN THE

SKETCHING STAGE
When planning your design, stay relaxed
and try to draw quickly – energy will

THE EXTENSION naturally flow from you.

IS THE MOTION
To generate maximum force, a muscle chain must
reach an extension, which is why all limbs line up
and follow a line of action. It helps to include this
physical principle in your drawings to show a sense
of weight. This bull is heading in one clear direction,
and his whole body and movement mirror that.

All images © Joakim Riedinger

18 | A motion masterclass

“WHEN A FORCE IS APPLIED

TO AN OBJECT OR A
CHARACTER, AN OPPOSITE
REACTION MUST ALSO
BE APPARENT — ACTION
MEANS REACTION ”

ACTION AND REACTION

When a force is applied to an object or a character, an opposite
reaction must also be apparent – action means reaction. This
principle makes the two parts more related to each other.
Look how the force of one boxer has an extreme impact on
the face of the other boxer, and his line of action. In the other
example, the hug of two friends looks almost magnetic. Use
this principle to emphasize your characters’ situations.
Joakim Riedinger | 19

LAYER AND INCREASE

ACTION LINES
To make a gesture more textured and interesting, try
to introduce a multitude of patterns that align with a
consistent overall direction. Look at the contours of
this dancer’s pose – not only does her dress show curvy
movement, her body does, too. This multiplicity of curvy
lines will enhance the sense of rhythm and fluidity in the
action lines, and adds a certain grace and elegance to
your character.

SUBTLETY IS
POWERFUL
It is not always necessary to draw
extreme fights or other intense
actions to show dynamism. Emotion
flowing through the body can also
be expressed in subtle ways. In
this case, the body of the man is
still, his arms are close to his body,
and his eyebrows are pointing
upward – the emotion is subtle, but
no less effectively conveyed.
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT:

MUTI
This multidisciplinary, creative South African studio, based
in Cape Town, has its talented fingers in many pies. Known
for their bold, colorful designs, the Studio Muti artists have
worked with top-level companies around the globe, including
Google and Nike. We caught up with them to ask how the
studio started and how it operates today, and for their advice to
budding character designers wanting to get into the industry.
All images © Studio Muti. All rights reserved
22 | Studio spotlight

Thanks so much for chatting

to us today. Can you tell us a
bit about the studio and how
it started?

Thanks for having us! Muti started in

2011 when we (Clinton Campbell and
Miné Day) joined forces after previously
working together on an illustration team.
Our first projects were self-initiated –
we tried to create a style that would
capture the attention and delight of the
visual community. From there, clients
started to approach us, and with that
both the style and team became more
varied. In 2013, Brad Hodgskiss joined as
the third creative director, after gaining
success designing his own T-shirts. Since
then, we have continued to develop both
self-initiated and client-based projects
with our ever-growing team of talented
staff. We’re now a dedicated team of
illustrators, designers, and animators who
are passionate about producing original
and inspiring work, from lettering to
icons, digital painting to animation.

Is there a preference to the

types of projects you work on
as a studio?

We’ve worked on a vast array of

projects, including garments, publishing,
advertising, apps, and branding – so
there’s no specific industry or client we
focus on. For us it’s about doing great
work, no matter what the application or
who the client is. As long as a brief pushes
the right buttons for us, we’re happy!
We love the variety of projects that
come into the studio and the
challenges some of those
projects present. We always
have the opportunity to level
up our skills with every new
project that comes in.
Muti | 23

"We’ve worked on a
vast array of projects,
including garments,
publishing, advertising,
apps, and branding"

Opposite page: Character designs for our

first animated short – Los Magos

This page (top): Originally created as a short

looping GIF, this sassy sausage knows who’s boss!

This page (bottom): 3D style test

24 | Studio spotlight

Due to the wide range of projects with the client. We have such a varied mix of created illustrations for each chapter, matched
you take on, how do you decide folk in the studio, so there’s always a chance to the song chosen. It was challenging to pull
who works on each project? to put together different approaches and get out the relevant aspects of each piece and we
different opinions on potential work. spent a lot of time working through various
Each of our 12 team members has a different possibilities. As this was such a personal
skill set and focus, so assignments are based You worked on a large collaborative subject matter, we wanted the musicians to
on what the project requires. If a client comes piece called One Last Song. Could feel we had truly captured the essence of
to us with a very clear direction in style, you tell us a little about the project each of their choices and the stories behind
inspired by something we’ve done before, and if there were any challenges them. In the end, we went for a mixed
then we make sure the person whose work was along the way? approach, where some were portrayed quite
referenced has a heavy hand in the project. literally and others had a more conceptual
Alternatively, when we receive a project that One Last Song is a fantastic book written by interpretation. Because we linked the styles
requires visual direction from us, we work up Mike Ayers, in which he invited 30 musicians and color schemes throughout the book, these
a few “style tests,” with the work going to the to consider what song they would want to various approaches still worked together as a
team member whose style test resonates most accompany them to the pearly gates. We cohesive collection.
Muti | 25

Opposite page (top left):

From One Last Song –
Sam Beam of Iron & Wine

Opposite page (bottom left):

From One Last Song –
Run The Jewels

Opposite page (right):

From One Last Song –
Andre 3000

This page:
From One
Last Song –
The Decemberists
26 | Studio spotlight

"We take full

advantage of
opportunities to
do projects that sit
outside our usual
wheelhouse"

On the whole, you create quite

bold and colorful designs. Was
this a conscious decision or a
general style that has developed
over the years?

It’s probably a bit of both. Muti’s early work

was all about boldness and color, and as that’s
what clients approached us for, over time it’s
become a recurring theme in many of the
briefs that come our way. Thankfully, though,
we see a lot of variety in the work we receive.
We take full advantage of opportunities to do
projects that sit outside our usual wheelhouse,
and love the chance to work on more subdued,
intricate work.

What do you consider to be

most important when creating
character designs?

The aspect we prioritize the most is personality.

The pose, clothing, facial expressions, and
even accessories or background elements all
have an impact on how the viewer reads and
understands the character’s personality. It’s
immensely satisfying to render a character and
have others immediately recognize and relate
to them. You want the viewer to say, “Ah – yes!
That’s how the character moves, that’s how
they see the world and react to things.”

This page: Stills from our animated short, Los Magos

Opposite page: Created for the Quaranoids series,

showcasing different personalities in lockdown
Muti | 27

Which character-design projects was a great chance to collaborate with our plans for the short – it started as just a fun
are you most proud of? team and work with some friends in the sound in-house challenge to create something
production field. entirely from scratch. We sat on it for a while
We’re particularly fond of our first animated before deciding to try our luck, entering it
short, Los Magos, which we finally released at It’s a 60-second animated short that we into a few film festivals and releasing it online.
the end of 2020 after it was accepted to a actually created way back in 2019. It depicts So far, we’ve had a really positive response.
number of film festivals. It was our first foray two sorcerers that come face-to-face to settle We’re well aware how difficult it can be to be
into bringing our own characters to life in a quarrel, in a test of skill and strength in a accepted into festivals, so we feel very grateful
a longer format (well, longer for us!), and it desert wasteland. We didn’t have any grand to have been recognized.
28 | Studio spotlight

Many people might associate design studios mainly with

America or Asia – what is the scene like in South Africa?

There is so much talent in South Africa! There are many studios that focus
on illustration, design, animation, and character design, and some of them
are incredibly successful. Your readers have probably seen more things than
they might have imagined that have come from South Africa’s creative
community. From time to time, we do get the opportunity to work with our
fellow studios here and that’s always exciting, but more often than not, we
work on all elements of a project in-house.

What advice would you give to budding creatives who

might want to join a studio like Muti?

Play, play, play! Keep trying new things, expand your skill-set, take influence
from a variety of sources, and don’t restrict yourself to only being inspired
by other illustrators. Constantly mix and match skills and techniques to find
where your strengths lie, and how best to use them. It’s a good idea to learn
how to be flexible in terms of style, but try to always hold yourself to a
higher standard of consistent quality. Flexibility and high standards are two
things we look for in portfolios from potential employees.

When it comes to character design generally, it’s all about playing around.
People don’t realize how much they can learn from their own faces or
people around them. Pull faces, move around, observe people at home or
out and about – this will help you understand how your character moves and
poses. We also find that our most successful designs start with an idea with
a back-story or wider context. So, try to develop a story for your characters
to really understand them.
Muti | 29

Opposite page: A quick in-house

character test – Souperman

This page: A fisherman based on

the many characters you’ll find
on our local beaches and jetties
ILSE HARTING
As character designers, we all aim to create authentic characters
that are expressive and full of personality. Here are a few tips on
making that happen. I’ve created a couple of new characters to
showcase the important steps. Let’s get started!

STRAIGHT INTO THE ACTION

When designing a character, choosing the right shapes to match their
personality is key, and making a note of how they carry these shapes is
perhaps even more important. Whenever possible, I start sketching new
characters mid-action, as this helps to visualize the range of motions and
expressions they might use. The girl in this drawing is a simple sketch,
but by drawing her in motion I can already get a sense of what kind of
person she might be.

COLOR BLOCKING
It’s a good idea to block in the character with colors as soon
as possible, so you can read their shapes and silhouette better.
I always give the character what I consider their primary color
first, and from there I have a general direction for the color
palette to evolve as I move forward with the design.
Ilse Harting | 31

ADDING COLORS
STEP BY STEP
This is where choosing one primary color
helps! Instead of giving a character four,
five, or more colors right from the start,
try beginning with a single color and slowly
adding more as you go along. Every color
I pick is based on my original choice of
orange. By doing this gradually, you won’t
get overwhelmed with color choices, and
the design won’t become too busy.

ALL THE PAGE

IS A STAGE
Viewing your characters as actors auditioning
for a part in a play is a good method for getting
a little deeper into their personality. Ask your
characters questions beyond the role you’ve
assigned them. What interesting quirks do they
have? What troubles them? What strengths and
flaws make them unique? Once you’ve formed a
rounded personality, see how these decisions can
affect the character’s design. By going back and
forth between developing the personality and the
physical traits again and again, you can turn the
most generic design into something truly original.

DRESSING UP YOUR
CHARACTERS
Pinterest is often cited as a great source for
reference material for all sorts of projects, and
rightfully so. But when looking specifically for
clothing, I like to search for references via online
clothing stores. Browsing a store’s catalog can
lead you to a wide range of variations on different
designs, and better still, the quality of the photos
can be excellent. With close-ups, different angles,
and sometimes even 360° videos where you can
see how the model moves in the garment, online
stores can be extremely helpful when trying to find
that perfect outfit for your characters.

All images © Ilse Harting

32 | The personality test

STRIKE A POSE
This sketch is of a woman who decides to leave her
stressful life as CEO of a successful magazine and live
her life as a farmer. Before this change she is clearly not
happy, and I want to express that mood with a single pose.
I start by making her look unapproachable and reserved,
her hands stuffed deep into her pockets, her body turned
away, and a judgmental expression on her face. I want her
to come across as no-nonsense and maybe even a little
arrogant. This look can also read as insecure – she doesn’t
trust anyone and isn’t even comfortable standing still.
The dynamics of these personality traits are interesting
elements to play with while posing the character.

INTERACTING
WITH THE STORY
As we start to develop the character and
know the beats of her story, we can introduce
interactions with other objects or characters
to further display her personality. Alongside
movement, interactions are a very helpful
technique for exploring the unique quirks of
characters – have fun and see how different
characters interact with one another. I made
the ex-CEO interact with her animals since
they are a key part of her story.
Ilse Harting | 33

AS THINGS CHANGE,
THEY STAY THE SAME
When designing a character that fits a certain role like the “farmer” chosen for this
example, try to give them a past or future to aspire to. This character was an ambitious
business woman before she became a farmer. How much of her old ways and habits get
transferred over? Clothing, hair, and mannerisms are all things you can play with while
drawing the character in different stages of their lives – similarities shown in different
versions of a character help lead the viewer through their story.

I transfer the characteristics of the woman’s previous career as a

CEO to her new life as a farmer. Just as with her business outfit,
she chooses to wear mostly muted colors with a baggy fit.
However, I choose to make her look slightly
more unkempt and carefree in her new
role. This is a subtle way of communicating
how her attitude toward life, and therefore
her personality, has changed.

CEMENTING
IDEAS
Once you have a good grasp on
the concept behind your character
and their general look, it’s time to
draw, draw, and draw some more!
By redrawing characters in different
poses and scenarios again and again,
you will start to subconsciously simplify
the design through reiteration.
Saira Vargas is a character designer and visual artist from Seattle,
Washington. We’re big fans of her colorful and expressive creations here at
CDQ, so we caught up with Saira to ask about her journey into the industry,
her inspirations, and the wonders of dramatic lighting!
All images © Saira Vargas
36 | Meet the artist

Hi Saira, thanks so much for talking to CDQ!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your
journey in character design to date?

Hi CDQ! I’m Saira Vargas, a character designer from Seattle,

Washington. I recently graduated from Art Center College
of Design’s animation track. My journey started where nearly
every character artist’s did – in front of a television set! I
absolutely loved watching Don Bluth’s films growing up, his
characters blew my mind. He wasn’t afraid to get ugly or scary
with his designs and that, even at a very young age, stood out
to me. Even now, at the age of twenty-two, I’m still studying his
work with admiration and wonder.

When I started at middle school it was brought to my attention

that people could actually make a living drawing, and it was
all over for me from there! I spent more time drawing than
sleeping, dreaming about getting accepted into any of the
wonderful art schools located in SoCal.

When I got accepted into Art Center I was elated, but I had no
idea what I wanted to do there. It wasn’t until my first character
design assignment that things started really making sense.

Your characters are so dynamic and expressive.

A lot of that seems to come from your use of
curved and straight lines – what part do they
play in your approach?

They play a huge part in my approach – they’re the basis of every

design and character interaction I create! Everything starts
with a strong line of action. Once I figure that out, everything
else falls into place. If a character is going to read as confident
or scared, if they’re sneaky or at ease, it all begins with a curved
or straight line.

The outfit and props (or, as I call them, "the bells and whistles’"
that complete a character are less important than the initial
design. I ask myself, if the character were to be stripped of
all these extra bits and pieces and were left with only their
expression and posture, would you be able to understand what
kind of character they were at first glance? That’s where those
curved and straight lines come in!
Saira Vargas | 37

These pages: Certain

expressions can tell us a
lot about a character’s
personality and attitude

"It wasn’t until my first

character design assignment
that things started really
making sense"
38 | Meet the artist

How do you work so much personality into your animation industry. It wasn’t until my second term when I took Bryan
character designs? What research do you do to Sims' visual development class that everything started to make sense.
make them feel more authentic and original? We had an assignment that required us to design ten variations of a
character and it was like someone switched a light on in my head. It was
The simple answer is that I draw with a mirror nearby and close my the first assignment I completed that didn’t feel like work.
shades to avoid my neighbors seeing the faces I pull when I draw! A lot
of the characters I design are heavily inspired by nature and what I see Our readers are always looking to improve their
around me. I always say the best character designs already exist within own designs. What advice would you give to artists
the natural world. Everything is laid out so perfectly — all I have to do trying to develop their skill set?
is observe. I love watching people and animals. People don’t realize the
little idiosyncrasies they have, but it’s what makes us all so endearing. I’d encourage them to get a firm grip on the fundamentals before really
Animals are even better because they’re never worried anyone is going wild. Study real figures and specimens in order to understand
watching them or what anyone thinks. Authenticity is everywhere, ready what makes them recognizable as people or animals. It’s like eating your
to be stolen and replicated in drawings – you just have to look! vegetables before dessert! I know my style is about as far from realism
as you can get, but in order to push those boundaries I had to know what
Was there a point when you suddenly felt character the boundaries were to begin with.
design clicked for you, or a piece that stands out as
being a turning point? When you’re comfortable with your style, the next step is to simplify,
simplify, simplify! The quicker someone can read your design, the better.
My epiphany regarding character design came to me relatively late in Once you know how a character should fit together, you can start
life. I always loved drawing characters, but I didn’t know there was a omitting superfluous details in order to get a clear, appealing silhouette.
profession with a name attached to it. Less is always more!
I entered art school with a very loose idea of what I wanted to do in the
Saira Vargas | 39
40 | Meet the artist
Saira Vargas | 41

Opposite pages: It’s always fun

to put a twist on characters, for
instance taking a wild animal
and giving him a personality
that contrasts his nature

This page: A quiet, subtle

character interaction can
speak just as loudly as an
explosive, dynamic one

There are so many amazing character designers showcasing

their work on social media — with so much amazing art
freely available how do you ensure you are developing your
own distinct style?

It can be hard. I think of social media as both a blessing and a curse; a curse in the
sense that the overwhelming amount of talent on display can be disheartening at
times, and a blessing because you have the opportunity to learn from all these great
artists, as well. Artists still struggling to find their own style often ask me how I
found mine, but there really isn’t one solid answer. I simply saw what I liked, and
tried to find ways to incorporate it into my work.

If I see something within another artist’s style that I find appealing, I try to figure
out what exactly it is that’s drawing me towards their work, their lineweights, their
shape language, or their color usage, for example. I try to learn from those with
different skills to me. The truth is we are all learning from each other and growing
together — we might be at different stages in our artistic journey but we’re all on
the same path!

Now your formal education has come to an end, what comes

next? How do you plan to stand out from the crowd and find
your first professional position in character design?

Having just recently graduated, it’s my goal to get my foot in the door of the
entertainment industry. What I am told by my peers in the field (and from veterans,
too) is that getting noticed seems to be a combination of luck, timing, and skill.
Obviously, skill is the only one of these three components I can control, so I’ll
continue to work on my portfolio showcasing what I’m good at, and continue to
build on my knowledge. Additionally, being active on social media platforms doesn’t
hurt; it’s a great way to have my work seen by folks far and wide. Keep your fingers
crossed for me, CDQ!
42 | Meet the artist

This pages: It’s a fun challenge designing

characters who are related, finding
ways to make them look similar but
also unique enough to stand out

How often do you find that inspiration and traits I also had an equal amount of love for Rudyard Kipling’s drastically
from real-life interactions can be found in your different original book. It feels almost blasphemous to go against the
character designs, and do you feel it’s important to mind-blowing designs of Milt Kahl, but if Kipling’s characters were in
incorporate such elements? my hands I would take heavier inspiration from their book descriptions
— Shere Khan sporting a lame paw, Kaa being a wise, ancient force to
Of course, there are bits and pieces of my friends, family, and even be reckoned with, Baloo being a philosopher rather than a bumbling jazz
myself within my designs. Sometimes it’s a conscious choice, and hound, and I would include Tabaqui the jackal. There are a lot of different
sometimes it isn’t! Regardless, it’s important for me to feel a deeper ways to explore these characters in opposition to the interpretations
than surface level connection with the characters I make — after all, we’ve come to accept as classic. I think it would be a lot of fun!
if you can’t connect with your own characters, or find some aspect of
them that is familiar, then how can you expect your audience to? This Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us,
familiarity can be positive or negative, but it should be something that Saira. We’ve loved looking at your work and wish you
rings true, even vaguely. the best luck in your career.

And finally, if you could travel through time and Thank you for giving me the opportunity to showcase my work and
work on any animation, which one would it be, and talk about what I’m truly passionate about! CDQ is always a source of
why? How would your designs differ from those in inspiration and insight — it’s been a privilege speaking to you guys! I
the movie? can’t wait to dive into the industry and hopefully be part of a group of
people just as enthusiastic about storytelling and design as I am.
It’s a really hard choice, but I think I’d have to go with Disney’s The
Jungle Book, from 1967. I loved that movie so much growing up, but
Saira Vargas | 43

"I can’t wait to dive into the industry

and hopefully be part of a group of
people just as enthusiastic about
storytelling and design as I am"

This pages: Having two characters

with contrasting personalities
interact is always a fun opportunity
to exaggerate their differences
TRUST AND FEAR
FELIPE RODRIGUEZ
To explore the emotions of characters, you must first understand
the shapes the design is composed of and modify and break
them according to the intensity of the feeling. In animation,
each character plays a specific role, so each must have their own
way of expressing themselves – your main character’s fears may
be different than your villain’s. The tone of each emotion is also
important – feeling trusted and arrogant can be different from
feeling trusted and relaxed.

RECOGNIZE
THE MAIN SHAPES
Start by analyzing the shapes that make up your
design in its simplest form and combine them
according to expression. If you have triangles
and circles as your main shapes, use them
repeatedly in both facial and body expressions.
Felipe Rodriguez | 45

THINK ABOUT
THE SITUATION
To recognize the different tones of an emotion,
imagine the situation and the moment of
reaction. Your character’s expression of fear may
be different when they are anxious something
bad might happen, from when that bad thing is
actually happening!

LEARN
FROM FILM
One of the main resources for
understanding how characters
act is cinema. Look for actors
and actresses that relate to the
personality of your character
and extract from them ways to
express emotions. Film language
can also help you understand
how to place your character in
front of the camera.

All images © Felipe Rodriguez

46 | Expressing emotions:
Emotions: trust
Trust and fear
Fear

PUSHING
SHAPES
Push the shapes in your design
according to the direction of their
reaction. Contract and stretch the
shapes individually – this will allow you
to concentrate the emotion at different
points on their face or body.
Felipe Rodriguez | 47

EMOTION
THROUGH
MOVEMENT
Understand how emotion would
affect your character’s behaviour and
movements. Even the way they walk
can tell the audience a lot about how a
character feels.

THINK
SIMPLE
Start with simple shapes that
express the emotion you want
your character to feel. Once you
have this essence of the emotion
in place, then add layers of
complexity. It can be useful to
make miniature drawings very
quickly to find the emotion
that’s right.
48 | Expressing emotions:
Emotions: trust
Trust and fear
Fear

COMBINING
EMOTIONS
Blend several emotions together to
find new ways for characters to express
themselves. Tilting the head and shoulders
can add different tones to emotions.
Felipe Rodriguez | 49

ENJOY IT!
Put yourself in the role of your
character – if you want them
to laugh, then you should try
laughing, too! Acting out the
emotions will help you get
closer to the character and
will make the whole process
more enjoyable.

SHAPES, SHAPES
AND MORE SHAPES
When your character needs to react with a more
extreme emotion you can reiterate shapes in the
design to exaggerate their expressions. Don’t
forget, your character is part of a story and the
shapes that are part of their design represent their
unique role and help them stand out.
ARCHINA LAEZZA
As a children’s illustrator, I focus on creating characters that are appealing
and fun for kids and trying to give them as much life as I can. Let me show
you how to create a character from a simple two-word brief in a quick and
effective way. I’m using Procreate on my iPad — let’s begin!

BRAINSTORMING BEGINNINGS
The first step is take your brief and write down everything that everything, I mean everything, even things that seem trivial or
comes to mind. Writing out your thoughts will help to organize off topic! Write it all down so you can free those ideas from your
your ideas and give a clearer mental image of your characters mind and move on to more original thoughts.
even before you start to sketch. And when I say write down
Archina Laezza | 51

PICK A CAR, ANY CAR

Even if you have a clear idea of what your character
is going to look like, sketch different options just to
make sure you explore all possibilities. Often, I’ve
found myself choosing a design that was in no way
similar to what I had originally imagined! Play around
with different shapes and start noticing which sketch
appeals to you the most, and what is most fitting for
the brief.

“OFTEN, I’VE FOUND

MYSELF CHOOSING
A DESIGN THAT
WAS IN NO WAY
SIMILAR TO WHAT
I HAD ORIGINALLY
IMAGINED!”

PLAYING WITH POSES

Choose one of the sketches and redraw it in different
poses and with different expressions. This helps you
understand whether or not the character will work
from different angles. It will also help you make it
more dynamic and expressive. "Dynamicity" is a crucial
element of any character design, especially so when
designing for children.

All images © Archina Laezza

52 | Characterize this: villainous vehicle

CHOOSE A PAINT JOB

When choosing the colors, create at least three
thumbnails with different color palettes and
compare them to see which one works best.
Choose one dominant color for each palette,
one dark color, one light color, and a color that
contrasts with the dominant one. Be careful not
to use too many colors during this phase and don’t
get lost in the details — the thumbnails need to be
useful, not pretty!

KEEPING IT WHEEL
With a color palette chosen, we can now lay
down the flat colors accurately, and start
to add textures and shadows to give the
character dimension.
Archina Laezza | 53

A CAR IS BORN
All that’s left to do is bring the character to life! process and incorporate the best keywords into
Have fun with this last step, adding quirky details your design. And there we have it — in no time
and captivating lights and shadows. Look back at all, we’ve taken a simple, two-word brief, and
at the notes you wrote at the start of the design created a brand-new character from scratch!
JOHANNA FORSTER
My most popular characters are probably the initial sketch, imagine the character’s
my Grunlings – cute, anthropomorphic fruit body parts as being soft and flexible beans!
and vegetable characters. They are spirits of Depending on the tension of a pose, they will
nature and a great help in the garden if you lean in specific directions. By looking at some
befriend them! opposing emotions, we can see how playing
with body parts can lead to strikingly different
To create your own expressive yet minimalistic results. I’ll sketch out six characters with
characters like these, you need to break different characteristics, and then refine the
down the body language of an emotion to designs into line drawings.
its essential components. When working on

SILLY CHAMPIGNON,
SERIOUS SHIITAKE
For a playful pose push the character’s chest
forward confidently and throw their arms and legs
in different directions. Their body language should
be very open. In contrast, a serious pose will need a
straighter design, with body parts stiff and directed
towards the center of the body.

CLEANING UP
THE FRUIT AND VEG
Now we have the basic postures we’re happy with,
we can add additional layers of detail for a cleaner
line drawing. At this stage, decide which details
from the sketch to keep and further accentuate
the shape of the characters.
Johanna Forster | 55

SHY STRAWBERRY,
BRASH BLUEBERRY
A self-confident body stretches outwards, with
face and torso pushed forward and open to the
world. To show a shy posture have your character
hide his torso, pulling his arms, head or both
inwards towards their center.

“START BY DEPICTING THE

FACIAL EXPRESSION YOU’RE
AFTER IN DETAIL, AND THEN
REDUCE DETAIL AND REMOVE AS
MANY ELEMENTS AS YOU CAN”

MINIMALIZING
EMOTIONS
For minimalistic facial expressions, experiment
with possible options on a separate layer. Start
by depicting the facial expression you’re after in
detail, and then reduce detail and remove as many
elements as you can while still conveying the
desired emotion.

All images © Johanna Forster

56 | Fruit… with feelings!

LOOSE LIME AND

TENSE LEMON
Despite being very different emotions, relaxed
and tense poses can be quite similar – the
difference is in how we choose to draw the lines.
For the relaxed figure use flowing, smooth lines,
and for the tense character go with sharper
angles and a more defensive position.

CUTE FRUIT
For an extra cute facial expression try
moving your character’s mouth close to
their eyes, and put more weight on the
corners of the mouth. Reusing the bean
shape from earlier for the eyebrows will
also help!

STAY LOOSE
It’s important to avoid adding detail to
your drawing for as long as possible,
trying out several quick bean poses and
facial expressions until you are happy the
basic design captures the emotion you’re
going for. It helps to use a big, soft brush
for the early iterations and only switch to
a hard, ink-like brush for the final drawing.
Johanna Forster | 57

EXPRESSING
EMOTION IN
HUMANS
The bean sketching technique I’ve
used in this tutorial is best suited to
minimalistic, chubby characters (like
my fruit and veggies!) but it can also
work with human proportions – just
integrate a more detailed shape for
the head and draw the limbs bigger.
Sandro Cleuzo is an incredibly talented Brazilian
animator and designer who has been working in
the industry since 1985. His work has taken him
all around the world, creating characters and
animation for all of the big animation studios.
We sat down with Sandro to find out how he got
started in the industry, what his favorite projects
have been, and what has changed and stayed the
same throughout his long and illustrious career.

All images © Sandro Cleuzo

60 | Meet the artist

Hi Sandro, thanks so much for This page: Two Ladies and a Cowboy
taking the time to talk to us.
Could you tell us a little about Opposite page: Small Feet Joe
yourself and what you do?

I’m a character designer and animator, and

I’ve been working in the industry for 35
years. I started my career at a very young
age, back in 1985, when I was hired at one of
the most important animation studios in my
hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil – I was 15 years
old. The studio produced hand-animated TV
commercials and was an amazing place to learn
my craft. After four years there I was hired at
Don Bluth Studios in Dublin, Ireland, working
on animated feature films, which had always
been my long-term goal. In 1997 I fulfilled
a lifelong dream by moving to Walt Disney
Feature Animation and began contributing to
the rich legacy of animated Disney features.
Today, I work as a freelancer for many studios,
as either an animator or character designer. I’ve
worked for Disney, Bluth, Sony, Laika, Warner
Brothers, Paramount, and many others. early and, with time to spare, pulled out my a stack of paper from her desk and started
pencils and started to draw as I waited for the flipping through the pages – on each page a
What first interested you about rest of the class to finish. My teacher saw what character was posed slightly differently and, as
character design and why did you I was doing and asked if she could borrow the the pages flashed passed my eyes, the drawing
decide to follow that career path? books I’d finished so far. I excitedly agreed, but came to life. Right then and there I knew this
didn’t ask why she would want them – only later was what I wanted to do – the animation bug
I’ve always loved to draw, since I was very did I realize she had sent them to the biggest had bitten me!
young. My parents told me that as a small child and most famous comic-book studio in Brazil,
I would ask my aunts and cousins to pose for Mauricio De Sousa! De Sousa created the most When I returned to my desk at the comic-book
me! I would draw all sorts of things around popular comic-book characters in Brazil, many studio, the supervisor called me into the office.
the house, like furniture and appliances. I also of which are still popular today. They liked my She had heard that I had visited the animation
loved watching animated cartoons. We had a comics and offered me an internship there. department and wanted to work there, so she
channel in the early 80s that showed all kinds I was only 14 years old and would go to the fired me on the spot! She was so mad that I
of cartoons from Japan, America, and Europe, studio every day after school. wanted to switch to animation. I was surprised
so I was so exposed to many different styles how badly she reacted and felt devastated
from a young age. I used to watch the shows The switch from comics to animation for being kicked out – I felt like I had let my
with paper and pencil in hand and would copy happened by chance. While on my internship parents and teachers down. Little did I know it
the characters, trying to learn how to draw at the comic-book studio, I met a lady who was the best thing that could have happened
each of them. was an animator for the same company – to me. I found the perfect job at one of the
their animation department was in a separate most prestigious animation studios at the time,
At that time I had no idea I would be able to building, so I had no idea they even existed. I Briquet Films, and there I began to really learn
work in animation, nor that there were studios showed some interest and so she took me to my craft. Without leaving the comic-book
producing shows right there in São Paulo. visit their studio and the whole experience studio, I may never have had the chance to
However, I knew there were comic books was magical. It was the first time I saw the work there, so everything turned out for the
published locally, so I started drawing my own. equipment that animators used and how their best in the end!
One day at school, I finished a geography test desks were different. I remember, she grabbed
Sandro Cleuzo | 61
62 || Meet
Meet the
the artist
artist

You have worked in this

industry for a while. How has
the industry changed since
you started your career?

To be honest, it has changed quite a

lot. When I started in the mid 80s,
we produced all our work by hand, no
computers at all. All the animation was
done on paper and transferred to acetate
cels, painted by hand and then shot on
camera with film. When I moved to Don
Bluth Studios and worked on feature films,
we were still using the acetate to paint the
artwork and were still shooting on film, but
we were starting to add some computer
backgrounds here and there. This was the
early 90s and computer animation was still
very primitive at the time – any complex
backgrounds were painted traditionally on
paper with acrylic paint.

Back then, we’d also have a traditional,

physical portfolio, usually black leather
bound, where we kept our best work.
When we were applying for positions,
we would physically ship the portfolio to
the studios and were forever afraid of it
getting lost in transit! These days, artists
have their work online and some are even
hired on the strength of their work posted
on Instagram or Facebook.

Another major difference is that

nowadays you can basically create your
own animation project from home, with
a computer, a digital tablet, and a few
programs. When I started it was simply
impossible to do it all by yourself.

As much as the technology has changed,

the creative challenges are still very
similar. We are still drawing characters
on paper or digitally, and when animating
them we are still thinking about the acting
and storytelling in the same ways.

This spread: The Visit

Sandro Cleuzo | 63
64 | Meet
Meet the artist
Sandro Cleuzo | 65

Besides Disney, what are the other and I approached the project the same way I
notable studios you’ve worked always have. I would be issued a shot and would
with, and have you noticed a talk with the animation director to understand
difference between how they what the scene was about and what specifically
operate? they were looking for. Next, I listened to the
soundtrack and started planning the animation
I’ve also worked for Laika, Sony, Paramount, by doing some small thumbnails. When I had
Dreamworks, and Warner Brothers. Each something I thought worked, I started doing
studio has its own culture and way of doing the actual animation drawings. I would do the
things, but it doesn’t really change the way main key drawings in rough and do a pencil test
I work – I’m still drawing or animating, and to show the director and get their feedback.
I approach it in the same way. I also love to With their approval, I would then do a second
change styles, and working for various studios pass where I brought the drawings on-model,
allows me to do that. adding all the final details, and then do a new
test and get approval again before moving on
What is your process when to the next shot. A shot with all four penguins
working on an animated sequence in would take a couple of weeks to do.
for a movie – the penguins in Mary
Poppins Returns for example? Opposite page: A character for a personal
project in the style of Indiana Jones
On Mary Poppins Returns I was an animator only.
We did it all on paper, the way we used to do it, This page: Grandma
66 | Meet the artist

This spread:
Don Quixote
Sandro Cleuzo | 67

What do you consider to be the who the character is you are drawing, and
most important elements of what their motivation is. Knowing where and
character design and bringing how the character fits into the story makes
characters to life? all the difference and will lead to much
more interesting designs. It’s the same with
For me, the key element is personality. You animation. It’s easy to move a character around
can have a fancy drawing with lots of detail, the screen, but it’s very difficult to make a
but you look at it and feel nothing because character actually move the audience – for
there’s no personality. You need to consider that, you need to inject personality.
68 | Meet the artist

What are the independent If you could go back and give your What new projects should we look
challenges you face as someone younger self a piece of advice, out for in 2021?
who has seen the industry develop what would it be? Was there a
as much as it has since you first project you wish you had taken, Make sure to look out for Warner Brothers’
started your career? or something you wish you had Space Jam: A New Legacy and a beautiful
done sooner rather than later? Brazilian animated film called Perlimps, from
For me, the challenge is always the technology the director of Boy and the World. The latter is a
– there’s always something new to learn. Also, If I could, I would force my younger self to make very artistic work and a totally different design
competition is at an all-time high and you need his own animated short film. It’s something I style than mine, but as I said before, I love to
to make yourself seen, especially if you’re miss and I would still like to do and get it out of change styles when I can.
a freelancer. You have to be engaged with my system. As for a project I wish I had taken,
all the social-media platforms, posting your I would say Disney’s Zootopia. I was offered a
work constantly which, for me, is not easy. role as part of the design team, but I couldn’t This page:
Animation work also tends to be on a project- take it at the time. That film is absolutely the The Meeting
to-project basis these days, so you constantly style that I love to work with.
need to be thinking about where you’re going Opposite page:
to work next. A new friend
Sandro Cleuzo | 69
ISAAC JADRAQUE
In this article I will explain the process I have followed designing a
character from the following prompts: hair and moon. From the start, I
looked for inspiration from classic characters, such as the werewolf, and
in stories associated with the mysticism of the moon. All the work was
completed digitally, specifically in Photoshop and Procreate. Join me on
this short, but intense, journey.

IDEAS,
COME TO ME!
To start it’s good to draw or
write what ideas, concepts,
and associations come to
mind. I liked the idea of a beard
“coming to life,” so I needed to
draw a character with a very
long beard, to give me room
to play with this concept.

LET IT BREATHE
When you get stuck with an idea
or design, stop looking at it for a
while. Get up, go for a walk, have
a drink, or even save it for the
next day if you have time!
Isaac Jadraque | 71

WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO SAY?
Look for the pose that best tells the story
or situation of the character at a particular
moment. Pay attention to making sure the
silhouette is clear and readable.

FIND YOUR
WORKFLOW
CHOOSE A PATH Not all designers follow the same
steps, or in the same order. Find a
AND WALK IT workflow that combines creativity
Once you have a rough idea of the type of and efficiency, and suits you.
character you want to draw, try making a few
different versions. The more varied in shape,
size, and proportions, the better!

All images © Isaac Jadraque

72 | Characterize this: Moon, Hair

GETTING
TO KNOW YOU
Even if you aren’t going to animate
your character, I recommend you
draw a front and profile view, to get a
general idea of the volume. You don’t
need to do a full turnaround, these
two angles should suffice.

DON’T GET HUNG

UP ON COLOR
There are great designers who rarely
put color in their designs (e.g. Carter
Goodrich). In character design,
although color can sometimes be key to
a brief, it is more important to focus on
the rhythm, silhouette, and emotions
of the character.

WHAT’S
YOUR STORY?
Whenever you can, try to add more detail
to the character’s backstory. I wanted to
do some scenes and expressions that
would show what it would be like to fight
with your own beard. I think this could
lead to some funny situations!
Isaac Jadraque | 73

A HAIR-RAISING FINALE
For the final design I usually try for a fairly organic look, halfway
between sketch and a highly polished finish. I add some textures
and backlighting, and the Hipster Monster takes flight!
Margana | 75

REIMAGINING MOTHER NATURE

MARGANA (AKA MARTA GARCIÁ NAVARRO)
Being able to re-imagine characters is one of my favorite things about being an illustrator. When you hear a story
or read a book, your mind can’t help but imagine how the characters might look. That’s the magic of reimagining
a character – even though there may be many drawings or interpretations of Red Riding Hood, for example, you
can always change whatever you dislike and redesign the character as your imagination desires. In this tutorial,
I’m designing a new take on Mother Nature, and I inevitably have Moana’s goddess Te Fiti in mind. But I start
thinking about my own design. Mother Nature has always been there, right? She must be old…

The same,
This page: Warm up with quick sketches
that are little more than shapes

but different
When I design a character that
is not originally mine, I always
do some research on the various
interpretations of them already
covered. For example, take Hansel
and Gretel – you can think of the
innocent little siblings or the older
witch-hunter movie version of them.
We’re doing the same with Mother
Nature. As I said, I have Te Fiti in
mind, but we want our character
to stand out and be different from
other designs. With that in mind, I
try sketching different basic shapes,
from rectangles to circles, from tall
to short. I don’t waste time with
details at this stage and just draw
quick, rough sketches of the idea
and let my mind wander.

Final image © Marta Garciá Navarro

76 | Reimagining mother nature

An idea
takes shape
When you’re creating a character, you
have to be open to extreme shapes. Try
the silhouette technique, which involves
drawing random opaque forms to use as
the character’s outline. This practice
allows you to expand your possibilities
when looking for the perfect design –
it’s an easy and very popular technique
used by many illustrators and character
designers. I always start with basic
shapes (as shown in step one), but now
I try to add a little more detail to them,
defining limbs and hairstyles. Don’t
be afraid of extremes with these early
sketches; try drawing unproportioned
shapes and experiment with various
sizes of the character.

This page: Using the

silhouette technique
to find successful
shapes, and then
adding more definition
to the sketches
Margana | 77

Unearthing
Mother Nature
Now that I’ve drawn several sketches and
silhouette ideas for the character,
I choose one or two I like best and
create thumbnails based on them.
At this stage, it’s fine to draw
different poses and add props, for
example a walking stick, but I still
need to keep things simple. Do I
want Mother Nature to be big
or small, tall or short? Does
she have wings, or wear a
kimono? I want to create a
unique and original take on
the character, so I need to take
all the preconceptions of Mother
Nature and flip them on their
head to make her stand out
from other designs. I decide
that I want her to look like a
wise old grandma.

This page: Drawing

thumbnails and settling
on a general design idea

That certain something

“Appeal” is that essential something that every character must have. all combine to make her appealing. For this step, it’s important to use
I don’t mean “pretty,” but interesting to look at. Think of The Little references. If you find yourself having trouble drawing an expression,
Mermaid’s villain, Ursula. She’s not conventionally attractive, but she for example, do some research and base your drawing on a reference
has that special something that makes her an interesting character from photo or picture. And don’t worry, it’s not cheating! In my opinion,
a designer’s point of view. Her curves, pointy hair, colors, and tentacles looking is the best way to learn when drawing.
78 | Reimagining mother nature

Express yourself!
Now I want to capture the expressions
that come to mind when I think about
my character. Having a background story
in mind is useful when trying to make
them look more believable. This is a very
important part of the process, because
choosing an expression for a character
determines their personality and shows
part of their story. In this instance, I have
no story or description to work from, no
brief from an agency or studio describing
how I need to reimagine Mother Nature,
so it’s up to me to decide if I make her
good or bad… It all depends on the story
you have in your head! At this stage, I
usually draw four different expressions
from different angles.

Hair-raising ideas
Hairstyle could be considered a small
detail, but actually it can say a lot about
a character. A Mohawk could imply the
character is a punk or a biker for example.
Even if I have a specific hairstyle in mind,
I like to draw several and compare them
on the canvas. I want Mother Nature to
have wild, long, white hair, so that’s the
first hairstyle I draw. But then I draw a
second and third and I like them better
– it’s always good to get out of your
comfort zone, you never know what you
might discover!

This page (top): Expressions start

to bring the character to life

This page (bottom): Different hairstyles

can change the whole look of a character
Margana | 79

Strike a pose
Like hairstyles, the pose is a key aspect of a
character’s personality. If you want a character
to look shy, you can’t draw them jumping with
their arms and limbs wide open. The pose has to
be in keeping with the character’s personality
and what you want to show about it. Of course,
a character’s personality can change throughout
their narrative, and it’s up to you to decide what
particular moment you want to show. My Mother
Nature is calm, patient, and slow, so I try drawing
her in both standing and seated positions to reflect
those characteristics.

Dressing for the occasion

Clothing can convey a lot about a character’s
personality and the story you’re trying to tell.
Maybe a character is forced to wear a dress for a
special occasion, even though she hates wearing
dresses, for example. When choosing an outfit, I
start by drawing a simple design and then gradually
start adding details. I want my Mother Nature to
wear a dress, so I draw basic lines with different
lengths, and then add various details to see which
look better on her. I try long sleeves, a sash, flowers
all over, and different patterns.

This page (top):

Choosing poses to
define the character’s
personality

This page (bottom):

Clothing can be a
defining part of a
character’s identity
80 | Reimagining mother nature

It’s all in the details

Now for my favorite step in the process – adding details! This is where we
really start to make the character look unique. I always start with the face,
because there is a lot of information there. At this stage, the character
is almost complete. All the basic information is already there, the details
are what can add that “special” touch. Remember the “appeal” I spoke of
earlier? Here’s where we get to make it happen. I draw a lot of wrinkles
to make my Mother Nature look elderly and to give the audience more
visual information about her. But I don’t just want to stick to the face, I
add detail to the body, clothing, hair…. I also want an antler to come out
of her head, as though she is part stag. This way, although she looks like
a woman, her gender will be more ambiguous.

A flying companion
Props and pets are very useful when designing a character, because,
again, they can say a lot about the character’s personality and story.
Props are often grouped in with the other “details” of a character,
whereas pets would be considered separately, as they are living
characters with their own personalities. This doesn’t mean the animals
need to be humanized (like in Disney’s Robin Hood), they are more like
the doves that perch on the gargoyle Laverne in The Hunchback of Notre
Dame – they don’t talk, they just complement the actions of the main
character. I want my Mother Nature to always be accompanied by a bird
that sits on her antler.
Margana | 81

Opposite page (left):

Have fun adding
the details – this is
where the character
really comes to life

Opposite page
(right): Adding a
pet bird enriches
the Mother Nature
character further

This page: Tracing

over the sketch
helps to define the
character’s lines ready
to start coloring

Stepping out of line

Lines are the most basic shape to use when
drawing – however, sometimes illustrators
decide to do without them. In my case, a few
years ago I decided I wanted to get rid of lines
in my final artwork to make them look cleaner.
Experiment with both, but the choice is yours!
Keeping the first lines of an illustration in the
final piece makes it look sketchy, but that
isn’t wrong, it’s just a different look that many
artists use. If you want a piece to look more
“finished” you can trace the sketch with clean
lines, and maybe color them. Sometimes I use
the “selective lines” technique, and only leave
the lines I think the illustration needs.
82 | Reimagining mother nature

More than just color

Colors have meanings. We identify the villain of a
movie because their color palette tends to be dark and
cool – purples, deep reds, and blacks. On the contrary,
the heroine is presented in bright pastel colors like red,
white, pink, or light blue – think of The Avengers. So,
when choosing the colors for Mother Nature, I need to
consider what they will represent. I want to keep her
neutral, so I choose grays and a low-saturated green. If
I wanted her to be a loner, I’d choose a blue palette, or
if she had a temper I’d go for reds. Of course, you don’t
have to follow these rules, and breaking them can be
rewarding – Batman wearing all black and his nemesis
Joker’s bright suits neatly inverts the stereotype, for
instance. However, changing something established
can lead to confusion, so if you are going to go against
type, make sure you have a strong reason to do so.

One color, one layer

When coloring a drawing, always separate each part of
the illustration into different layers. When coloring a
person, color the hair on one layer, the skin on another,
the clothes on a third, and so on. When coloring pets,
color them entirely in their base color and then add
details using a clipping mask. For example, if I’m
drawing a Dalmatian, first I color its silhouette in white
and then create a clipping mask to add black spots
over its body.
Margana | 83

Adding depth Opposite page:

Now we need to focus on shadows. Shadows make Choosing a basic
our characters pop out from the page, thanks to the color palette for
volume they provide. In my drawings, shadows are Mother Nature
essential as they separate the parts of my lineless
characters. Lighting and shadow give information This page (top):
about the environment, too. For example, if I use a With depth added
pink light and a purple shadow on my character, you via shadows, Mother
might think she is close to some magical place at night. Nature starts to
The hardness of the shadow can also tell us something come to life
about the setting – making it more dramatic if the
shadow is almost opaque, or making things seem This page (bottom):
calmer and friendlier if the shadow is less noticeable. Secondary lighting
gives further volume
to the character

Light in the darkness

Lighting and shadows are always connected, but
that doesn’t mean you have to see them both on an
illustration. I find lighting more important because
without light, there would be no shadows, but I don’t
always capture light in my illustrations, whereas
shadows are fundamental. Light is always present in a
drawing, even if you don’t actually draw it – shadows
suggest light where they are not. However, we can
add a secondary light – a supporting light that, like
shadows, makes the character pop from the page.
84 | Reimagining mother nature

Eye Position
The position of the eyes can change a character completely. I
always draw them on a different layer and put them in various
positions to see which suits best. When I draw kids, I tend to
place the eyes further apart than I will with an adult. If you
try moving them around you will quickly see how different a
character can look. This tip also works when deciding how big
the eyes should be.

A new dawn
Mother Nature is colored and the lighting and shadows are
placed correctly, so all that’s left is to add the finishing touches.
Ideally, these are what give the illustration a 3D effect. I use
different brushes to create textures, adding gleams on the
eyes and the top of the nose. I also like to add redness on the
character’s shoulders, elbows, and cheeks to make their skin
look more natural and realistic, and not so balanced. This can
make a character look cuter as well, especially when they are
babies. And with that, Mother Nature is finished!

This page: The

finished character
with final touches to
give her a 3D look

Opposite page: The

finished character with a
simple background added

Final image © Marta Garciá Navarro

Margana | 85
LYNN CHEN
The use of light is invaluable when telling a story in your
designs. It’s important to know how to design lighting Spine
scenarios and use color temperature, pushing warm and direction
cool light to enhance the overall mood of your image. (action
I will show you how to set up simplified lighting structures line)
with key light, ambient light, and bounce light, to help
you start sculpting forms. I’ve used Photoshop, but the
same techniques can be applied to any software.

Connections
INSIDE/
OUTSIDE Joints/
When creating illustrations, a solid base Skeleton
for your design goes a long way, so it’s
necessary to learn and analyze your
subject’s anatomical structure first. Even
stylized characters benefit from this – it
helps the design look more believable,
especially if the character needs to be
animated. One of the easiest ways to
achieve this is to use the “inside/outside”
method. To do this, you need to simplify
the “inside” by imagining the skeleton
within the body and locating the spine –
this is your “line of action.” Then sketch
the “outside” forms to create dynamic
gestures. Once you have established this
basis you can refine the sketch, but at this
stage still keep it loose. BLOCK IN SHAPES
In this image, I use neutral colors to block in the
shapes, with each color on its own layer. I add in
Spine
some details and secondary characters to create
a story and make the image more interesting.
Remember, when choosing to add details,
that they should complement the main
character and not be too distracting.
Keep flipping the canvas back and forth
to check the balance of your design.

All images © Lynn Chen

Lynn Chen | 87

Light Intensity
Key Light - Sun
LIGHTING
PLANNING Fill Light - Sky (Cool)
Before you start painting, it’s a good idea to plan out
your lighting setup. Break down each light source
and assign them a warm or cool color. For example, in
this particular design the sunlight and bounce light are
warm and the fill light is cool. Try designing lighting with
different temperatures coming from opposite directions
– this will create volume and make the image appear
three-dimensional. There are other things to consider, such
as overcast lighting where the colors are mostly neutral, but
even then you can paint in subtle color variations so that the
colors appear rich rather than plain gray.

Bounce Light
(Warm)

Light Intensity

Fill Light - Sky (Cool)

Rim Light "TRY DESIGNING
- Moon
LIGHTING WITH
DIFFERENT
TEMPERATURES COMING
Key Light - FROM OPPOSITE
Campfire (Warm)
DIRECTIONS - THIS
WILL CREATE VOLUME
AND MAKE THE IMAGE
APPEAR THREE-
DIMENSIONAL"

COLOR PROOFING
Painting light directly, without referring to a black-and-white thumbnail, “color proofing” within Photoshop. Go to Menu > View > Proof Setup >
can be difficult, as the values (light and dark) can get lost during the Custom. Then, under “Device to Simulate,” choose “Gray” and click OK.
painting process. To avoid this, it’s crucial to use grayscale mode to Now you can toggle between normal and grayscale color proofing by
check your values throughout the process. This can be easily done by pressing CMD or CTRL + Y.
88 | Lighten up!

SCULPTING WITH LIGHT

Building on the base colors, start painting in one light at a time. The the appearance of being lit from above. Then move on to the secondary
blue light comes from the sky, so all the surfaces facing upward will be light source, and so on. This way, we can focus on the forms and have fun
affected by this light. To achieve this affect you can shift the local color “sculpting” the character.
toward a brighter, cooler color and apply it on all these surfaces, giving
Lynn Chen | 89

STAY BALANCED
When it comes to adding a background to your image, be aware
of maintaining good contrast between busy and less-detailed
areas. In this case I have blurred the background so the eye
is drawn to the character. Try to avoid having very detailed
backgrounds, as your character may get lost in the scene.
Adding some simple details, such as a blade of grass peeking
out from behind a log, will help establish the environment
without going overboard.
90 | Lighten up!

PUSH COLOR
TEMPERATURE
When selecting colors to represent warm and cool light, color shift, the light will look consistent across the image.
try using a LAB color picker instead of HSB. Visually, it In Photoshop, the panel shown appears when you select the
is a more straightforward way of selecting warmer and foreground color – I also have a shortcut set up for this panel for
cooler colors. As long as each color has a similar amount of easy access when painting. Give it a try!

Cool Warm

Bright
Brighter Brighter
Cooler Warmer

Choose "a" in LAB

color panel
LAB COLOR:
Lightness, A-axis
(green to red), and Darker Darker
HSB COLOR: Cooler Warmer
B-axis (blue to yellow) Hue, Saturation,
Dark
and Brightness

Local Color Warm Light

Brighter Warmer
Lynn Chen | 91

NIGHT TIME
I can now create a “night time”
version of the image. It can be useful
to experiment with light plans when
you are undecided on color variations
for your final design. In order to
make this “night time” version, we
need to adjust the base color and
paint in ambient shadows, with a cool
skylight contrasting the warm “day
time” version. The warmth within
this design instead comes from the
campfire. Compared to the sunlight,
the campfire has a smaller cast, and
therefore the light diminishes as the
forms get further away from the light
source. To increase this effect, make
sure the areas closest to the light are
brighter than those further away.
All images © Meike Schneider
Meike Schneider is no stranger to the pages of CDQ, having
provided a fantastic tutorial in our last issue. A popular and prolific
presence on Instagram, Meike’s iconic character designs have been
featured in children’s books and even a fashion line. We caught
up with Meike to discuss her unusual introduction to the industry,
the pros and cons of social media, and much more!
94 | Meet the artist

“I HAVE BASICALLY BEEN DRAWING SINCE

I COULD HOLD A PENCIL IN MY HAND”

Hi Meike! It’s great to be able to heavily influenced by my favorite childhood TV people’s concepts and designs – I wanted to
interview you for CDQ. Could you shows, games, and movies. I still remember the design my own characters and worlds, using
introduce yourself to the readers day I watched the making of Disney’s Tarzan my own ideas and imagination to create
and tell us a bit about your career on TV, seeing how Glen Keane animated the something that didn’t exist.
to date? iconic character.
I started learning digital painting and began to
Hello, thanks for inviting me! I’m a 3D artist, That was the first time I realized that being an develop my 2D skills. I spent all my weekends
character designer, and illustrator based in animator is an actual job! From that moment and free time after work improving, and
Cologne, Germany. I mainly work in animation, on, I knew it was what I wanted to do. However, eventually I got my first few jobs in visual
design, and publishing, on projects such as as time went by and the industry moved on, development and character design. Those
children’s books, character designs, product hand-drawn animation was mainly replaced jobs then led to other opportunities, and I
packaging designs, and sometimes even in with CG animated movies, so I adjusted my was eventually able to quit my full-time job to
fashion design. childhood plans slightly and wanted to become focus on my freelance work. Today I am still
a 3D modeler. After I graduated and worked working in 3D, and I teach 3D Modeling at a
I have basically been drawing since I could as a 3D Artist for a while, I wanted to do more school, but most of my freelance projects are
hold a pencil in my hand. My early work was than just model characters based on other illustration projects.
Meike Schneider | 95

Opposite page:
I created this piece
for a tutorial that
was published in Art
Fundamentals: Theory
in Practice, a book by
3dtotal Publishing

This page: This is a

redrawn version of a
digital painting from
2019 — I still love this
character design,
but my style has
changed and can see
a few things I would
do differently now
96 | Meet the artist

You have a broad spectrum of

experience, taking on projects
in illustration, look development,
and advertising. How does your
approach to character design
differ from project to project?

My approach always depends on how the

client likes to work, but most of the time I
suggest my way of working and the client
agrees, or prefers a similar approach. Almost
all my designs go through four stages during
the process of creation: draft and layout,
clean-up, color thumbnail and shape blocking,
and the final render.

During the draft/layout stage, I start sketching

various different rough characters, the client
can then mix and match their favorites. After
that, I always create a character sheet with a
front, side, three-quarter and back view —
this is so important and useful for later in the
process, especially when out of your comfort
zone and designing characters that don’t look
like your regular art style. You need to get
used to drawing any new character correctly
from each different angle and staying in
“style.” A character reference sheet helps so
much with this! After that, I usually give the
client different pose variations or camera
perspectives (in case a background is included)
during the layout stage.

Once the design or layout is approved, I usually

start cleaning up the outlines next. I try to be
as accurate as possible to avoid changes later in
the coloring stage. I then block in colors super
roughly with a bold brush. Sometimes, I’ll give
the client several different color variations, as
the scheme can change the atmosphere of the
entire image. Once they pick their favorite,
I start outlining and filling shapes, although
everything is still on separate layers so changes
are easy to make. The last stage would be the
final rendering of the image. Depending on
the project, I skip or repeat certain steps, but
the overall structure always stays the same.
Meike Schneider | 97

Opposite page:
I contributed this
mermaid to Tom
Bancroft’s MerMay
2020 Art Exhibition
at Gallery Nucleus
in Los Angeles

This page: I drew

this mermaid for the
#MerMay challenge
this year, focusing on
simplicity and shape

I’d say the workflow is very similar for each model looked even though I thought I was a easily make changes to the perspective or
different type of project I take, but obviously skilled traditional artist at the time! That was even the base model. It allows the client more
you are always designing a character to suit the when I finally realized how important a basic options for making changes as well, and helps
specific audience. When working for children’s understanding of anatomy is, and that there’s them get a better idea of the shapes and
books I have to keep the age range in mind. still so much to learn — especially when it perspectives I’m working with. And best of all
Children’s book characters are mostly very comes to characters in motion. How muscles — changes are super easy! For example, if I’m
stylized and colorful, while a character for move in certain postures is crucial for being at the layout stage of a project, I can use my
package design needs to be simple in terms of a good character designer. Most traditional 3D blocking to give the client some different
shapes and details, and instantly recognizable. artists gain this knowledge from life-drawing options for camera angles. Without a 3D
classes, but I learned most of these skills from model it would take me much longer to get
It’s rare that we come across a 3D modeling and using references. In 2D you the perspective right and make the image look
character designer that is also can sometimes hide things, as the viewer only visually appealing with clean outlines. Some of
a skilled 3D artist. How does the sees characters from a certain angle. However, my clients aren’t artists, so it’s much harder
one skillset help the other, and do in 3D every little detail needs to be perfect, as for them to imagine how the sketch could look
you have a preference? you will usually need to be able to show your once it’s fully rendered with proper outlines.
model from every angle.
Yes, common wisdom is to pick one particular It’s also very convenient to use the 3D image as
skillset and be really good at it, rather than Even though I work mainly in 2D these days a reference and just draw over it. Some might
being okay at multiple. However, learning on the freelance side, I still use 3D as an aid think this is cheating, but I think it’s smart and
3D Animation as a student helped me a lot when creating 2D projects. For instance, saves plenty of time too! This technique also
to improve my illustration and character when working with a publisher for a children’s helped me to understand light. You can set
design skills. I’d also say my art skills and style book, it’s very convenient to create a simple lights in 3D and use this as a reference for
improved the most during and right after maquette for a character design, so you have accuracy — the more you use it, the more you
my 3D Animation studies. I still remember a clear reference sheet from all angles. I also understand how light behaves in 3D space.
how creepy my first cartoon character like creating very simple blockings in 3D to
98 | Meet the artist

I wanted to ask you about your like that, I love sitting on my sofa and flicking Today, it probably comes naturally – well,
amazing workspace. I’ve honestly through art books by people who inspire me — perhaps just more easily rather than naturally!
never seen such an organized and my motivation always comes rushing back. When I started with digital drawing, I tried
calm looking studio. How does to learn one thing at a time. I think that’s a
that impact your working day and As I came to digital drawing later in life, I’ve very efficient way to learn as it staves off any
help you as a character designer? managed to gather a whole load of traditional frustration. All these fundamentals can feel
art supplies. A few years ago, I purchased an overwhelming for a beginner, I found it much
I’m a very organized person and I simply can’t incredible, huge storage-solution cupboard, easier to split disciplines into smaller portions
function when my workspace looks messy with which really helped me organize my studio. and focus on one thing at a time until I felt
things all over the place! My art studio is the It’s called the Dreambox by Create Room and confident in what I was doing.
room I spend most of my time in, so I want it is an absolute dream for people who love
it to feel cozy and inviting. I feel much more to be organized. I’m so glad I can finally stop I used the same technique with colors and
inspired and motivated when surrounded by searching endlessly for stuff I need — plus, it shapes, too. I studied color schemes, looked
other artists’ artworks and art books. As an looks absolutely beautiful too! at many examples, and tried to understand
artist you have good days, where it seems how to make very different colors look good
like every sketch turns out perfectly within Shape and color seem to be so together — for example, by using different
minutes, but there can be bad days as well. important in your art. Are you saturation levels. After a while I felt much more
You’ll try to draw something and it always looks very conscious of that, or is it comfortable and my color schemes seemed to
strange or simply wrong! Sometimes you don’t something that comes naturally be way more pleasing to the eye. The same
even feel motivated or inspired at all. On days after years of practice? goes for shapes — I spent time focussed on
Meike Schneider | 99

“ONCE I WAS
COMFORTABLE
WITH THE
FUNDAMENTALS,
I STARTED TO
BREAK THE
RULES”

simplifying my characters, and then once

I was comfortable with the fundamentals,
I started to break the rules. Playing fast and
loose with “proper” anatomy by using very
soft and bended arms or legs can help create
a nice dynamic flow in your characters. I guess
what I’m trying to say is: experimenting is key!
And, of course, tons of references. There’s no
better way to learn than to understand exactly
what you like about certain artworks, or to get
a pose right by studying a photo.

Opposite page: A mermaid created for #MerMay

This page: A self-portrait I use for my social-media profiles

100 | Meet the artist

It’s really interesting to hear about This page: The cover

your diverse route to becoming a of my mermaid
professional artist. What advice calendar and a #DTIYS
do you have for artists struggling (draw this in your
to find their artistic calling? own style) I hosted
during MerMay 2021
Do what you love, and focus on becoming
really good at that one particular thing. Having Opposite page: A
a specific interest is super important for mermaid created
beginners — the more experience you gain, for MerMay
the easier it is to learn new skills and expand
on your existing skills. For instance, if I’m
really good at character design and I want to
try integrating more environments into my
artworks, then that’s only one challenge to
tackle at a time. If you try to do everything
when you’re a beginner, it’s easy to become
overwhelmed and you’ll be slow to improve
across every discipline.

For me, as an artist, it is very important to

work on projects that I like and where I can
see a chance to evolve. If I feel like my work
is getting repetitive and my skills aren’t
developing then I’ll try to change direction,
maybe learn something new in order to open
up fresh opportunities.

You maintain a very active

Instagram account. How do you
find it useful to further your
professional career? The Instagram algorithm is constantly lighting or something similar, but I would
changing, and it seems like it’s only ever never post something as radically different
I’ve never been a person who’s been super getting harder to get recognition, but I’m still as a photorealistic portrait, for instance. It’s
active on social media — in fact, up until a very grateful for the platform as it’s given me important to stay focussed art-wise on social
couple of years ago I didn’t know much about many opportunities. Almost all of my clients media, as the audience wants to connect with
Instagram at all! I lived in my own “art bubble,” find me via my Instagram, or my website, and a consistent style.
which is still a nice way to work, but I felt like now I’m in the enviable position of being able
my art changed and evolved much faster to say no to projects I don’t feel comfortable Thank you so much for answering
when I discovered Instagram and found other working on. our questions, Meike. It’s been a
artists. I began to be inspired by other artists' pleasure to have your amazing art
techniques — maybe the way someone uses a I must admit that I don’t post all the work I do in CDQ again.
texture or a brush, or perhaps the way another for clients on my social channels — the artwork
might draw certain facial features. Everyone is I post to Instagram is mostly things I create Thanks so much for having me! It’s been a
borrowing ideas from one another, and adding on my own time, between jobs. Instagram pleasure, I hope some of your readers can take
their own individual signature style to it. To be is all about consistency and recognition. something useful from my journey.
honest, most of the time this process seems to I like to experiment with my style in my
happen unconsciously. posts occasionally, adding more extreme
Meike Schneider | 101
MECH-ING
A SCENE
GREG BALDWIN
Given the choice to design any character, I will always gravitate toward an unwitting mech caught
up in an existential crisis, or stumbling into some terrestrial predicament it has absolutely no place
being involved in. Something appeals about the theme of an “outcast” that makes me revisit it
often. For this design, I imagined the aftermath of a little critter commandeering a battle mech to
make its escape. Typically, when designing a character this way, I consider how the final piece will
be used. This concept could serve not only as design reference for modelers or animators, but also
as an aid to help set the personality and mood for the character in a final production.

Final image © Greg Baldwin

Greg Baldwin | 103
104 | Mech-ing a scene

DESIGN STUDIES
I like to start with some initial loose design
studies. These are often very rough and serve
primarily to spark an emotional reaction,
positive or negative. It’s not uncommon that
I will stay at this stage of the process for
numerous rounds of review until the “vibe”
captures the character’s specific personality
or abilities. The number one goal is to convey
the character’s intentions and personality at
a single glance. Is the character fast, creepy,
imposing? Are they a friend or an enemy? Do
they seem hungry? Do they want to eat me?
These are all questions I want to try and answer
at this stage.

ROUGH POSE AND

CONSTRUCTION
Seeing the character in space with volume
helps to solve any potential construction issues
the initial sketch didn’t take into account. Still
working as loosely as possible, I block out a pose
that epitomizes the character’s personality, as
well as shows off the entirety of the design.
If too many of the important details are
obscured by the pose, then additional drawing
may be necessary for production. In this case, a
three-quarter front pose works well, but most
likely a reverse angle will also be needed if the
character has unique design elements that can
only be seen from the back – like perhaps the
newest Fission-Core Long Distance Thruster
Pack with Sub-orbital Trajectory Assistance. WORKING ON
THE LINE WORK
I prefer to work out the specific details of
any character using line work first, refining
every detail and contour until the flow
and functionality all feel believable and
accurate. Solving as many design elements
as I can, especially on a more complicated
character, assures me that anyone else
tasked with implementing the design has as
much information as possible. I find I get the
most satisfaction at this stage – I put on my
headphones and just sink into the fun little
details knowing the structure and overall
design are solid. Now I can focus on bringing
this brute to life.
Greg Baldwin | 105

“A SETTING CAN REINFORCE Opposite page (top):

A handful of loose
THE VISION OF WHAT THE studies can help to hone

CHARACTER COULD FEEL LIKE in on a promising design

IN THE WORLD IT FINDS ITSELF” Opposite page (middle):

Using your initial
sketches, work out
how the design will
exist in space

Opposite page (bottom):

The line work stage
tightens up the design
and works out the
specific details

This page: Adding

a background isn’t
necessary, but it can
help sell the design

BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Obviously, adding a background is not required them to life. A setting can reinforce the know my creation and its unique situation
when designing a character. However, like vision of what the character could feel means that its story will be told more
adding a gentle pose, setting the tone for like in the world it finds itself. Any steps accurately in the end.
the character goes a long way to bringing I can take to help the team get to
106 | Mech-ing a scene

THE BENEFITS OF MASKING

Taking the time to set up masks seems laborious and time consuming,
but I find that I more than make up the time spent in future stages of
the design. I keep each mask on a separate layer using random distinct
colors – this makes loading and reloading crucial selections quick and
accurate during the upcoming “Color Palette” and “Rendering”
stages. This simple solution allows a lot more freedom to make
changes and experiment more easily. Don’t forget to name
your layers.

FINDING THE
COLOR IDENTITY
A huge part of the character’s design is their basic color identity. The
most popular characters on the planet have immediately recognizable
color palettes. This is a major part of designing characters that are
intended to be iconic and unforgettable. Using the masks from the
previous step, I can quickly try different palettes to try and create an
identity that suits who I want the character to be. Do I want them to feel
utilitarian, fashionable, alien? Creating various color options can alter
the character’s story and persona just as much as it makes it memorable.
Greg Baldwin | 107

Opposite page (top):

Masking out the major
elements helps with
rendering, as well as
color exploration

Opposite page (bottom):

Creating base color
palette options helps
to establish different
identity possibilities

This page (top): The final

color palette reinforces
the character’s persona

This page (bottom): Adding

elements like decals to the
character helps establish
the world it inhabits

A COLORFUL NARRATIVE CREATING DECALS

I decided this mech should have a subtle military-issue look, augmented AND GRAPHICS
with a replacement arm – possibly scavenged from another mech that Adding decals and other graphics conveys a sense of the character’s
was an arena fighter in its previous life. Juxtaposing the saturated red past and how previous events have impacted its life up to this point.
of the arm against a more subdued green body reinforces the varied I designed this decal sheet specifically for this character to reinforce the
histories for a more complex and intriguing backstory. I tie them notion that the mech was built from mismatched parts. The decals for
together with the red lights and uniform mechanical substructures to the main mech are reminiscent of a fighter jet, while its red arm has
help create a cohesive whole. Finally, by using a bright teal on the glass more of a menacing past. I prefer to layout the decals on a single sheet
dome, I create a strong focus on the pilot to complete the story I’m so I can keep the design language consistent and take advantage of fonts
trying to evoke. and other design tools.
108 | Mech-ing a scene

SMART OBJECTS
When applying elements like graphics and decals, one way to keep on the layer to open the mini file – any changes made within will
things adjustable it to utilize Photoshop’s Smart Objects. Convert be updated with all the modifications added to it in the main file
the decal to a Smart Object before any Warp or Transform after it’s saved. Once this is set up, changing decals and graphics
modifier is applied. This essentially saves a mini file inside the main out becomes dead simple, and super fun.
file. After modifying it and adding adjustments to it, double click

DECORATING
WITH DECALS
One of the most important aspects of placing
graphics on a character is to set the correct
scale. I like to think of the intended function of
the decals or, in this case, who built the mech.
The cockpit size suggests the pilots were fairly
small, so the labels need to reflect that. With
the help of a Warp tool or a Lattice Modifier,
the decals can be distorted to follow the forms
of the character which will give them a more
realistic appearance.

WEATHERING
SURFACES
A character’s past often leaves a mark – if this
mech was right off the production line, crisper
highlights and pristine paint would work well.
But this mech has been through a lot and so
chipping up the paint, adding dirt into tiny SHADOWS
nooks, and dripping oil from its failing hydraulic AND LIGHT
lines felt more appropriate. Going back to the Shading the character not only makes the BASE
masks, I can load selections of the painted design look more believable, it also indicates METALS
areas and then use various dirt and scratch the general volume and distance between Use the masks to create a
brushes to paint in exposed metal. parts. This step is a bit like doing a math selection that includes all the
equation, which can be daunting. I tend to start areas from which the paint will
This page: Applying the decals adds off looking for an easy part, like the shoulder be chipped and worn away. On
history and a strong sense of scale that in this case is a basic sphere, and use it to a new layer above the paint
guide the rest of the light logic on everything layers, create a mask from the
Opposite page (top): The amount of else. The two most important parts of shading selection. After filling the layer
weathering and aging emphasizes how in my mind are how shadows fall across the with a gray, use rust and dirt
old or worn out the character might be form, and how blurred the shadow becomes colors to paint the metal so it
based on the distance from the source to the looks aged and grimy. Use
Opposite page (bottom): Shading cast surface. These two aspects of shadows can this layer during the weathering
is the most effective way to show indicate so much useful information – plus, it stage and the revealed metal will
the volume of different forms looks pretty wicked. have lots of interesting detail
wherever it’s exposed.
Greg Baldwin | 109
110 | Mech-ing a scene

This page (top): Adding

the shadow and base
highlight layer rounds
out the forms

This page (bottom):

Reflections and
lights define how the
character is reacting
to the world around it

Opposite page: Rim

lighting can help to add
further volume and
enhance the silhouette
Greg Baldwin | 111

APPLYING SHADING
AND BASE HIGHLIGHTS
The basic ambient light color is reflected into the shadows, so I like to
tint the shadows accordingly before setting them to Multiply over the
color layers. This tends to make the shadows look less muddy. I then turn
my focus to the highlights with an initial subtle pass where the lit areas
of the forms are brightened up using either Overlay or Add layer modes.
At this point, the design has everything required to be a useful concept
– but let’s bring it to life.

LIGHTS AND REFLECTIONS RIM LIGHTING

Adding reflections to the various shiny elements helps to show how With my designs I like to use a rim light or back light to help emphasize
the character’s surfaces are reacting to the world around them. It the volumes and silhouette that have become obscured by the primary
also helps to distinguish how rough each surface is. I like to make sure light angle. In this instance, a brightly lit hole in the wall is doing the job.
there is a balanced amount of highly reflective and less reflective This light allows me to identify obscured parts, like the distant arm and
surfaces, like rubber and matte paint, to add visual variety. Adding leg, and plausibly enhances the form’s readability. It also adds a nice level
glows to the lights and cables that are intended to be lit adds a lot of of drama depending on how it’s used. Keep this in mind the next time
energy to the character, even though it’s just a static pose. you find yourself having just broken through a meter-thick concrete wall
if you want to look cool doing it.
112 | Mech-ing a scene

“BY USING
SUBTLE
EFFECTS LIKE
FOG, FLOATING
DUST, AND
SOME GENTLE
COLOR
OVERLAYS
THAT BRING
COHESION TO
THE ENTIRE
DESIGN, THE
CHARACTER
AND
ENVIRONMENT
ALL BECOME
UNIFIED”

ADDING
ATMOSPHERE
The last step is to tie the whole piece together
using a bit of atmosphere. Every previous step
has been about creating a sense of believability
for each individual part of the design. By
using subtle effects like fog, floating dust,
and some gentle color overlays that bring
cohesion to the entire design, the character
and environment all become unified. And with
that, this little escapee is free to explore the
world in the safety of his newly acquired battle
mech. Safe travels, and don’t forget to charge
those batteries!

These pages: Use atmosphere to unify all the

disparate elements into a cohesive design
Greg Baldwin | 113

Final image © Greg Baldwin

Image © Kenneth Anderson
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