Character ART Academy: Complete Character Design Course

Set up your drawing workspace and canvas for optimal detail, choosing 1280x720 at 300 dpi in RGB, and learn with Photoshop or other drawing tools, or by hand.

Master frequently used photoshop tools and shortcuts, including the brush (B), eraser (E), eye dropper, lasso (L), free transform (Ctrl+T), and layer management.

Learn to use the Cissy Character brush set in Photoshop, load brushes, adjust size with alt+right-click and brackets, and control opacity and pressure for expressive character drawing.

Explore art fundamentals, from line types, weight, and texture to shape and form. Learn how value, perspective, and detail convey mood and character design.

Explore line fundamentals for character design, detailing vertical, horizontal, diagonal, zigzag, and curved lines, their weights, lengths, directions, and how lines convey mood, guide the viewer, and define style.

Explore line weights to convey depth in character design by using thicker, darker lines in the foreground and lighter lines in the background, guided by atmospheric perspective.

Master line weights in character design by using heavier lines for closer objects, thicker outer contours and converging lines, and recessed areas, while thinner lines mark soft materials, light-facing edges.

Master contour line drawing to improve hand-eye coordination and shape recognition with eight practical exercises, from drawing a hand to blind contour and continuous-line studies.

Explore shape fundamentals to convey character personality through circle, square, and triangle language; circles suggest friendliness, squares imply strength, and triangles signal dynamism, as seen in the Incredibles.

Apply shape in character design by breaking characters into basic shapes—circles, rectangles, triangles, trapeziums—analyzing heads, torsos, limbs across Hotel Transylvania characters and a dancer, to guide dynamic poses.

Explore form fundamentals by turning 2d shapes into 3d forms using construction lines and shading. Break characters into simple cylinders, spheres, and other forms to create three dimensional character designs.

Explore highlights, shadows, and light-source placement to define form in character design, mastering highlights, midtones, core shadows, cast shadows, and reflected light across spheres, cylinders, and lips.

Explore value fundamentals in character design by building and calibrating a nine-value scale from white to black, mastering gradual tonal transitions to reveal form.

Explore how detailing textures, wrinkles, drapery, and decorative elements polishes character design and beautifies your drawing. Add eye details, hair texture, and patterned clothing—Elsa shows its impact.

Explore contrast in character design by balancing straight and curved lines, square versus round shapes, and warm versus cool colors, illustrated with examples from Up and Inside Out.

Apply foundational character design techniques by breaking figures into basic shapes, sketching, and outlining, then vary line weight and add details based on reference to create dynamic characters.

Explore what a visual library is and how to develop it through observation, books, and film or games, to boost recall, creativity, and character design.

Learn head-based proportions for male and female bodies, using a 7.5-head system, recognize that males have broader shoulders and females wider hips, and apply stylized variations with practice sheets.

Explore how age shapes male and female body proportions using a head-size measuring system, from two-head babies to nine-head adults. Learn to reference universal proportions and tailor unique character designs.

Learn head proportion for male and female characters using five lines—eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin—and explore Elsa and Hilda’s stylized differences with a grid-based practice sheet.

Draw heads from imagination using Loomis’ approach, front and side views. Build with circle and square guides, place features by proportional lines, then add ears, hair, and neck.

Apply the Andrew Loomis method to draw heads from any angles, starting with a circle for the skull, then chop with an ellipse and add intersecting lines.

Master breaking the neck into a simple cylinder, study the infrahyoid and clavicles, and construct the head, neck, and shoulders from basic shapes using reference photos.

Learn to draw breasts by shaping them with a raindrop base over a torso, with nipples pointing upward, using reference photos for accurate forms.

Learn to block out male chests with a rectangular basic shape, build with pecs, obliques, and abs, and use center lines and reference photos to handle front and angled views.

Learn to break the female torso into simple shapes - an elongated circle for the rib cage, a compressed pelvis, and a neck cylinder - then draw on reference photos.

Break down the male torso into basic shapes, using rectangular or trapezium outlines for the rib cage and pelvis, then connect them to form the stomach with reference photos.

Break arms into basic forms: upper and lower arms as cylinders with an elbow sphere. Identify deltoid, bicep, and triceps, and practice on reference photos to block shapes before detailing.

Learn to draw hands by blocking basic palm and finger shapes, using the French fries and cylinder methods, and refining with reference photos.

Learn to draw legs by breaking them into basic cylinders, with the knee as a circle and the feet as trapeziums, using reference photos to master perspective and contour.

Break down feet into basic shapes, trapezium and rectangular forms for the foot, and cylinders for the toes, and refine sketches using reference photos.

Identify the line of action, an imaginary curved middle axis from head to spine. Use cylinder and human-figure exercises to develop dynamic, organic movement in character design.

Master gesture drawing by choosing a reference, starting with the line of action, and blocking basic shapes: head, torso, pelvis, and limbs as cylinders—to give characters life.

Explore gesture drawing by mastering the line of action as the first step using reference photos to capture the torso and pelvis direction with organic, curved lines.

Master gesture drawing, the second step, by blocking the line of action and basic shapes from the head through the neck, torso, pelvis, and limbs, using cylinders and circles.

Draw dynamic poses by applying a curved line of action and avoiding symmetrical stances. Build the figure from basic shapes and outline the torso, pelvis, and legs to capture motion.

Explore shape language and character silhouettes to convey mood and narrative through organic, geometric, and abstract shapes, and learn silhouette techniques for clear, memorable designs.

Learn to draw expressive eyes and eyebrows across nine moods—happy, shock, frightened, laughing, confident, surprise, angry, suspicious, and annoyed—using photo references and iris reflections for character design.

Learn to draw nine mouth expressions—happy, shocked, frightened, laughing, confident, surprise, angry, suspicious, and feeling annoyed—by blocking basic shapes, marking corners, and using reference images.

Learn to draw six facial expressions—happy, sad, frightened, angry, laughing, and surprise—by shaping the head, eyebrows, eyes, and mouth in character design.

Discover how to draw hair with a clear parting line and rough sketches, focusing on looseness and flow, hair direction, length, layering, and volume to shape expressive characters.

Block out hair shapes with lines before detailing, using head sketches with circular craniums and parting line, then add layers and smaller strands for long, short, and curly hair.

Block out hair shapes with simple forms, starting from a basic head, add parting lines, and then create curly and short hair while focusing on blocking rather than details.

Learn to draw hair and hairstyles by starting with the parting line, blocking the basic shape, then rendering details across styles like double tail, long straight, curly, and sharp hair.

Explore seven drapery folds: pipe fold, diaper fold, half-lock fold, drop fold, zigzag fold, inert fold, and spiral fold, drawing each with shapes, directions, and a cylindrical or tubular feeling.

Block out costume shapes using rectangles and triangles to suggest strength, then switch to circular and organic forms for friendly or floral personalities, adding necklaces and dress details.

Design costume ideas by layering garments, drawing belts, dresses with drapery folds, and applying decorations. Create varied outfits with accessories, necklaces, capes, bracelets, diamonds, shoes, boots, gloves, and trousers.

Explore the basics of color theory—hue, saturation, value—and how primary, secondary, and tertiary colors relate, with tints, shades, and tones shaping mood.

Explore color temperature by balancing warm and cool colors to convey character personality and visual emphasis. Use a dominant temperature with a contrasting highlight to make designs pop.

Explore basic color schemes including monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split-complementary, triadic, and tetradic to understand how harmony shapes mood in character design.

Choose a foundation color by selecting a tone range, jewel, earth, pastel, warm, or cool, and develop a complementary or split-complementary palette, e.g., purple and orange, reflecting the character’s personality.

Explore the five stage workflow for character design: brainstorm, reference, rough sketch, refined drawing, and silhouette. Use a three-column brainstorm to plan personality, features, and doodles.

Explore the character design workflow by breaking down rough sketches and refined drawings, focusing on shapes, line flow, form, silhouette, and color palettes.

Watch a full demo drawing of Diana, highlighting a rough sketch as the first step in character design.

Watch a full lineart drawing demo by Diana as part of the Character ART Academy course, showcasing a step-by-step approach to lineart techniques for character design.

Watch a full Diana character drawing demonstration that highlights lineart details, showcasing practical techniques for complete character design.

watch a full demo drawing of Diana in color, presented within a complete character design course to showcase color use in character artistry.

Watch a full Ranulf demo drawing and practice rough sketch techniques as part of character design.

Watch Ranulf perform a full demo drawing, turning repeated words into lineart within a character design course, showcasing creative process in character art.

Explore a full color demo drawing of Ranulf as part of the Character ART Academy course, showcasing practical color techniques in a clear, step-by-step demonstration.

Explore a demo drawing of a character through a rough sketch in the complete character design course. See how the demo drawing and rough sketch illustrate core character design concepts.

Watch a full lineart demo for character design, showcasing actions to refine character concepts and practice expressive line work.

Watch Kossia's full demo drawing focused on color in part 1 of the character design course. Learn foundational color application for character art.

Watch a full demo drawing session from the character design course, showcasing color techniques in part 2 and guiding you through expressive character creation.

Join a full demo drawing session that emphasizes rough sketch techniques for character design, guiding you through quick lines and initial shapes to build confident sketches.

See a full demo drawing and learn rough sketch fixes to improve character design, construction, and expressive form.

Watch a complete line art demo that guides you through a full drawing process in character design.

Watch a full color demo drawing from the Character ART Academy: complete character design course.

Watch a full demo drawing by Safie focusing on rough sketch techniques for character design.

Follow a complete Safie lineart demo to learn practical character drawing techniques within the character design course.

Watch a full color drawing demo of Safie in this complete character design course online.

Watch a full demo drawing that showcases rough sketch techniques within the character design course.

Watch Tami deliver a full lineart demo drawing, exploring the essentials of a complete character design workflow.

Watch a full demo drawing by Tami that explores color in character art, as part of the complete character design course.

Celebrate the end of the character design course and gain confidence in designing and creating characters, reflecting on assignments and the course's benefits.