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Character Design for Video Games

Fran Krause

4.7

Based on 989 ratings

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Fran Krause

In this course you will explore concepts and approaches involved in creating successful character designs that can be applied to video games. Following a first week delving into some foundational concepts for successful character design, each of the remaining three weeks are structured as a master class where you will observe three professional character designers at work in the studio: Andy Ristaino (Adventure Time), Jacky Ke Jiang (Journey), and Robertryan Cory (SpongeBob SquarePants). Each designer will take on two different design challenges on the fly and address the various issues in designing characters for games, such as movement, expression, and technical limitations. At the end of each week you will have an opportunity to try out some of the concepts from that week's lesson on characters of your own design.

This is a fun and engaging class especially useful for students interested in animation in film and TV as well as games, and is suitable for students of any drawing ability.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Week 1: About Character

In this first week of the course, we will explore some of the major concepts involved in creating compelling, unique, and purposeful characters. These ideas will provide the basis for your assignment this week and lay the groundwork for our visits with professional designers in the coming weeks.

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Explores industry-standard concepts and approaches for character design in video games

Features master classes with three professional character designers, showcasing their design processes and challenges

Provides hands-on opportunities for learners to apply concepts and create their own character designs

Includes a session on technical challenges faced in character design for games, such as movement and limitations

Suitable for learners of any drawing ability, making it accessible to beginners and experienced artists alike

Taught by experts in the field of character design, offering valuable insights and guidance

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Reviews summary

Professional character design insights

According to learners, this course offers valuable insights into character design for video games directly from renowned industry professionals like Andy Ristaino, Jacky Ke Jiang, and Robertryan Cory. Students particularly appreciate the masterclass format, observing designers tackle practical design challenges on the fly. Many found the content inspiring and engaging, providing a strong foundation in design concepts, movement, and expression. While suitable for various drawing levels, some note it focuses on the design process and philosophy rather than detailed software tutorials or fundamental drawing techniques. Overall, the course is largely positive, offering a unique look into professional workflows.

Best with some prior art skill.

"While it says any drawing ability, having some fundamental drawing skills definitely helps you get more out of watching the demos."

"Beginners with no drawing experience might find it fast-paced or difficult to follow the demonstrations without prior context."

"I had some basic art background, which made it much easier to understand and apply what the designers were doing."

"It's not a 'how to draw' course, but rather a 'how to design' course, which assumes some visual literacy."

"If you're brand new to art, consider taking a drawing fundamentals course first."

Strong foundation in principles.

"The first week on foundational concepts was very useful before seeing the pros work. It set a great theoretical basis."

"It really helped me understand the thinking behind successful character design, focusing on purpose and personality."

"Covering movement, expression, technical constraints, and finding uniqueness gave me a solid base for my own projects."

"The course explains the 'why' behind design choices very well, which is crucial."

"I feel I have a much better grasp of design principles after taking this course."

Observe designers solve problems.

"The format where you watch them tackle challenges on the spot felt very authentic and educational. It's like being in the studio."

"Observing their thought process as they drew and explained their decisions was more helpful than a traditional lecture format."

"I loved seeing how each designer approached the same problem differently, highlighting diverse creative strategies."

"Watching the pros design characters in real-time was incredibly inspiring and demystified the process."

"This unique observational structure is a major strength of the course."

Learn from industry veterans.

"Getting to see designers from Adventure Time and Spongebob work was incredible. Their experience and tips are invaluable."

"The sessions with Andy Ristaino and Jacky Ke Jiang were the highlights for me, showing real-world approaches and problem-solving."

"Their insights into character design for games, handling technical limitations, and capturing expression were priceless for my own work."

"I really enjoyed seeing the different workflows of the three professional designers and how they approached similar problems."

"Hearing directly from pros about their process is hugely motivating and educational."

Not a software tutorial course.

"Don't expect deep dives into Photoshop, ZBrush, or specific game art software techniques. It's not that kind of course."

"The focus is more on the design thinking and concepting process than the technical rendering or modeling execution."

"I was hoping for a bit more hands-on steps in digital painting or 3D sculpting based on the designs."

"It's valuable for design philosophy, but you'll need other resources for software skills."

"This course teaches you how to *think* like a character designer, not necessarily how to *draw* or *render* like one."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Character Design for Video Games with these activities:

Read: The Animator's Survival Kit

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Gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of animation, which will enhance your ability to create successful character designs.

View The Animator's Survival Kit: Runs, Jumps and... on Amazon

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Read Chapter 1: The Illusion of Life
Read Chapter 2: Squash and Stretch

Character Design Exercises

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Practice creating character designs by completing exercises that focus on different aspects of character design.

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Design a character based on a specific emotion
Design a character that represents a specific concept

Observe Professional Designers at Work

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Study how professional designers approach character design by watching tutorials and videos.

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Watch a video tutorial on character design
Analyze the design process used in the tutorial

Four other activities

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Peer Review and Discussion

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Improve your designs by getting feedback from peers and engaging in discussions.

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Share your character designs with peers
Provide constructive feedback to peers

Create a Character Design Portfolio

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Showcase your best character designs in a portfolio to demonstrate your skills and creativity.

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Select your best character designs
Create a portfolio website or document

Mentor Junior Designers

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Reinforce your understanding by teaching and guiding others in the field of character design.

Browse courses on Mentorship

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Identify opportunities to mentor junior designers
Provide guidance and support to junior designers

Compile Your Course Materials

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Review and organize your course materials to improve retention and understanding.

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Organize your notes and assignments
Review your notes and materials regularly

Career center

Learners who complete Character Design for Video Games will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Character Designer

Character designers create visual representations of characters for use in various media, including video games, television, and film. This course's in-depth exploration of character design principles and techniques may directly translate to success as a character designer in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Designer

Visual Development Artist

Visual development artists create the initial visual concepts and designs for characters and environments in video games. This course's in-depth exploration of character design principles and techniques may provide valuable insights for visual development artists looking to advance their careers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Development Artist

Lead Character Artist

Lead character artists oversee the creation and development of character designs for video games. This course's in-depth exploration of character design principles and techniques may provide valuable insights for lead character artists looking to advance their careers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lead Character Artist

Creative Director

Creative directors oversee the creative vision and direction of creative projects. For those creative directors working in the video game industry, this course's exploration of character design from the perspective of industry professionals may provide valuable insights into the game development process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Director

Texture Artist

Texture artists create the textures and materials that give characters in video games their visual appearance. This course's emphasis on the design process and the translation of concepts into visual forms may benefit texture artists looking to work in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Texture Artist

Illustrator

Illustrators create visual representations of concepts and ideas for use in various media, including video games. This course's emphasis on the design process and the translation of concepts into visual forms may benefit illustrators looking to work in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator

Art Director

Art directors oversee the visual style and overall design of creative products. For those art directors working in the video game industry, this course's detailed exploration of character design could provide valuable insight into the design process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director

Animator

Animators work using a variety of tools and techniques to create animated films and videos. This course's focus on the creative process of character design may help build a foundation for animators who wish to make a career in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Technical Animator

Technical animators use specialized software and techniques to create and manipulate character animations for video games. This course's exploration of the technical challenges and limitations of character design for games may be beneficial to technical animators looking to advance their careers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Animator

2D Animator

2D animators create animated images and characters for use in various media, including video games. This course's emphasis on the principles of movement and expression may be beneficial to 2D animators looking to work in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for 2D Animator

3D Animator

3D animators create animated images and characters for use in various media, including video games. This course's emphasis on the principles of movement and expression may be beneficial to 3D animators looking to work in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for 3D Animator

Motion Capture Artist

Motion capture artists use specialized equipment to capture and record human movements for use in various media, including video games. This course's emphasis on the principles of movement and expression may be beneficial to motion capture artists looking to work in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Motion Capture Artist

Producer

Producers oversee the production of creative projects, including video games. While this course focuses specifically on character design, its exploration of the design process and the collaboration between different roles in the development process may be helpful to producers looking to gain a better understanding of the creative side of game development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Producer

Rigger

Riggers create the digital skeletons and controls that allow characters in video games to move and interact with the environment. This course's emphasis on the principles of movement and expression may be beneficial to riggers looking to work in the gaming industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Rigger

Game Designer

Game designers create the overall design and gameplay of video games. While this course focuses specifically on character design, its exploration of design principles and considerations may be helpful to game designers who wish to understand how character design impacts the overall gaming experience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer

Reading list

We've selected 26 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Character Design for Video Games.

Creating Characters with Personality

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Step-by-step guide to creating characters with personality. It covers a wide range of topics, from developing a character's backstory to creating a unique visual style. It valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the process of character design.

Character Design for Video Games

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Professional character design insights

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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