Photo by Kenny Eliason / Unsplash

Creating Custom Character Artwork

Jan 25, 2023

Creating custom character artwork can be a rewarding and challenging task for any designer or artist. Whether it's for a game, animation, or illustration, crafting unique and compelling characters is an essential part of visual storytelling. In this blog post, we will dive into the process of creating custom character artwork, from concept to final product. From brainstorming initial ideas to sculpting the final form, we will explore different techniques and tools that can be used to bring your characters to life. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, this post will provide valuable insights and inspiration for creating your own custom character artwork.

Staying Organized:

Before you begin creating your character artwork, it's important to make sure you have a plan in place. This entails organizing the drawing materials you'll need, developing a timeline for the project, and setting realistic goals. Keeping your project organized will help you stay focused and make sure that you stay on track.

Developing Your Character:

When creating custom character artwork, it's important to start by developing your character's design. This involves coming up with a concept and deciding on the look and feel of your character. Start by sketching possible ideas and jotting down any interesting design elements that come to mind. Once you have a general idea of what you want your character to look like, you can start to work your design into a finalized sketch.

Identifying Proportions:

Proportion is an important part of the design process and is essential for creating a realistic looking character. Before beginning, it's important to understand the basics of proportions and how the different body parts relate to each other. To facilitate this, draw a diagram of a figure, divide areas of the body into smaller sections, and look for general guides, such as the local size of the eyes, width of the character’s shoulders, and so on.

Using Color and Texture:

Color and texture are essential elements when creating custom character artwork. For example, they can be used to bring out certain features of the character or to present them in a different light. When beginning to consider how color and texture will be used in your artwork, think about the differences between light and dark, the color wheel and how to use complementary colors, and the importance of texture and detail.

Creating a Final Piece:

Once you've sketched out your character and identified their proportions, it's time to start working on the final piece. This involves combining your sketches with color, texture, and any other information you have collected about the character. Start by using digital painting tools to fill in the details and establish the color palette, and then spend time refining the artwork and adding highlights and shadows. Once the artwork is complete, make sure to save a copy in a few different formats, such as a PNG, JPG and TIFF.

Sharing Your Custom Character Artwork:

Now that you've created your custom character artwork, it's time to share it with the world! You can share your artwork with friends, family and colleagues, or you can post your artwork on social media, websites, and other platforms. Don't forget to include information about your artwork and how it was created, such as the techniques and tools used, so that others can appreciate your work.

Thanks for taking the time to read about creating custom character artwork! Whether you’re an experienced artist looking to expand your portfolio or a beginner taking their first step into creative character design, we hope this article has been inspiring and informative. With a little bit of planning and experimentation, you too can create amazing custom character art!