CDQ09 Downloadable Edition (3dtotal Publish)

Image © Daniel Tarrant
contents
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BEHIND THE OTHERWORLDLY MEET THE ARTIST: GETTING MEET THE ARTIST: GALLERY CHARACTERS
COVER ART: CHARACTERS LINA DŪDAITĖ EMOTIONAL PATRICK WITH FEELING:
AVELINE STOKART SCHOENMAKER AMAZEMENT
Discover the Daniel Tarrant Award-winning Magdalina Dianova Experienced and The gallery shows Jefrain Gallipoli
fascinating demonstrates children’s book shares her top tips highly adaptable artwork by Ben creates an
processes used by how to create illustrator, Lina for creating line creative, Patrick Whitehouse, innocent young
Aveline Stokart to believable Dūdaitė allows art that conveys Schoenmaker Aleksey Baydakov, alien amazed by
craft this issue’s characters with a peep into her tired or excitable talks about his and Alessandra the wonders of
adorable cover art fantasy origins artistic career characters varied pursuits Criseo planet Earth
WELCOME TO CHARACTER DESIGN QUARTERLY 09
Greeting you on the cover this issue is Aveline Stokart’s inquisitive creature. With form inspired by nature, this
endearing beast has been designed to win your heart with his glossy eyes and quirky disproportionate features. In
her making-of tutorial, Aveline reveals her methods for creating an engaging character and captivating cover design.
To demonstrate the diversity of the character design industry, this issue features a wondrous roster of artists
working in distinct styles. We highlight the enchanting illustrative work of Lina Dūdaitė and showcase a collection
of varied designs in our Gallery. Let Lulu Chen’s magical creatures entice you into her stylized world of demons and
fantastical beings, and continue the pursuit of magic by delving into an imaginative otherworldly mini-feature by
Daniel Tarrant. As well as form and function, consider color, lighting, and costume to
develop convincing characters.
And finally, we pick the brains of Disney veteran, Armand Serrano and capture
his insights into the professional creative industry. His inspiring interview tells
a story of determination and provides hope that practice and perseverance
can take you to the places you want to be.
Image © Magdalina Dianova

Just like our curious cover friend, we hope this issue leaves you
feeling intrigued, inspired, and eager to discover more!
sophie symes
EDITOR
68 74 86 90
DESIGNING INDUSTRY PROFILE: THE LANGUAGE REDESIGNING
WITH WHIMSY ARMAND SERRANO OF SHAPES CHARACTERS:
NINJA
Delve into the With a professional Learn how to Micheal Bills

magical world of career that spans improve shape employs invaluable
Lulu Chen and almost thirty language to techniques to craft
find out how she years, Armano articulate effective a fresh take on the
invents her quirky Serrano has stories with usual archetypal
characters plenty to share! Tom Hänni portrayal of a ninja
BEHIND THE COVER ART:
Over the following pages, I will share my creative process for the realization of an engaging and whimsical
creature. I will explain how to develop a unique creature, including a breakdown of the most important design
considerations, such as shape language, composition, color, and lighting. My goal is to showcase my final creation
in an eye-catching illustration that tells a story.
To create my initial design, I use the application Procreate on the Ipad Pro with the Apple Pencil, and I finalize my
creation on my MacBook Pro, using Photoshop and a Wacom Intuos Pro graphic tablet.
title
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This spread can be removed de-
ARTIST NAME
pending on the article. The tutorial
sections of the magazine are the only
one headed with this box. :)
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Final image © Aveline Stokart

6 | Behind the cover art
find inspiration
Often the most difficult thing is just to start! To begin, get
comfortable with your subject matter and search for visual This page: Sketches of
inspiration in books or on the internet. When designing a inspirational natural details
creature, the best place to look for inspiration is nature
– it’s full of incredible details! Learn to observe and take Opposite page (top):
time to understand how things work. Look at insects, birds, Generating ideas using several
fish, flowers, mushrooms and even fruits and vegetables! questions and answers
Throughout your discoveries, start collecting all the things
that inspire you. Your aim is to create a library of references Opposite page (bottom):
that can help you later. Examples of different characters
based on basic shapes
Aveline Stokart | 7
Background
story
Your goal is to design a
cute and engaging forest
creature. To achieve this and
to give personality to your
character, it’s important to
create a background story.
This will help define who your
character is and what they will
look like. To guide you in the
construction of this story, ask
yourself several questions (the
list is non-exhaustive). You can
answer these questions with a
diagram to keep an overview.
All the answers will remain in
the forefront of your mind
while building your character.
Understand shapes
You have probably already heard of “shape language.”
In character design, playing with shapes will allow you
to convey a range of different emotions. With the three
basic shapes (circle, square, triangle), you can create
all kinds of directly recognizable characters, with a
strong sense of identity. Each form therefore evokes
something different. The circle conveys softness,
implying kindness. The square conveys stability, which
implies strength, and the sharpness of the triangle
implies danger, and inspires mistrust and fear.
“The circle conveys softness... The square

conveys stability... and the sharpness
of the triangle implies danger”
Explore shapes
In order to create the design of a unique
character, play with the shapes to find the
one that will suit your character the best. You
can start from basic shapes, using them in
their simplest form (which is often the most
effective way to have a direct visual impact),
or combine them to create a more complex
group. Create a bunch of silhouettes by
deforming shapes: squash and stretch them,
round the angles, pinch the bottom or the
top of a side to make a trapezoidal shape; the
possibilities are endless. Above: A collection of shape
possibilities that will allow
you to explore further
Shaping with
Below: Features research with
opacity lowered in a layer
scraboutchas Play with silhouette on top of the basic shapes
If you don't know where to start Once you have drawn your initial shapes, start adding
with the shapes, explore them as features to give them more personality. Continue to Opposite page (top): The
if you were watching the clouds. work by silhouette, it will already give you an idea of chosen shape looks like a little
Your brain likes to identify what how the design works overall. This method allows you squashed egg, conveying a
it sees. You can have the same to be directly aware of which aspects of the design are fun and cute character
effect with what I like to call readable and recognizable. That said, let your designs
"the scraboutchas." Scribble flow, don't think about your final design yet. The goal Opposite page (bottom): Ask
on a sheet of paper without here is to explore different paths! You will focus on the questions about what fits your
thinking. Then let your brain see complexity level of your design later, depending on the character and what doesn’t
what it wants. Don’t hesitate to character you want to create.
change your point of view by
flipping your canvas. Fill in the
shapes that inspire you and play
with their silhouette.
Aveline Stokart | 9
Choose a definitive form

Now you can choose the silhouette that you believe works best
for the character you want to create, keeping in mind the key
characteristics that define your character. Here, the character
is a fantastical creature living in the forest. Considering that my
character is a male, kind, curious and pretty resourceful creature,
I use a rounded shape to evoke his cute and kind side. What is
interesting too is the contrast between the round bust and the thin
legs and arms. This creates a dynamic visual. Moreover, this aspect
can serve his agile side too. Finally, the shape is simple, which
consequently makes it effective.
Play with features

Once selected, you can define the main eye, two, three or more? Does he have a big or
features inside your overall shape, such as small mouth, pointed or round teeth, a lot or
the eyes and mouth. It’s time to test different just a few? Then play with the size of all these
options and proportions. You will see that, different features, with their spacing and their
depending on these differences, your position on your overall shape. Duplicate your
character might take different directions. Keep shape and sketch on top of them.
asking yourself questions. Does he have one
Left: The overall

shape needs to define
Avoid scale your character
When designing a character, you have
to keep in mind that it’s important Opposite page (top):
to play with the proportions. If the Duplicate the base
ratio between the different parts creature several times
is too equal, your character might and explore monster
look boring and stiff. Don’t be afraid features on top of them
to put distance between the body
parts, it will help your character to be Opposite page (bottom):
dynamic and unusual to look at. Color research,
inspired by nature
“Make sure
that the
features you
choose are
engaging with
the viewer”
Define the important features

We want the audience to be able to feel a connection to the character. Make
sure that the features you choose are engaging with the viewer. Here, I keep
two large eyes to make the monster more relatable. Big eyes emphasize his
curious and cute personality. That said, as he remains a monster, we can show
that he has teeth! Making them sharp but asymmetrical shows a wild side, while
remaining friendly. Finally, lengthening his limbs can bring extra contrast.
Aveline Stokart | 11
Use your research

Enhance his appearance by using your
initial research. This looks like he is just
trying on different outfits. Come back
to the characteristics that inspired you
earlier and have fun interpreting them!
Once you have explored all sorts of
possibilities, you can keep your best
ideas and assemble them to create your
final design. Here I choose to mix the
idea of antennas with a plant aspect
to avoid creating a creature that looks
like an insect. I opt for hairless skin with
some scales, similar to an amphibian, to
remind the viewer that he is terrestrial
as well as aquatic.
Colorize your character

It’s time to give life to your character and determine his colors. Colors are a big part of his identity.
If you have trouble figuring out the colors that go well together, refer to nature or use color theory.
You will see how flexible colors can be! Experiment, analyze them and try to understand what they
portray. Color is a language that contains as many shades as messages, but in general, bright, vivid
colors release a dynamic and fun feel, while desaturated colors often appear calmer and more
serious. In this case, I choose a vivid palette, because I want the character to be fun and dynamic!
Right: Thumbnails of different Compose your scene

composition possibilities Composition plays a vital role in the Decide on the focal point and how to create
communication of your ideas. The goal is it. You can play with elements of composition
Below: The chosen composition to arrange your image harmoniously to tell such as: rule of thirds, perspective, contrasts,
is characterized by the rule of a story. Draw thumbnails to try different and so on. However, don’t be too restrictive
thirds and the depth of field possibilities. Think in terms of mass and use with the rules. They are only there to guide
the different values of color to distinguish the you, so keep your creativity free.
Opposite page (top): Determine the depth and important elements of your design.
color palette and block in the colors
Opposite page (bottom): The

different stages of lighting
Developing the scene

Choose the thumbnail that best conveys if he is surprised to find us photographing him. idea of discovery and mystery. Now we’re
the story you want to tell. I want to capture This interaction emphasizes his curiosity and ready to clean the design up. You can also
a moment in time, as if the viewer is a directly interacts with the viewer. The depth shade your image to give an idea of what needs
photographer discovering this intriguing of field gives focus to his small size, and the to be highlighted.
creature. I like the idea of showcasing him as contrasting foreground communicates the
Create a mood
It’s important to consider the general mood of magical moment in the forest. To highlight the background and foreground contrast with the
your image and choose the tone. Determine character, play with the color contrast. The cool colors of the character. This allows him to
your context and choose a color palette that goal is to render an eye-catching illustration. pop out of the scene.
could match it. Here, the context is a pretty Warm, slightly desaturated colors in the
Set your light

Similar to color, light will help
express emotion and adapt
the mood of the overall image.
Choose your light source and
temperature and try to figure
out how the light works with
the color. This is a subtle game
in which you oppose the light
to the darkness, allowing the
volume to appear. Here, the
light exposes the subject
because it’s where the eyes
need to focus. It’s possible
to highlight this center of
attention because of the very
dark foreground that creates a
contrast with the light center.
It also allows an opening
to the scene that although
illuminated, remains hidden
and discreet.
“feel free to take a

break and come back
to your piece later”
Finalize your image

When you have determined the colors and light you can finally clean
IDEA TRASH CAN up the full illustration. Refine the lighting, play with textures, and add
details. At this point, feel free to take a break and come back to your
During the exploration phase, when I played piece later. This will give you a fresh perspective to make your tweaks
with different features and their proportions, in a relevant way. That said, be careful! If you’re a perfectionist like
the character took several directions. This me, you'll like to waste a lot of time on tiny details that no one will
step helped me to see the looks that didn’t notice! The dilemma now is to be reasonable and know where to stop!
fit with my character. After analyzing them,
I eliminated those that didn’t convey the
right message depending on the identity
and personality of my character. The short
limbs were eliminated because they made the
proportions too equal. Those that looked too
young, shy, or goofy were put aside, to opt for
a smarter and dynamic look.
The final illustration combining all the previously

considered elements © Aveline Stokart
16 | Otherworldly characters
When designing otherworldly characters, aim to create something that

is unlike anything we are used to seeing in this world, but real enough
that it could believably exist in another. In this feature we’ll cover some
of the design choices you can make to realize that idea.
NATURAL
INSPIRATION
If you’re trying to create something believable,
why not imitate nature? Research animals that
encapsulate characteristics of what you’re trying
to create. Combine a humanoid figure with
elements from different animals to accentuate the
character’s personality. Think of the classic harpy
from Greek mythology. Inspired by vultures, this
character displays their sinister side.
MAKE FRIENDS WITH

YOUR CHARACTER
Ask questions about your otherworldly character.
Where are they from? What’s their motivation? How
old are they? But also consider their little details
and quirks. The answers to all of these questions will
form your character into a living thing and help to
inform your decisions about their design. The better
acquainted you are with them, the easier it will be to
sell them to others.
Daniel Tarrant | 17
EXTRAORDINARY EVOLUTION
How has your character’s environment affected their anatomy? How
would they have evolved in response to low light, weaker gravity, or a
toxic atmosphere? Perhaps a ground-based threat forced them higher,
so they developed prehensile feet and extra arms. Avoid making choices
solely for aesthetics – the design should make sense.
BEND BIOLOGICAL
BOUNDARIES
Our world is full of carbon-based lifeforms
but since your character is from another
world, they don’t have to be. It’s okay to bend
the rules; perhaps they’re made entirely out
of a gas or liquid, or maybe they’re just an
intelligent shade of the color blue.
All images © Daniel Tarrant

18 | Otherworldly characters
EVOCATIVE COSTUME
Clothes maketh the character. Once you’ve designed the
physical appearance of your character, give them clothes
that enhance the overall design and further explain who
they are and where they’re from. Think of unique ways to
incorporate their culture and personality into the design.
ALTERNATIVE COLOR
Changing the color palette of your character to one not often
seen in nature is a simple but effective way to show that they
are from a strange world. Avoid using usual skin tones and hair
colors, but try to make sure the colors are complementary as
you still want them to be appealing to the eye.
Daniel Tarrant | 19
GATHER REFERENCES
A good place to start when creating a new character
design is to produce lots of really fast and rough
exploratory sketches in order to find a good starting
point. Once you have a design or two that you really like,
it’s time to start refining. At this point it’s helpful to do
some research and compile a heap of reference images.
The more images you gather the more details you’ll be
able to add, and the more believable your character will
be. It’s also a really handy way of generating ideas you
might not otherwise have thought of.
ILLUMINATION
Once your character is designed
and clothed, another way to push
the otherworld aesthetic further is
with lighting. Think of unique light
sources that would enhance the tone
you’re trying to set. These illuminated
mushrooms create a sense of drama
and intrigue.
All images © Lina Dūdaitė
Explore the mind of children’s book illustrator and graphic designer,
Lina Dūdaitė. Based in Kaunas, Lithuania, Lina graduated from Kaunas
J. Naujalis Art School and majored in graphic design at Vilnius Art
Academy, Kaunas Art Institute before embarking on her career as a
children’s book illustrator. With an innate passion for fairy tales, she
crafts stunningly textured drawings that evoke a sense of wonder
and intrigue; appealing to adult and child alike.
22 | Meet the artist
Left: An illustration
from the book “The
Story of a Seagull
and the Cat Who
Taught Her to Fly”
by Louis Sepulveda,
published by Nieko
Rimto, 2008, Vilnius
Below: Lina in the studio
Opposite page: An
illustration from
the book “The
Lion’s Roar” by Juris
Zvirgzdiņš, published by
Pētergailis, 2015, Riga
Hi Lina, thanks so much for me a job illustrating a book.

speaking to us! To start things off A real book – that was my
could tell us a little bit about your dream come true! After the
creative journey? first book there came another,
and another, and so on… When
Thank you for having me! I have wanted to read my books begun to win awards, I
and illustrate books since I was a child. And that was offered more jobs from different
has never changed. I have always particularly publishers. To date, I have illustrated ten
enjoyed children's books and wanted to published books, and I am working on two
do anything related to them. When I was more at the moment.
studying at the Vilnius Art Academy I started
to draw covers for a children’s magazine, and Besides illustrating books, I also undertake
continued to do so for a number of years, until graphic design projects and offer mentoring
a local publisher noticed my work and offered workshops to budding designers.
Lina Dūdaitė | 23
Lina Dūdaitė | 25
Your illustrations have

won several awards, have
“it is crucial to
you found this acclaim
has helped your career?
stay original Of course, it helps in a way, but I
nowadays – you
don’t think awards are essential.
They encourage you to move
need to find
forward, they make you feel nice,
but at the same time they put on
your own way

some pressure. I think the most
important thing for every artist is
and keep to it”

to keep working, because that’s
how you grow into a better artist
and the more you try, the more
chances you have to be noticed.
Another very important step is to

share your work. A few years ago,
I would say that making it into any
international catalog would hugely
increase your chances of being
noticed, but today I’d say you need
to allocate a portion of your time
to social media. Posting your work
online makes you more visible
to people who are interested in
the arts. It is also crucial to stay
original nowadays — you need to
find your own way and keep to it.
Left: Illustration for the classic fairy

tale “Clever Elsie” from the book
by the Brothers Grimm, published
by Alma Littera, 2011, Vilnius
Left: Vignette for the

classic fairy tale “Little
Red Riding Hood”
from the book by
the Brothers Grimm,
published by Alma
Littera, 2011, Vilnius
Opposite page:
Spring, 2017
When designing for a children’s book, where do you Your characters are highly detailed but still maintain
begin with the invention of a character? a minimalist aesthetic. How do you produce this
style, and why?
I read the text again, and again, and again… until the character starts to
appear and respond to me. I need to be able to feel the character and to Actually, I don’t think about how I draw, it just happens. I don’t have a
immerse myself in the topic so I can start performing with my pencil. If certain plan or way to develop my characters or style. I have to admit I
I try to create a certain character it has to be clear to me in my mind. I like minimalism because there is more room to play with; there is space
need to get to know it before I can draw it. for thoughts. And then I just do what I like.
I can’t illustrate if the text doesn’t awaken anything inside. I think it’s I have noticed that some of my fields of interest are changing. Previously
very important to do the work you genuinely like, you can’t get a good I was very focused on developing my technique; I wanted to refine it
result with material you don’t like or feel lukewarm about. to perfection, but I never found myself satisfied with the result. Now,
however, I try to get back to a time when I was more imperfect. I want to
I don’t usually take on projects I don’t like initially. But if I have to do keep my style more alive, unfinished and messy in a good way, emulating
something I’m not that interested in then I try to adjust the idea by the feeling of sketching. I want to run away from perfectionism and get
wrapping it into something close and familiar to me. away from my comfort zone to stimulate personal progress.
Lina Dūdaitė | 27
“it's very important to do the work you genuinely like, you can’t get
a good result with material you don't like or feel lukewarm about”
Lina Dūdaitė | 29
Left: Dancing –
illustration for
an international
exhibition “Running
with Wolves”, 2018
Opposite page: Piglet

Looking at the Frozen
Lake – illustration
from the book “The
Mysterious Lake” by
Marius Marcinkevičius,
published by Tikra
Knyga, 2018, Vilnius
"perfection as a fixed concept is just When reimagining the Brothers Grimm tales you
didn’t shy away from their disturbing nature and
an illusion – it doesn't exist” as a consequence your works have an eerie quality.

How did you approach reinventing the classic ideas?
That is so interesting that you find yourself searching I read so many fairy tales when I was a kid – folk tales of all different
for imperfection rather than perfection – what do countries and nationalities. Anything I could get! I was genuinely
you feel it adds to your designs? fascinated and charmed by the profoundness of fairy tales, but never
disturbed. My imagination allowed me to relive them again and again,
I think this new interest in imperfection may have happened because and I have always wanted to bring them to life on paper. I think it was just
of the general global trend of going back to nature. Nature is more a natural instinct.
comfortable and there’s less tension within it. Perfection as a fixed
concept is just an illusion – it doesn't exist. Original fairy tales are very distant from the reinterpretations you read
today. They may appear grim and gloomy but mostly this is because
Forcing things to the edge can be stressful and artificial. But on the they are unfamiliar to us. We can’t relate to the time when they were
other hand, it is also a creative motion and way of learning, and can push relevant and held more functions than just entertainment. So perhaps
your creativity in new directions. My hope is that the imperfections add the unknown appears morose in my illustrations. However, it happened
vitality to my work. without my conscious intentions. I was just following the feeling.
Do you believe it is important to

the quality of your work that you
work instinctively, by “following the
feeling”? What do you do when you
struggle to find that feeling?
a few practical tips for

I believe that following your instincts is important
in all areas, but especially in the creative fields. I
breaking into children’s

think it is also what adds personality to your work,
because technique itself is just anonymous. But by
book publishing:
saying "following your feeling" I don't mean blindly
wandering until something works; you need to use
the whole set of creative tools when doing your
work. If I get stuck with my work, I try to make
something beyond the "must do" area. Sometimes it
helps, but I don’t think there is a universal cure for
Work on a variety of different projects artistic block. I just believe you need to create more
and promote yourself on social media and think less.
• How would you like to see your career

progress in the future? What sorts of
Create your own fully illustrated book, even if projects would you like to work on?
it’s unpublished and small, or just an adaptation
of one of your favorite stories – once a I have a few books I am working at the moment and
publisher can imagine your work across an some others are waiting. But what I would really
entire book you have a chance to be noticed look forward to is finding the time to work on my
personal book. I am actually in the middle of it. It
• is a work in progress and this stage is pretty fragile

and difficult to find spare time to complete it. But
Be consistent with your style, publishers the publisher has already approved the idea and
don’t like an unpredictable artist and most likely the book will show up this year. Once
they usually don’t have time for tests completed, I have more ideas to explore and a few
more on top of those!
• Illustrating a book takes around six to twelve months,

Follow the calls for international and sometimes even a few years, so it requires a lot
children’s book exhibitions and of work and patience. However, I would never want
competitions, and try to take part to do anything else, I love all aspects of children’s
books, and sometimes I think it’s just because I don’t
• want to grow up!
Be determined, patient, and passionate!

Opposite page (top): Watching the Sun – An illustration
from the book “The Mysterious Lake” by Marius
Marcinkevičius, published by Tikra Knyga, 2018, Vilnius
Opposite page (bottom): What’s that Sound? – An

illustration from the book “The Mysterious Lake” by Marius
Marcinkevičius, published by Tikra Knyga, 2018, Vilnius
Lina Dūdaitė | 31
32 | Getting emotional
GETTING
EMOTIONAL
MAGDALINA DIANOVA
In this article I am going to share useful tips and techniques
on giving your characters believable expressions that convey
a tired or excitable emotion.
Keep everything loose and sketchy in order to focus on

stylizing and simplifying the expressions, without having to
think too much about rendering.
DRAINED BODY LANGUAGE

Body language is just as important as facial
expression when conveying emotions. The way the
character holds his neck here adds to the portrayal
of tiredness. It also implies a backstory – maybe he
was up all night working, or something disrupted
his sleep. Such details will make your characters’
expressions feel more believable and authentic.
EXAGGERATE!
The key to drawing expressive characters
is exaggerating their emotions. I
usually start out with a simple, very
rough sketch of the expression
I’m going for, without worrying
too much about the design. Then
I will make another pass, further
exaggerating body language
and expression, this time paying
more attention to the character’s
overall design. I repeat this process
and when I’m happy with the result
I do yet another pass to see if further
exaggeration will make the expression
stronger or if it will start looking awkward.
Magdalina Dianova | 33
“BE CAREFUL AS
WRINKLES MAY
EASILY AGE YOUR
CHARACTER”
LIFELESS HAIR
Besides incorporating a slouched posture to
imply tiredness in a character, you could also
draw the hair as if it is a character that has no
energy itself – flatter and heavier. Drawing
a few skin wrinkles and bags under the eyes
also adds to the tired look, just be careful as
wrinkles may easily age your character.
TIRED
EXHAUSTED EYES
To exaggerate an exhausted expression,
draw the eyebrows high and the eyelids
heavy and stretching down to emphasize
their weight, and to display the character’s
struggle to keep their eyes open.
All images © Magdalina Dianova

34 | Getting emotional
“YOU NEED
TO BE ABLE
TO SAY A
LOT WITH AS
FEW LINES AS
POSSIBLE”
CLEAN LINES
Resist the urge to draw a lot of detail.
You need to be able to say a lot with
as few lines as possible. When drawing
expressions, it’s easy to want to draw
every wrinkle and skin fold that forms
around the mouth and eyes, but you
should consider whether that is really
necessary to get your expression
across. You want to aim for a clean
and readable design.
BECOME YOUR CHARACTER

To be able to draw believable expressions, it’s important to
understand what you want your character to feel. Put yourself in
their shoes and imagine you’re feeling the same emotion. What
will their specific reaction be? Some people are more expressive
with their emotions while others are more reserved. You don’t just
want to draw a generic enthusiastic character; you want to draw a
believable character whose unique personality shines through their
body language and expression, and rings true. Taking pictures of
myself for reference has proved to be very helpful in my process.
Magdalina Dianova | 35
EXCITABLE
A SENSE OF ENERGY
An excited character usually has a very open attitude
– you can convey this by drawing their eyes and
mouth wide open and eyebrows high. Consider
smaller design details that add to this emotion, for
example, here I have drawn rolled-up sleeves and
given movement and volume to the hair to make the
character appear more energetic.
“PLAY AROUND
WITH POSTURE AND
USE THE ANIMAL’S
UNIQUE FEATURES”
DYNAMIC POSES
An animal’s face is not usually as expressive as that
of a person, so you can play around with posture
and use the animal’s features, such as ears, tail, and
whiskers, to strengthen the feeling of excitement.
Working in a variety of different styles and media, versatile character
designer and animator, Patrick Schoenmaker has an abundance of
invaluable knowledge and experiences to share. Patrick has worked in a
wide range of fields, including toy design, feature animations, editorial
illustration and short film through his work as a freelance designer, and
as a founding member of animation collective, Frame Order. Learn
about Patrick’s eagerness to keep exploring media and how he has
pushed himself to get to where he is today.
All images © Patrick Schoenmaker
Hey Patrick! Thank you for taking

the time to talk to the team here at
CDQ! Could you tell us a little bit
about your creative path so far?
It’s such an honor, thank you for having me!

Back in 2009 I graduated from the Utrecht
School of Arts. I should have graduated in
2008, but my graduation film was a tad too
ambitious, so it took me a bit longer. During my
studies, I was already doing freelance work for
various companies, including a weekly comic
strip in a teen magazine, editorial illustrations,
animation for hire, and anything else I could
get my hands on. This work really helped me
once I finished art school as I was lucky enough
to already have a steady flow of work coming
my way.
The thing I valued most during my studies

was the company of fellow artists who were
always available for feedback or to bounce
ideas back and forth with. So, for me, the
first logical step after art school was to find a
workplace that I could share with other artists.
This actually laid the stepping stones for the
animation collective Frame Order, of which I
am now a part of. Together we create all kinds
of projects, from short films to commissioned
work for television. On these projects I usually
work on the design and art direction, but I've
also directed a couple of short films, BINGO!
being the most recent.
Patrick Schoenmaker | 39
“Being
surrounded by
an enormous
pool of talent
was an amazing
experience,
I don't think
I developed
faster as an
artist as I did
during my work
on Brendan”
Opposite page (top): Character

line-up for BINGO!
Opposite page (bottom): Model

sheet of Gerda, the main character
in the short film BINGO!, who goes
to extreme lengths to find out the
result of that evening’s bingo game
Left: Poster for BINGO!
Working as a freelance artist, I have also had acting the way the director envisioned, as a way
the chance to work with large clients such as to prevent direction getting lost in translation
Sesame Street and Cartoon Saloon. During my between studios. This actually started out as
work for Cartoon Saloon I worked on Brendan an internship, but the Cartoon Saloon soon
and the Secret of Kells as a character posing offered me a steady position, which was very
artist. Part of the animation for that movie generous of them. Being surrounded by an
was sent to studios overseas and I provided enormous pool of talent was an amazing
several poses per scene of all the characters experience, I don't think I developed faster as
involved as a reference for the animator. It was an artist as I did during my work on Brendan.
important to get the characters on model and
Early
influences
My first experience going to the cinema
was seeing Snow White when I was about
four years old, and the impact it made on
me sparked my love for both traditional
animation and horror movies. I vividly
recall being scared to my bones by all the
scary images in the movie, like the forest
scene, the queen’s transformation, and
the moment the witch gets struck by
lightning before being crushed by a
large boulder.
When you think about it, that’s actually

pretty heavy stuff for a toddler. But I
don’t blame my parents for taking me. In
fact, I inherited my love for movies from
my dad who had an extensive collection
of video tapes. I’ve always been
attracted to the darker, scary imagery.
Maybe because of that first experience
I was toying with the at the cinema. Thankfully, growing up in
idea of creating a line the 80s there were plenty of scary kids’
of stylized fantasy movies available. Some of my favorites
sculptures. Or possibly were The Dark Crystal, Ghostbusters, Star
a film. This was one of Wars, Gremlins, The Secret of NIMH, and
my evil wizard designs the Indiana Jones movies. Most of these
films share a tendency to balance horror
with comedy and it is this combination
that has influenced me a lot.
Your character designs are very and writing short animated films, but also from Disney films, anime, The Simpsons, artists
varied in style. How have you become learning sculpting, molding, and casting. I’ve such as Mike Mignola and Ralph Bakshi, and
so adaptable in your style? even created some zombie masks for a horror European comic books like Asterix and Lucky
movie as I believed at one point my future was Luke. Having a broad spectrum of styles to
I think this is mostly a product of my in practical effects. (Actually, I’m still hoping offer has certainly helped me get jobs in the
restlessness. I’ve always had a problem being that somehow I will be able to magically past and it also gives me a lot of freedom in
comfortable with focusing on something and develop these two careers simultaneously in my personal work. I think it’s always a good
just sticking with it. I’m sort of addicted to the future). thing to stay curious and push yourself out of
learning new skills. In the past fifteen years your comfort zone. Even though daily life can
or so my ambitions have been all over the When developing my drawing skills, I went be busy enough, free up time to follow your
place from creating comic strips, designing through many phases where I drew inspiration interests and learn new things.
Your designs depicting The Adventures

of Indiana Jones perfectly capture the
suave and cheeky persona portrayed
by Harrison Ford. Could you tell us
more about that design process?
Did you find it challenging to
reinterpret a much-loved personality
in animation form?
I was asked to create artwork for prints and

trading cards based on Indiana Jones and
Star Wars for companies selling licensed
merchandise, and as a fan of those franchises,
I was extremely excited to receive the
opportunity. I’ve always been fascinated with
the adaptation of popular movies into other
media, such as comics or cartoons, so I took
the opportunity to explore these properties in
a more stylized design, while carefully trying to
retain the appeal of the original films.
Oh yes, Harrison Ford was so much more

difficult to capture than I had anticipated.
The peculiar thing with Ford’s features is that
although we know him as an action hero, he
doesn’t quite fit the standard chiseled action-
hero face. From the first time I was asked to
portray him, his design went through many
alterations. During this process, I learned that
caricature and character design are two very
different things. Getting Ford’s likeness right
is not the same thing as drawing Indiana Jones.
Left: One of the Indiana Jones prints created for

Acme Archives. © & ™Lucasfilm Ltd. INDYLTD21
“Even though daily

life can be busy
enough, free up
time to follow
your interests and
learn new things”
As one of the six founders of extra to the group. My expertise is mostly decided we wanted to be less dependent
animation collective Frame Order, character design and layout, but we also have on work coming from outside and to instead
how have you found running an a script writer, a storyboarder, a 3D animator, create projects of our own that would use
animation studio? What are the and so on. This way, there is always somebody the strengths of the entire group. During the
challenges and rewards? who can offer you feedback when you get past two years we have set up two YouTube
stuck on a project and usually from a surprising channels and we have a couple of concepts
When we started Frame Order, the intention perspective. Also, our studio is a place where in development that we’re hoping to turn
was to remain a group of freelance artists honest, unrestrained feedback is very much into series that we could release on those
operating under one roof to make it easier for encouraged. Almost up to a point where I start channels, or maybe even pitch to broadcasters
clients to find us and also as a sort of safety missing my family members who praise every or streaming networks. So far, most of the
net for each other. This way we could reduce scribble I make, no matter how bad. But it's this projects we have created have been developed
the chance of one of us not having something kind of feedback that pushes you forward, so from original concept, all the way to final video.
to work on. Sometimes we would work on it’s been very valuable.
our own projects and when projects came in I think the shared journey of finding your place
that were too big for one individual, we would However, since we didn’t start out with a single in the world as an artist is truly what gives me
work on these as a group, utilizing each other’s unified goal or ambition, it was a challenge the most fun and satisfaction in my work.
strengths. While we all graduated as animators, to develop a clear identity for the studio.
each of us has a specialty that adds something That changed about two years ago when we
Left: An evil sorcerer
Opposite page: An
illustration for Turf,
a personal project
Below: Turf
character line-up
“The shared journey of finding your

place in the world as an artist is
truly what gives me the most fun
and satisfaction in my work”
Which elements do you think are most important to focus Left: Miss Moxy’s
on when creating character designs? unexpected road
trip companion
When I’m working on a design for a character, there are a few important
elements that I take into account. The first is what the final design will Below: An
be used for. Does it have to be designed from all angles so it can work illustration for
in a 3D production? Sometimes this means you have to sacrifice some Miss Moxy
expressiveness in your shapes and angles. If the output is a 2D cut-out
puppet with a single three-quarter view, you have more freedom in the Opposite page
choice of your shapes and exaggeration, but there are limitations in how (top): Characters
the joints and different body parts fit together for example. for Miss Moxy,
a film currently
It could even be that the character will never be seen in close-up, which in development
would mean you have to go for different proportions to make sure at BosBros, The
expressions can be read at all times. There’s usually a whole list of Netherlands
things to think about, and most of it differs from project to project.
Opposite page
But these are all technical considerations. The (bottom):
most important goal, the thing I'm looking Moxy
for most with any design, is to create a
character that has lots of appeal. You want
to create a character that instantly
clicks with the viewer at first sight.
“You want to create a character

that instantly clicks with the
viewer at first sight”
The funny thing is that I always find it surprisingly difficult to explain how I approach
this. Of course, I think about the fundamentals, including shape language, color, and
facial features, but for me it starts with drawing the eyes. By working on the eyes first,
or more specifically the emotion in the eyes, I try to get inside the character’s head. It
helps me feel the character, so to speak. So in a way I’m trying to emotionally connect
with the character, and once I’ve figured that out, the rest sort of follows naturally
from there. If I can’t make that connection, I can try and apply all the tricks and
techniques I have up my sleeve, but the design will remain lifeless and unappealing.
I believe that people tend to look at the eyes of a character first. I usually draw a semi-
rough layout of the character, trying to find a pose and proportions that I like, then
once I have general idea of where I want things to be, I try to get the eyes right. From
there, I work my way out so to speak. In the end, I think a good character design is a
balance of many things, but when I’m not feeling the eyes, that’s the first place where
things could start to fall apart.
Do you believe that versatility and

efficiency are crucial to a successful
career in the creative industries?
This is a topic that comes up a lot. I think it

really depends on what you want to do. In my
case, being a self-employed artist, versatility
can certainly be beneficial, particularly when
looking for freelance work. And having a
mixed skillset means that I can keep the costs
down when working on my own projects. But
there’s also a big advantage in focusing on
one discipline and just becoming really, really
good at it, especially if you would like to work
for bigger studios. Versatility is great, but I
feel it can also hold you back in mastering a
skill in your lifetime.
As I have experience in both the design

and hands on execution of projects, be it
toy design or animation, I do notice I have
a tendency to tone down my designs to
avoid any problems further down the line.
Sometimes I might skip ideas without even
giving them a fair shot, because I feel there
might be a risk of technical difficulties.
Because of this, when looking back at some
of my older work, I feel I have lost some
spontaneity and liveliness in my work. It’s
a pitfall I’m very conscious of, but still can’t
help stepping into from time to time.
On the other hand, forward-thinking is
definitely efficient and clients really
appreciate it if you have knowledge
about what happens with your
designs after they are approved.
These pages: A selection of

the one hundred characters
designed for a toy campaign called Dungan
48 | Gallery
Ben Whitehouse | benwhitehouseillustration.com | © Ben Whitehouse
Gallery
In every issue we hope to inspire you with superb character designs and character-based
artwork from a selection of talented professional artists. This issue features work by:
Ben Whitehouse | Aleksey Baydakov | Alessandra Criseo (MAIS2)
Ben Whitehouse | 49
BEN WHITEHOUSE
IS A CHILDREN’S
BOOK ILLUSTRATOR,
CHARACTER DESIGNER,
SCULPTOR, AND
STOP-MOTION PUPPET
MAKER. HE RECENTLY
WORKED AT AARDMAN
ANIMATIONS AS
AN ASSISTANT
ANIMATOR ON EARLY
MAN. HE LOVES
SHAPE LANGUAGE
AND TEXTURE
AND IS HEAVILY
INSPIRED BY 1950S
ANIMATION DESIGN.
50 | Gallery
© Ben Whitehouse
Ben Whitehouse | 51
Ben Whitehouse | benwhitehouseillustration.com | © Ben Whitehouse

52 | Gallery
© Aleksey Baydakov
Aleksey Baydakov | 53
ALEKSEY BAYDAKOV GREW UP ON THE SHORE OF THE WHITE SEA IN

SEVERODVINSK, RUSSIA. HE WORKS WITH ADVERTISING AGENCIES
AND ANIMATION STUDIOS AROUND THE WORLD. HE ENJOYS
EXPERIMENTING WITH FORM PLASTICITY AND THE RHYTHM OF
PROPORTION TO REVEAL EXPRESSIVENESS IN HIS CHARACTERS.
Aleksey Baydakov | artstation.com/baydaku | © Aleksey Baydakov
54 | Gallery
Alessandra Criseo (MAIS2) | 55
ALESSANDRA CRISEO (MAIS2) IS AN ITALIAN

FREELANCE ILLUSTRATOR WHO LIVES IN EUROPE.
BESIDES CHARACTER DESIGN, SHE ALSO DESIGNS
FOR EDITORIAL WORKS AND PRODUCT DESIGN. HER
FAVORITE THINGS INCLUDE TRYING NEW MEDIA,
DRAWING, FOOD, CREEPY STUFF, WEIRD FASHION,
AND MISERABLE LOOKING ANIMALS.
Alessandra Criseo (MAIS2) | mais2.com | All images © mais2.com/@mais2_art

Characters
with feeling:
Amazement
JEFRAIN GALLIPOLI
Working with character expressions is not always an easy task, but it is your job as character designers to create a
believable character that could easily exist and feel real, and to craft a character that viewers can feel a connection
with. To develop that all-important connection, the key is to convey relatable emotions.
Here, the brief was to create a character that conveyed amazement. Before I began, I asked myself, “Who is most
likely to be amazed?” For me, the answer is children – they are always discovering new things and are often astounded
by everyday experiences. So, to begin the design of my amazed character, I work with the idea of an impish young
child in total awe.
Jefrain Gallipoli | 57
In Search of Inspiration
Coming up with unique and original ideas can be stressful and very difficult for many
artists, regardless of how many years they have in the industry. Ideas can come from
the most unexpected places, and they can also come at any time; while listening
to music, reading books or short stories, watching movies, and even from going
outdoors and looking at the surrounding environment. Writing down key words that
come to mind is a great way to organize thoughts and ideas that will help develop the
concept for your character later on.
Right: Writing
down your
ideas will make
it easy to
remember them
Left: Digital
painting tools
Below: Answer
these simple
questions
before creating
your characters
Unexpected
inspiration
I strongly recommend that you always keep a
sketchbook or notebook with you to capture those
rogue ideas that come to you while on the go.
Mind mapping
Once you have your ideas down on paper you can start
to compare and match the ideas to help come up with
a great concept for your character. It is also important
to have in mind these simple questions: Who? What?
Where? When? Answering these questions will lead
to a better understanding of your character and it will
become easier to visualize it.
Sharing your ideas with friends, family, or colleagues

can be really helpful as well; their feedback might add
a different and fresh perspective to your character and
can help to point out weak spots in the concept.
58 | Characters with feeling: Amazement
"draw quickly"
Thumbnail and silhouettes Rough sketches

Once you have figured out the best path for your character, start Once you have experimented with many different silhouettes for your
playing around with its overall shape and anatomy. At this stage you character, it is time to pick the strongest shape and start defining the
can make as many mistakes as you want. Mix shapes and sizes, play features. As soon as you have defined a couple of different variations,
around with the general figure of the character. This is the time to mix and match features from the other sketches and merge them into
experiment and to cross out those ideas that don’t work. one. Then pick the design that works the best out of those iterations.
Remember not to focus on any details just yet, and draw quickly. Many This is a child-like character, so I have chosen a child-friendly aesthetic.
artists have different ways of working at this stage, but the one I find Your aim is to generate sympathy towards the character from the
the most useful is working with silhouettes. This method gives you a viewers so they can empathize with it and relate to its emotions.
general understanding of the shape of the character, and carving into
the general shape allows you to add interest.
Refine the look

After choosing the best features from all of the sketches
created so far, refine them to create the final look for your
character. Add definition to create a coherent character
and, most importantly, bring it to life.
It is easy to get carried away while adding details and new

elements to the character, so remember that every new
thing that you add should have a purpose. Think about how
it will help the character in the future of the story if you
are adding a prop or other element. Also keep in mind how
it affected your character in the past, especially if it is a
scar or mark.
Opposite page: Silhouettes will give you the

overall essence for your character
Above: Roughly sketch over the silhouettes to

have a better understanding of the figure
Left: Combining previous ideas will often lead to a better result

60 | Characters
Chapter title
with feeling: Amazement
Anatomy and
proportion
Even the most stylized character designs must have
coherent anatomy, and it is very important for every
artist to have a basic understanding of anatomy
and proportion before exploring the possibility of
exaggerating the features of a character.
For example, this character is clearly an

exaggeration of a human child, and it is because
of the anatomy that you can identify it as a child.
If you compare the structure of the body of this
character to a real human child there is not much
difference. If you can understand how the human
body looks, then you can play around with it and
exaggerate the features in order to achieve a
recognizable figure. Proportion, which is how we
compare and measure an object using another
object as reference, allows you to exaggerate
a specific feature, therefore creating a unique
character. A human child’s height is around four
or five times the size of their head. This character
is only two heads tall, which adds an element of
cuteness and makes the viewers sympathize with it.
Color scheme
Choosing colors can also be tricky when developing
a character. That is why I recommend thinking
about the personality of the character and its
background story. Keep in mind that colors can Pose Above: Think about the
tell the story by themselves. Think about the color The hard part is already behind you. At this point volumetry of your character
wheel and consider which colors are analogous you already have a defined character that you even if 2D, as it will come in
(colors that are side by side on the color wheel) and can work with. Usually I like to play around with handy when you redraw your
which are complementary (colors that are directly the emotions of the character and put them in character in different views
opposite to each other on the wheel). different situations. I do this to make sure that
the character is strong and can work in different Opposite page (top):
For this character I have chosen to go with situations. Think about body language, not just Considering color theory
complementary colors, such as green and magenta, the facial expression. Use the whole body to will make coloring easier
which also brings a magical and “out of this world” communicate the character’s emotion, and try to
quality to my extraterrestrial being. I am also using play with different angles. A frontal view will not Opposite page (bottom):
a little hint of blue in order to bring some harmony always do the trick and is often the least interesting Always draw your character in
to my highly contrasted choice of color. way to portray characters. different situations and views
Jefrain
Artist
Gallipoli
name | 61
"Think about
body language,
not just
the facial
expression"
Line of action
The line of action is an imaginary
line that goes through a character’s
body. Its function is to act as the
foundation for a character’s action.
Without the line of action your
characters could end up not being
as dynamic as you want them to be.
That is why using this technique will
help accentuate the dramatic effect
on the pose of your characters, and
will also add more interest.
Pushing the gesture

Once your pose is defined, you should always try to push it further in
order to give more interest and clarity to the character. Think about
the emotion you are trying to portray and remember that movement
will help bring the character to life. As you can see, I am pushing the
gesture here by moving one leg further back, bringing both hands to
the front and opening the eyes wider while tilting the character’s head
up a little up. These adjustments convey that the character is trying
to reach out and get a better view of what he seems to be amazed by.
Color blocking
With your pose already defined and with the color palette chosen, start
blocking out the shapes of the character with color. Try not to focus in
on any small details just yet. Play around with the contrast within the
colors. Separate each shape by assigning colors to them. Doing this
will allow you to check the overall silhouette of your character one last
time, and offer an opportunity to make further adjustments in order
to make the character stand out.
Opposite page (top):

Always try to improve
your design, even
the smallest change
can contribute to a
better final result
Opposite page
(bottom): Go back
and check your
character’s silhouette
This page: Lines will

always add definition
and sharpness to
your drawings
"Consider
that the
line weight
can create
depth in the
drawing"
Linework
Start adding definition to the character with the do not use much linework unless it is a heavily
linework. Consider that the line weight can create detailed character. In this case the character is
depth in the drawing; what is in front will usually not heavily defined, so I am only using lines to
be thicker and what is further behind will be separate the shapes and to give definition to the
thinner. Lines will also help us separate anything character. Linework will depend on each artist’s
that is overlapping and add definition. I personally style and preferences.
64 | Characters
Chapter title
with feeling: Amazement
This page: Use color

in your shadows to
set the mood
Opposite page:
Light will always
make everything
feel real and alive
"Create shadows by first choosing

where your light will come from"
Jefrain
Artist
Gallipoli
name | 65
Shadows and texture Highlights

Add depth and interest to your design with subtle texture and After adding textures and assigning shadows to the character, add
shadows. Create shadows by first choosing where your light will come highlights that will give even more interest and will bring the character
from. If you are using digital tools, create a separate layer, set it up to to life. It is easy to get carried away while adding highlights; if you
Multiply mode, and with a gray tone, start painting the shadows. This add too much the character will look as if it’s made of plastic, so be
will allow you to then come in with the eraser and define the shadow. conscious about what we are trying to portray here. Working digitally,
The trick behind this is that when the shadows are where you want I create another layer set up in screen mode, and add shine to the
them, you can assign color to them. This offers more interest to the helmet and eyes. I also play with the lighting inside of the helmet to
overall painting technique and helps to set a mood. In another layer, give more interest to the space suit.
(also in Multiply) adjust the brush and opacity size and start to add
textures to the character.
"use details such

as a birthmark,
tattoos, or designs
in the clothing to
suggest different
characteristics for
your character"
The power of details

I am almost finished with my space boy, but before I am
done, I like to add another layer. Then I can start adding
all those small details that will indicate a backstory and
make the character more believable. This is another stage
where you can get carried away easily, so keep it simple,
but interesting! Use details like a birthmark, tattoos, or
designs in the clothing to suggest different characteristics
for your character.
I add an insignia and dirt to my character’s space suit, to

indicate that this boy has been playing around on Earth,
discovering many new things that he will report back to
his home planet.
Final Result
My idea from the beginning was to
create an extraterrestrial character
IDEAS
who was amazed by what he has
discovered on Earth. Now that I am
TRASH CAN
satisfied with my little guy’s final
look, I can make small adjustments,
such as adding more textures or
In the early stages of ideation for this tutorial, I was new elements. Adding props or Above: Don’t overdo
thinking of developing a teenage alien character. I other characters will improve the it with the details
decided to not go further with that idea, because narrative of your concept. The
I realized that a teenager’s proportions could be addition of the butterflies helps to Opposite page: This
too awkward. The proportions of a child-like alien show my character interacting with alien boy is ready to keep
allowed me to play more with its facial features its surroundings, creating a scene exploring our world
and stick more with the original concept of babies in which it shows its amazement of Final image
discovering the world as they grow. Earth’s nature and life. © Jefrain Gallipoli
All images © Lulu Chen
Designing
with whimsy
LULU CHEN
Here I will demonstrate how I conceptualize whimsical and surreal character designs. To create
my designs, I personally enjoy using Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 and a Wacom Intuos Pro.
In order to showcase how I develop surreal characters, I will introduce a pair of demonic
siblings accompanied by a group of friendly magical creatures. When creating fantastical
characters, there are fewer rules to follow, and you will have more freedom to create a
dynamic and engaging story.
Lulu Chen | 69
SHAPES AND SILHOUETTES

I usually start by designing the shapes and silhouettes of the
characters. I am inspired by organic shapes that can be found in
nature. I find rounder shapes to be cuter and more approachable.
DETAILING AND REFINING Above: Begin by generating

Next, I sketch over the shapes to develop the details of the characters. At this stage interesting shapes to develop
I usually start thinking about the character’s traits and their prop design. I like to unusual characters
find small things in the forest and imagine stories behind them. For example there
could be a story behind a simple rock sitting on a blanket of moss or a seed sleeping Below: Using the initial
beneath the ground. silhouettes, build the
designs with details such
as clothing, facial features,
and quirky props
70 | Designing with whimsy
ADDING COLOR
Adding color is by far my favorite step
when it comes to designing characters
as it brings the designs to life. I have
designed these two main characters as
the children of demons. The little brother
has pointed teeth and the sister has a red
skin tone. I usually play around with cool
and warm palettes after deciding the
value I want for the characters.
Lulu Chen | 71
ASSIGNING VALUE
I always try to set the values at an early stage “ADDING COLOR IS BY
of my painting process. I only recently started
doing black-and-white value design a year ago. FAR MY FAVORITE
I found it useful for the overall design process,
especially because I tend to be very ambitious STEP WHEN IT
when it comes to using colors.
COMES TO DESIGNING
Left: Painting the characters with different
values to assign key elements of the design
CHARACTERS AS
Below: Adding color gives life to the designs and
IT BRINGS THE
conveys further details about the characters
DESIGNS TO LIFE”
72 | Designing with whimsy
BUILDING
PERSONALITY
I love to imagine the stories
behind my characters. I wanted
to give the sister a very calm and
caring personality, whereas the
little brother has a very loud and
energetic personality. I convey
these personalities by designing
shapes based on the personalities
that I gave them. The shape language
reflects these characteristics: the
sister has a soft and rounded form,
reflecting her easy-going and
gentle nature, whereas her brother
has angular shape language to
represent his strong presence and
boisterous nature.
Right: When devising characters, consider

their individual personalities
EXPLORATION
OF A WHIMSICAL
CREATURE
Here are some explorative sketches
demonstrating the process I use to
generate new character ideas. During
this phase, I experiment with different
facial expressions, body language,
and situations before choosing the
final design. Even slight variations
on different combinations of shapes
result in playful new characters.
Left: Explore many possibilities when

developing a quirky creature
Opposite page: Make sure to stage

your character in a relevant scene that
will support their design and concept
Lulu Chen | 73
SET THE SCENE

Once you have designed your whimsical character you can such as, what they might eat and what their home looks like.
start designing their environment. The environment that There is so much storytelling that can be done through small
the character is in is a crucial part of storytelling and gives details within the setting that the character exists in. Finally,
a whimsical character more context. Ask yourself questions, remember to have fun and let your imagination run wild!
Illustrious Filipino-American Visual Development Artist and Production Designer, Armand Serrano has built a highly
successful career working with a number of renowned studios across the globe. As he now branches out as a freelance
artist, he has been able to give us a sneaky peek into his creative journey to date, and offer a few gems of wisdom.
All images © Armand Serrano
76 | Industry profile
Hi Armand! Thank you for speaking with Marvel TV, hired me as layout supervisor Teaching is another passion of mine. While
to CDQ! For those who are new to for the X-Men and Fantastic Four series. working in active productions, I was an adjunct
your work, please can you describe professor at Art Center College of Design in
your career so far? In 1996 I moved to California to work for a Pasadena, California and I currently teach at
game development studio called 7th Level in the Brainstorm Inland School together with
As of now, my career spans for almost three Glendale. During my stay with the studio, I took other professionals in the industry. I also
decades. I was born and raised in the beautiful a Visual Development and Background Design conduct an online mentorship class for CG
city of Manila, Philippines. Though I’ve been class in the evening from the animation union Master Academy.
drawing all my life, I never planned to go school and learned from Disney professionals.
into animation and although I planned to After thirteen weeks in the program and
study either fine art or music in college, I was barely a year in the US, I was hired by Disney
subsequently diverted into civil engineering, Animation Studios to work on their new film
as suggested by my parents. They believed that The Legend of Fa Mulan (which later became Above (Left): Murmillo
the creative fields didn’t have any economic Mulan). I stayed with Disney for seven years, – An illustration created
promise. My passion brought me back to the then with Sony Pictures for nine years. In 2013, for a demonstration
arts after I graduated university and undertook Disney hired me back to work on Big Hero 6.
a very short stint as an apprentice engineer in a Last July, 2018, I left Disney to go freelance Above (Right):
construction firm in 1990. full-time and I am currently working for Marvel Samuraibot sketch – A
Studios. 3D rough created using
I was hired and trained to be an in-betweener the Gravity Sketch
by Hanna-Barbera, who had just opened a For almost three decades now, I have worked app in Oculus VR
studio in Manila to help with the demands in several major animated films, conducted
on their Saturday morning cartoons. Shortly lectures, demonstrations, and workshops in Opposite page:
after, I moved to the layout department several countries, and have worked on game Samuraibot – The
and refocused my skills from animation to visual development and illustrations for final version after
designing the environments. Then in 1992, studios such as Blizzard Entertainment, Blur taking the VR model
Philippine Animation Studio in connection Studios, Riot Games, and Niantic. into Photoshop
Armand Serrano | 77
This page: Greek

Opposite page: Guardian
Armand Serrano | 79
How do you think working for and training with such the DreamWorks call, the phone rang again and it was Disney. They
a wide variety of different creative companies has informed me that they loved my work and they wanted to offer me a job
impacted your style? as a layout key assistant for the Florida studio working on Mulan.
The experience was definitely a combination of risk, challenge, and I stayed in the Florida studio for seven years until Disney shut it down
growth as an artist. There’s no better teacher than experience. When in 2004. Films I worked on there were Mulan, Tarzan, Lilo and Stitch
working on a host of amazing projects, with different artists of varied and Brother Bear. When Sony learned that they were closing down the
design backgrounds and discipline, in campuses of different studios with Florida studio, they offered me a job to work on their newly formed
diverse cultures, I couldn’t help but absorb the best practices of those animation unit. I grabbed the opportunity and they relocated me to Los
worlds. It’s truly a privilege and a blessing to work with the best this Angeles to work on the best penguin movie ever, Surf’s Up, this time as
industry can offer. a key visual development artist. For the nine years I stayed with Sony,
I worked on around fifteen projects including Surf’s Up, Cloudy with a
You have worked for several extremely successful Chance of Meatballs, Arthur Christmas (for Aardman Studios) and Hotel
animation studios. How did you get your roles at these Transylvania. Right after Sony, Mulan director Tony Bancroft hired me to
studios? do production design on an independent animated film, Animal Crackers,
which was created in Spain and was recently released in China. In 2013,
As soon as I arrived in the US in 1996 to work in a game studio, I knew Disney offered me to work again in the studio. During my second stay
the quality of my work wasn’t on par with what major animation studios with Disney, I worked on Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,
were looking for. So, the very first thing I did was to take an evening Ralph Breaks the Internet, and on very early development of a couple of
summer program at the animation union trade school, Associates in Art. upcoming films.
It was a thirteen-week program and my instructors were both Disney
professionals. After completing the program, I built a new portfolio, July 2018 was when I said goodbye to the studio for the second time
and sent copies to Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, and Disney. Warner to become a full-time independent artist. This move made me take a
Brothers outright turned me down and said “You don’t have it!”, breather from the craziness of production, and focus on other artistic
DreamWorks called me and told me that they liked my work, but as I endeavors, teaching, and travel opportunities that I couldn’t do tied to
came from TV animation, they wanted to make sure I could do the job a studio.
first, so they scheduled me to take a test in the studio. A few hours after
Armand Serrano | 81
These pages:
Production design
for the Animal
Crackers movie
What was it that first drew you to I believe the three components of a successful glue to make the environment work is to
designing environments? animated film come in this order: a compelling support the personality, emotion, and design
story, appealing characters, and believable style of the character. The environment design
I believe the engineer in me has something world. Though I have to have a handle on has to have a personality and style of its own
to do with it. I am always thinking about the all three, I specialize on the latter. How that supports the mood and feelings of either
bigger picture, and creating the world that character design affects the environment the characters that live in that location or what
characters will live and evolve in excites me a can vary in different forms. The environment the story moment for that location evokes.
lot. World building puts me in the minds of an has to be researched. Every design element Location design supports the character that
architect, engineer, painter, and storyteller, all in the environment has to have authenticity, lives in that environment and not the other
rolled into one. believability, and functionality. But the main way around.
This page:
Merida sketch
– An Inktober
2016 illustration
Opposite page:
Merida colored
in Photoshop
What advice can you give to our practice to keep artists’ skills sharp and artists must persist and persevere whatever
readers about improving their competitive. This is an industry with projects challenges come in front of them. Lastly, it
animation design work? that crucially require a solid team effort on takes a lot of prayers not to lose hope and keep
the part of the artists. A constant decision consistently focused on their purpose.
The combination of practice, patience, to be patient enables an artist to complete a
perseverance, and prayers. It takes consistent long project successfully. To stay the course,
Armand Serrano | 83
Armand Serrano | 85
Does your experience creating for What influences your style and Now, with the availability of the VR medium,
animation inform your work for how has your approach changed Jama Jurabaev and Goro Fujita are definitely
other industries, such as video over the course of your career? the strongest influences, as they help me use
game development? this tool as part of my workflow.
In my three decades in the industry, there
The ability to stylize and push shapes and have been different artists that have greatly Where do you look for inspiration
sizes is a staple in animation design. This influenced my approach through the years. in the real world when developing
ability definitely crosses over to game design, The very first influences were US and Filipino a concept for environment design?
especially when the game art direction drives comic book artists, as well as traditional
into a highly stylized design language. The American illustrators and painters that I I try to travel around the world as much as I
best thing about the available technology, looked up to growing up. can and research environmental inspiration
whether in visual development or the for each world I build. My passion for history
production pipeline such as modeling, rigging, The next greatest influences on me as I grew mixed with my background in engineering
or animation, is that the same skill set is used stylistically in the animation industry, were play a big part in understanding the “hows”
across different platforms for both animation my colleagues who were working to keep and “whys” of establishing functionality and
and games. that traditional style aflame. Artists I worked believability of whatever elements I use for my
with in the Disney studio, including Paul Felix, location designs.
Marcelo Vignali, and Robh Ruppel were vital
practice, inspirations to me.
with speed!
‘Speed painting’ helps me sharpen When I worked at Sony, I had the opportunity Opposite page: Steampunk Bike – Poster
my skills, think efficiently, and to work with former DreamWorks artists Paul illustration for Icon Manila 2018
work at a good pace. Lasaine and Marcos Mateu Mestre. These two
artists were very inspiring and influential in my Above: Cavalry Charge
artistic growth into digital medium.
86 | The language of shapes
THE
LANGUAGE
OF SHAPES
TOM HÄNNI THE POWER
OF IMAGINATION
An elaborated shape language is crucial for crafting character designs. It Once you have really figured out who
enables you to develop interest, tell clearer stories, and therefore develop your character is going to be and what
more believable characters. adjectives suit them best, you need to use
your imagination. When you have some
Here are some of my design methods to explain how you can improve your vague ideas in your mind, sketch them out
overall shape language and create more impactful and expressive designs. roughly until you get closer and closer to
the appearance you visualized. It is kind of
a search using your mind’s eye.
THE BASICS
Let’s start with the basics of shape
design: there are curves, straight lines,
angular lines, the basic geometric
shapes and, of course, plenty of
variations in-between.
To ensure a design is balanced it is

crucial to use a mixture of shapes and
lines. A well-balanced combination of
forms builds the foundation of every
good character design.
Tom Hänni | 87
READABLE
COMBINATIONS
Using a combination of shapes and
lines, play around with roughing out
some character designs. Your goal is
to create a strong silhouette to make
your character instantly readable, so
try to capture the very essence of
your character in the simplest way
possible, and explain as much as you
can with fewer lines.
EXAGGERATE THE
LINE OF ACTION
Once you have your desired silhouette,
push it to the limits! Make big things even
bigger and small things even smaller to
make the design more exaggerated and
interesting. But try not to overcomplicate
the design, otherwise you may lose the
overall readability.
Use lines of action as guidelines. Consider

how the line of action will affect the
design dynamic while portraying the
character’s personality.
All images © Tom Hänni

88 | The language of shapes
ALL ABOUT
THE CONCEPT
While mastering techniques and tools is important,
THE EBB AND I would advise concentrating on your concept first.
FLOW OF LINEWORK Think about adjectives that suit your character’s
Pay attention to your lines and consider how they flow; you personality and story and make sure they are
want to aim for a combination of curvy and straight lines that clearly reflected in your design. Consider how
flow together nicely. Don’t forget to break them up in some you will tell the story and concept behind your
places and build in strong corners and edges to give your character to the viewer. From the moment you
design more contrast, dynamism, and automatically develop define your character’s silhouette and shape, it’s
more interest. Oppose vertical lines to horizontal ones, and all about acting and finding the best pose.
angles to arcs, to build up further drama.
Tom Hänni | 89
LOOSEN UP
If you’re feeling a bit stuck or
uninspired, a great exercise
for generating fresh ideas for
character designs is by doodling
quick, loose shapes then bringing
the forms to life with the addition
of a few basic features. Don’t
overthink, simply draw whatever
comes into your head when you
see the shape. You might create
new faces, creatures, or objects –
your imagination is the limit.
The same technique works with lines of

action. Loosely draw several dynamic
curves and use them as your lines of
action to build and create effective
poses for your characters. Again, it will
give you new ways to present and shape
your designs.
“DON'T
OVERTHINK,
SIMPLY DRAW
WHATEVER COMES
INTO YOUR HEAD”
90 | Redesigning classic characters: Ninja
Redesigning
classic
characters:
Ninja
MICHAEL BILLS
This article will cover the creation of an attempted fresh take on the traditional ninja
design you would normally see in popular media. The goal is to take the classic traits
associated with a ninja and try to work them into a unique idea. Follow the development
of the character from the thumbnailing phase to final fully rendered design.
Michael Bills | 91
STREAM OF
CONSCIOUSNESS
The subject matter is straightforward,
and you’d be hard pressed to find
someone who wouldn’t be able to
describe a ninja. Quickly jot down
the first things that pop into your
head when you hear “ninja.” You’ve
likely written down characteristics
that apply to most ninja characters.
A fun way to break the mold is by
quickly combining other descriptors
with ninja. You should end up with at
the very least a jumping off point for
possible ideas you can explore.
Above: All work you

see in the article
is created digitally
using Photoshop
CC 2018, on a
MacBook Pro with a
Wacom Cintiq Pro
Right: Lists may

not be exciting,
but they can be
useful in quickly
generating ideas
"A FUN WAY

TO BREAK
THE MOLD IS
BY QUICKLY
COMBINING
OTHER
DESCRIPTORS
WITH NINJA"
USE YOUR HEAD!

A nice way to warm up is to quickly fill a page with
loose sketches that you feel comfortable with. I
prefer to loosen up my drawing hand with a page
of head sketches. Whatever you choose to do as a
warm up, try not to think too much and just have
fun with it. The goal of warm up sketches is to get
the creative juices flowing and to get your mind in
the right creative space.
"THE GOAL HERE

IS TO LAY DOWN
A FOUNDATION"
ALL THUMBS
Time to thumbnail! Generating thumbnails
should be a quick and loose process. In a new
document, start with simple poses and shapes.
Keep the theme in mind as you draw, but don’t
get too bogged down in the details just yet.
The goal here is to lay down a foundation.
Make sure to play with different body shapes
and throw in a few dynamic poses so that when
you get to the next step, you force yourself
to think a bit more. Trouble getting started?
Jump online and look for reference poses.
Michael Bills | 93
Opposite page
(bottom): While
these are digital
thumbnails, there
are no rules. Draw
on whatever
you want
This page: This

exploration will
help you to choose
a direction to take
your character
PULLING OUT IDEAS

Lower the Opacity of your thumbnails to around 40%. On a new layer, start to find the characters in your thumbnails. Explore the shapes and
body types that you have laid down and start to flesh out the designs. This still being an early, rough stage, it’s important to make sure you’re
still not getting too bogged down in the details, but feel free to start exploring some of the larger features of the characters, such as hair
and clothing. If a character has weapons, don’t feel the need to go beyond a basic line or simple shape as an indicator.
"IDENTIFY
THE DESIGNS
THAT JUMP
OUT AND
THAT YOU'D
LIKE TO
EXPLORE
FURTHER"
WHITTLE IT DOWN
Once you have a sheet of thumbnails,
identify the designs that jump out the
most and that you’d like to explore further. This page: Don’t
On a new layer, take those chosen few and feel like you have
add them to the top of the sheet. Below, to stick with the
using those roughs as visual reference, poses of your
continue to explore the characters. It can chosen thumbnails
help to go a step further and draw a few
different head types to get a better feel for Opposite page:
each character's personality. It’s important Now is a good time
at this point to start thinking about who to set the tone
these characters are, and how they act. of the character
with a pose
Michael Bills | 95
THE CHOSEN ONE!

After you choose a character, bring the
rough over to a new layer, scale it up and add
a neutral gray behind it. Lower the Opacity
to around 40% and add a new layer above
it. Here you will begin to rough out the
basic body foundation of your character.
Once again, it helps to utilize lists to work
out the specifics of the character before
continuing. Use this opportunity to give
your character a backstory. Who is this guy?
What does he do for a living? Where does
he live? Where did he develop the skills
necessary to call himself a ninja?
SET THE STAGE DRESS UP!

It’s time to give yourself a clean base on which On a new layer, referencing your original rough
to build. Lower the Opacity of your newly list of character features, start to dress your
roughed form to around 30%. Using a small, character. In this case the character, a former
hard oval brush with a slight tilt, start to lay martial arts stuntman, is dressed in workout
down clean linework for the character’s body. attire. The hoodie and sweats allow him to move
This particular brush selection is intended to freely without constriction. The wraps and
add a bit more interest to the linework without gloves offer support and help to prevent injury
being too uniform or relying too heavily on when knocking heads. He carries a prop katana
varying line weights. The focus at this stage sword, a reminder of the good old days, to instill
should just be the figure and the face. Make fear in his targets. And like any knowledgeable
sure you are able to convey the kind of attitude member of the elderly community, socks with
this character has without having to rely too sandals provide comfort for one constantly on
much on props. the move.
Michael Bills | 97
"FILL THE SILHOUETTE WITH A LIGHT GRAY TO

GET A BETTER SENSE OF YOUR CHARACTER"
Opposite page (left):

Build the clean base
figure of your character
Opposite page (right):

Red linework helps with
visibility as you draw
This page: At this point

you should have a solid,
clothed character, ready
to be accessorized
LOOKING SHARP
Once you’ve settled on your character’s attire, it’s
time to combine all the linework. While the body and
clothing layer are still separate, work your way around
the design and erase the linework that otherwise
wouldn’t make sense when the layers are combined.
Use this opportunity to make tweaks to the clothing
as you go, such as refinding form or adding details.
Once you’re happy with it, combine the linework
layers and make them black again. On a layer under
the linework, fill the silhouette with a light gray to get
a better sense of your character.
ACCESSORIZE!
On a new layer, and using a new color, rough in some accessories that make
sense for your character. Depending on your choice of ninja, your character
may carry a ton of equipment, or next to nothing. Referencing back to your list,
ask yourself what sort of things your character might be carrying. Start to rough
in all the accessories on the figure in a manner that makes sense. If something
you add doesn’t quite sit right on your base, rough in what adjustments you’d
need to make before moving on to the final line art.
Above: Have fun accessorizing.

You can always pull back GEAR UP!
if you go too far Lower the Opacity of your rough accessories
and start laying in your clean linework.
Right: Fanny packs: No better Remember to keep any reference material
way to carry your medications you might need handy if you are going to get
and smoke bombs detailed. Combine the linework just as you did
earlier after adding clothing. Give the design
Opposite page (left): Add shading another once over and make any additional
to indicate form and selectively adjustments before continuing. When you
use gradients to break up areas are ready, do away with the light gray fill you
where shading is minimal had behind the linework, and replace it with a
white silhouette.
Opposite page (right): Now is a
good time to add additional design
elements that don't require line art
Michael Bills | 99
THROWING SHADE
Add a layer above the white fill layer and turn
the white fill layer into a Clipping Mask. The
empty layer will be your shading layer. Lower
the layer Opacity to 40% and using a black,
hard brush, apply shading to your character. For
the sake of clarity, don’t get too dramatic. Stay
ambiguous enough that the shading doesn’t
fight with the rest of the design. Once the hard COLORIZE!
shadows are laid in, use a soft round brush and Turn off your shadow layer for
do a couple of passes around the rounder parts now, and turn your attention to
to better indicate form. laying down flat colors. There’s
no real science to this process.
Find a color palette you like and
think works for the character,
and on a new layer, begin to drop
FLIP IT! color under the linework. A good
A well-known tip, but worth mentioning over and over method for doing this is to use
again. Make sure to flip your design as you work. Changing the Magic Wand tool to select
your perspective can help to draw your attention to things similar areas, such as skin. Go to
that are out of place and need to be adjusted, revised or the Select drop down menu >
redone. Working traditionally? Holding your picture up to a Modify > Expand and input 2 px.
mirror or simply turning it upside down can have the same This will prevent any weird halos
effect. It’s a habit worth getting into to avoid having to appearing along the line art after
make massive changes further down the line. you drop in your chosen color.
CATCHING SHADE
Turn your shadow layer back on and make sure it is above your new color layer.
While in your shadow layer, open your Hue/Saturation menu and check Colorize.
We are going to change the shadow color to something that better suits your
chosen color scheme. Every design is different, so adjust the Hue, Saturation,
and Brightness sliders until you find something that fits. Add another more
subtle shadow layer if needed until you’re happy with how everything looks.
Also consider placing gradients to help add interest to different areas.
TURN ON THE LIGHTS

With your shadows in place, add a new layer for highlights. Change the Opacity
of the highlight layer to 50% and Blend mode to Screen. Using the Lasso tool,
draw and select the areas that you would like to indicate being lit. We are saving
the dramatic lighting until the end, so for now, select the color your highlight
falls on, and fill your selection. Vary your highlights between hard and soft to
help differentiate materials. A combination of making a selection and using a
gradient is a nice way to indicate form on the character.
Michael Bills | 101
HOME STRETCH
Choose a saturated color that suits your character
and add a rim light to convey a bit of drama,
without worrying about background elements.
Using that same color, add a gradient over the
entire character on a new layer, with the Blend
mode set to Screen and lowering the opacity. The
gradient sitting across all the other elements can
add nice subtle lighting and help to vary the colors
in the design. Adding color to the character’s
shadow and line art also gives the design
something extra. To color your line art easily, use
the layer as a Clipping Mask and color as desired.
Opposite page (top): Try

experimenting with layer
blend modes to get even
more varied results
Opposite page (bottom):

Small highlights on top of the
linework is always a nice touch
This page: Make sure to consider

adding any additional elements
before calling it finished!
Final image © Michael Bills
IDEAS
TRASH CAN
I originally wanted the character to have more
than just one bag. The more I thought about it, SO NOISY!
the more I reasoned, if I were an old man running As a finishing touch I’ve added an additional noise layer on top of the
around, kicking butt, I’d want to be light on my character. Setting the Blend mode to Soft Light and Opacity to 20%, the
feet. The result was doing away with the sling bag, noise layer adds a little bit more implied texture to the various materials
and sticking with just the waist bag. Whenever I on the character. It also serves to help break up large areas of similar
see elderly on the go, the one constant is a nice, colors. It’s worth experimenting with different blend modes to see how
accessible waist bag. Easy access for medications, a noise layer may affect the final look of your character.
hard candies, and smoke bombs. Everything an old
ninja might need.
Contributors
MICHAEL BILLS LULU CHEN MAGDALINA DIANOVA LINA DŪDAITĖ
Artist at N3TWORK Inc. Student Illustrator Freelance Character Designer Freelancer Illustrator and
michaelbills.com luluchenillustration.com instagram.com/magdalina.dianova Graphic Designer
behance.net/dudaite
SCAD-graduate Michael has Imaginative Taiwan-based illustrator Magdalina is a self-taught artist who Lina is an award-winning children’s
worked in mobile games for ten Lulu loves drawing chubby loves telling stories through her book illustrator. The Lithuanian
years. He lives in Charleston, South dachshunds and crafting new characters. She works on animated artist has illustrated a range of
Carolina with his wife and dog. magical creatures. films and games. books and offers workshops.
JEFRAIN GALLIPOLI TOM HÄNNI PATRICK SCHOENMAKER ARMAND SERRANO

Freelance Visual Development Character designer and Co- Character Designer, Animator, Visual Development Artist
Artist and Illustrator owner of Pixelfarm, Switzerland and Director at Frame Order and Production Designer
jefraingallipoli.com tomscharacter.blogspot.com patrickschoenmaker.com armandserrano.com
Originally from Venezuela, Jefrain Co-founder of the design studio Patrick has worked in the movie, Armand works on animated
lives in Los Angeles, where he Pixelfarm. He has worked as a animation, and toy industry, and is films and games, as well as an
spends his time drawing, exploring, character designer and animator a member of animation collective international lecturer in visual
and learning new ways to make art. since graduating. Frame Order. storytelling and design.
AVELINE STOKART DANIEL TARRANT

Freelance Character Designer Character Designer and Illustrator
and Concept Artist danieltarrantart.com
avelinestokart.com
Belgium-based artist Aveline Based in the UK, Daniel is a freelance

illustrates for children’s books and character designer and illustrator
enjoys collaborating in the visual who has worked in animation and
development for CG feature films. children’s illustration.
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Image © Daniel Tarrant

Image © Magdalina Dianova

Delve into the With a professional Learn how to Micheal Bills

Final image © Aveline Stokart

“The circle conveys softness... The square

Choose a definitive form

Play with features

Left: The overall

Define the important features

Use your research

Colorize your character

Right: Thumbnails of different Compose your scene

Opposite page (bottom): The

Developing the scene

Set your light

“feel free to take a

Finalize your image

The final illustration combining all the previously

When designing otherworldly characters, aim to create something that

MAKE FRIENDS WITH

All images © Daniel Tarrant

Below: Lina in the studio

Hi Lina, thanks so much for me a job illustrating a book.

Your illustrations have

stay original Of course, it helps in a way, but I

your own way

and keep to it”

Another very important step is to

Left: Illustration for the classic fairy

Left: Vignette for the

Opposite page: Piglet

an illusion – it doesn't exist” as a consequence your works have an eerie quality.

Do you believe it is important to

a few practical tips for

breaking into children’s

• How would you like to see your career

• is a work in progress and this stage is pretty fragile

• Illustrating a book takes around six to twelve months,

• want to grow up!

Be determined, patient, and passionate!

Opposite page (bottom): What’s that Sound? – An

Keep everything loose and sketchy in order to focus on

DRAINED BODY LANGUAGE

All images © Magdalina Dianova

BECOME YOUR CHARACTER

Hey Patrick! Thank you for taking

It’s such an honor, thank you for having me!

The thing I valued most during my studies

Opposite page (top): Character

Opposite page (bottom): Model

Left: Poster for BINGO!

When you think about it, that’s actually

Your designs depicting The Adventures

I was asked to create artwork for prints and

Oh yes, Harrison Ford was so much more

Left: One of the Indiana Jones prints created for

“Even though daily

Left: An evil sorcerer

“The shared journey of finding your