Creating a character is a complicated multistage process. Its design must match its nature. In an animated explainer production the person who creates it is called a Character designer. The rules, that are used while creating it are next: S-curve, spike, asymmetry, silhouette and the unity of form. These rules are needed so that the character to be holistic, interesting and characteristic. Those principals where used by Disney artists while creating characters for their cartoons.
So, s-curve
This principal is using for the characters to be plastic. The curve passes through the whole character. For example, if it’s a person or anthropomorphic animal, the line can pass from the head and through one leg. It gives it a certain weight. It doesn’t look like wooden any more.
Spike
This principal is needed so that there was no parallels in the character, because they make the character boring. Spikes come from wide to narrow.
There is nothing that is parallel in human body. If we’ll look at the forearm, we’ll see it becomes wider from the elbow, and becomes more narrow by the wrist. Hand continues these principal, from wrist it becomes wider, and becomes more narrow by the tips of the fingers. It can be compared with a tree. The branches of the tree are wide at the trunk, and the more we go the more narrow they become.
Asymmetry vs symmetry
When creating a character you must not put it in a static pose, where positions of its hands and legs are duplicating each other, like in the mirror. When setting a character, you should rely it on its leg, to feel the weight of the character. Same with the position of the hands. If both hands are placed at the waistband, then they must not reflect each other.
Silhouette
One of the most important principals in character creation. Silhouette is the thing that makes the character recognizable. For example, if we’ll fill with black colour the picture of Shrek, we are still going to understand, that this is Shrek. When creating a character it is necessary to take this into account. Your character must be recognizable, even when it’s filled with one colour.
The unity of form or unity
This principal also makes a character more plastic. One shape blends in with other, like water, creating a complete form.
These are not all, but main principals for creating a character so it was more interesting, plastic, weighty and recognizable. Managing by the main principals of character creation, we’re creating a unique characters for explainer videos, which helps your product to become more recognizable and memorable. Contact us today, to order a video with your unique character.