Class Project 1: Create A Page Of Character Designs

You will present a page of various character designs based on the same character description. This project mimics what is typically expected of you as a character designer. In a word: options!

Create a minimum of 5 character designs of a child, age 5-7, with a playful attitude. Present your options all within the same image - meaning you may upload just one image to the project gallery, containing all of your character designs/drawings (more pages may be shared if desired - see below.)

Tips, and things to keep in mind as you work:

Try to always draw your character in some kind of pose, rather than completely at rest. This will signal-boost your drawing, as well as more clearly communicate the character's personality.
Change the pose from one drawing to the next.
Seeing your designs on the same page will help you not only evaluate them, but also hone your presentation skills (which clients always appreciate!)
Feel free to change anything from different takes on the meta-shape, to different poses and angles. These variations really help a client hone in on their preferred design, and help ensure that you are delivering at the highest possible standard.
Only include finished drawings in your final presentation. If you would like to do studies or practice (for example, to test out various meta-shape ideas), do so on a different page.
If you do decide to do studies, feel free to also share them as part of this project, as it will help inspire feedback. Just be sure to label them accordingly! Sharing your studies is not required, as you would not typically share these with a client, either.
Color and shading are not required. But you may include those elements if desired.

Class Project 2 - Create A Narrative Illustration

In this project you will create a finished illustration that includes both character(s) and an environment.

This will be just one image uploaded to the project gallery. There are a few basic criteria the image must meet:

The character(s) should be interacting with the environment, physically within its space, rather than the environment being just an image that feels copy/pasted behind them.
A minimum of one character is required. Feel free to include more!
Depict your character(s) at play. This means they should be in poses that clearly show the action. (Feel free to use off-balance poses, and playing often involves energetic movements like this!)
The 'narrative' idea means that your illustration must invoke some kind of story. This can be as simple as recognizing which game the characters are playing.
Try to depict a moment in the illustration that allows the viewer to imagine the moments that occured before and will occur just after. For example, in my own illustration I submitted to the client (shown in the lesson video), we know instantly that Jake has just jumped from the tire-swing, and will land in Bigfoot's fuzzy arms.
Resolution and Dimensions: Work at either 8x10" as a standard legal-sized cover, or in a typical HD widescreen 16:9 format. These will be the two most common aspect ratios you will be asked to compose within as an artist.

Julien Gaumet

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