How to Draw Your Original Character
Creating a unique individual can be a daunting task, but with the right artistic tools, you can bring your original characters to life. Whether it’s a fullbody illustration, character profile, comics, fan art, or any other type of artwork, knowing the basics of how to draw your own original creations will bring your art to the next level. This article will guide you through the essential techniques that will help you create the Ocs of your dreams.
Step one: Develop the Character’s Persona
Developing the character’s persona is essential to ensuring the final outcome best reflects the character’s identity. Taking the time to create a character profile with details such as name, age, physical features, hobbies, interests, and other information pertaining to the character’s personality will give you an idea of how to portray the character. Connecting to the character through the creative design process can help you create an authentic identity.
Step two: Choose a Drawing Style
Choosing a drawing style is an important step that can greatly influence the overall aesthetic of the character. Different drawing styles evoke a variety of feelings, so it is important to figure out what type of drawing style resonates with you. Whether it’s an anime, manga, comic book, cartoon, or realistic style, picking a drawing style and refining it is key to truly showcasing the character’s personality.
Step three: Outline the Character
Outlining the character is one of the most important steps in creating an Oc. Drawing the basic outline of the character’s body is the starting point and will help give you an overall vision of what the character looks like. Start with lines and shapes and gradually add more details like eyes, hair, and clothes. Depending on the style of artwork you want to create, the lines and outlines can vary from thin and detailed to thick and basic.
Step four: Refine the Character
Now that you have an overall shape and structure for the character, it’s time to refine the details. Refining the details of the character can make all the difference in achieving a unique and professional look. This includes things like adding shading and texture to bring the character to life. You can also use color to further differentiate the character from others. By adding color, details, shadows, and highlights, you can create a three-dimensional effect that will make your Oc stand out from the crowd.
Step five: Critique, Edit, and Re-design
The last step in creating your Oc is the most important and can take the most time. Critiquing, editing, and re-designing are some of the most time-required but also most necessary steps in order to take your Oc to the next level. Having a professional eye to review the character can help you pick up on details that you may have missed as well as provide constructive feedback to improve the overall design. Furthermore, revisiting older designs can help you understand how you’ve grown as an artist and, who knows, maybe you’ll find some characters that could be just as amazing with a few tweaks and updates.
Conclusion
Drawing and creating your original characters can be an incredibly rewarding experience in terms of personal growth and satisfaction. With the right creativity and art tools, you can turn any idea into a vivid and visually-appealing illustration. So take some time to develop your character’s unique persona, choose a drawing style, outline and refine the character, and don’t forget to critique and edit on a regular basis for the most successful results.
