#SIMPLE COMIC CHARACTER DESIGNS PROFESSIONAL#

Then I create a new layer and sketch the armor on top of it while keeping an eye on the reference images. Before starting to sketch the armor, I lower the opacity of the anatomy layer to around 30 from the Layer palette to hide it slightly. To properly draw armor, it is necessary to do some research by looking at reference images. This character will be traveling through different eras of history and in each one he will wear the armor of the time, which means that his anatomy will remain hidden and only his face and neck will be visible. The next step is to sketch the clothes and face. It’s good enough to get the proportions right so you can integrate clothes and accessories coherently without worrying about anatomical errors. If the character is going to have their whole body covered by clothes, it is not necessary to draw the anatomy perfectly. I always tell my students that drawing is like building: start by building the foundation with a good anatomy sketch, then dress the character and finally add the details. If, for example, you are working on a sci-fi work and the character is wearing armor, you will have to fit it on top of the basic drawn anatomy. The first step is to draw his basic anatomy so we can put on the clothes, accessories, etc. To save time, I have already prepared the character base with some poses. I’m going to draw him with my custom pencils, but you can use the default Clip Studio Paint pencils. I start sketching the character with the Pencil tool (keyboard shortcut: P). If, for example, the character uses a time-travel watch, you will not only have to draw its design, but also where the character wears it.Īnd last but not least, it is important that you like the character’s design, as you will have to draw it in many pages of the comic! In these cases, a front view, a couple of close-ups of the face with different facial expressions, another view with the character doing a typical pose of theirs and the gadgets or weapons that are relevant to the story would suffice. If, for example, the character is only going to wear jeans and a T-shirt with a design on the front, it may not be necessary to draw him from the back. Generally, the character has to be drawn from several angles, front and back views being the most basic ones, although it depends on the situation. There is also an important difference between designing a character for a comic and designing it for other kinds of works such as animation or videogames: since you will have to draw the character in plenty of panels throughout the comic, you shouldn’t add too much detail unless you want to spend a lot of time drawing the character every time they’re needed. In those cases, you will have to give it your best working with the information you have been given, whether it is a description of the character or simply a synopsis. In some projects, especially in commissioned work, the character’s script may not be ready. To properly design a character, you must not only draw it, but also convey its personality through its clothing, accessories, and facial and body expressions. Of course, you can adapt my character design steps to your likes and preferences. …but this list of The Best New Concept Art Books will help you do both.I’m Carlos Nieto, a Spanish comic artist (although my commissions come mainly from the United States) and in this tutorial, I’ll show you how I create and design my comic characters. I know it can be overwhelming to research the history of Concept Art and stay relevant in such an innovative industry… You have to find out what’s behind the doors and why. Your random collection of keys won’t unlock anything on their own.

#SIMPLE COMIC CHARACTER DESIGNS PROFESSIONAL#

Sometimes they’ll share it on Social Media but, either way, they’re not learning anything about what it really means to be a professional Concept Artist. They scroll the Internet, collecting single pieces of Concept Art and toss it all into a hoard file on their hard drive.

Some aspiring Concept Artists spend all their time collecting keys but never bother to unlock any doors. They notice this beautiful key you have displayed and they say to you: “I think I know where to find the lock. Now imagine, one day, a good friend comes over for coffee. …or maybe you display it, so you can share it with others. After all, the key is a beautiful work of art in and of itself. You take it home, toss it in a drawer and forget about it.

You pick it up and realize it’s the most unusual and ornate key you’ve ever seen. Imagine you’re walking along a street in a big, busy city.ĭespite all the noise and movement, something shiny catches your eye.

Simple comic character designs