Character Exploration | Attempting Good Character Design

[@sketchyghost_yt]

I really liked the second guys “beauty AND the beast” vibe, and I’m happy to see he only got prettier!! For adding an iconic element, maybe you can play around with birthmarks? Strange shapes or such?

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I think a birthmark would be cool if it was also some sort of animal pattern. Thank you for the idea!

[@thomastanker0257]

I like how you show the struggles you go through when creating characters. It's inspiring to know that you're not the only one experiencing doubts about your characters and their designs. Great video!

[@sleepy.timaeus.arts.]

“we lost that connection” spongebob clip was beautiful 😭

[@mibirdai]

I honestly don’t think we get enough content like this on KZbin. The realistic process of designing a story and new species that fit in said story (then vice versa). We’re all so focused on getting a design out fast but good quality that we forget that bigger projects like this don’t work like that. As you said, these things take teams to create and it’s difficult when it’s only just you to write, direct and design. Add our own personal life to the mix and suddenly it’s been three months and you haven’t posted anything. In this day and age of online art being broadcasted to young artists that want to work in the industry one day, it’s important they can see a realistic process like this. Ideas will be scrapped, story’s gutted then remade and something you like one week will change by the next. That’s just art and the way our preferences both likes and dislikes help to mould the story. It’s my wish to make videos about all the worlds and species I’ve been making, but I always imagined it would have the boring, analytical parts that I adore. The cultural influences from real life, the differences in anatomy and clothing. My stories are my brain rots and though my brain can’t focus on just one for too long, gosh darn it I’ll ramble to the masses!! You will be force fed my complicated stories and diverse cultures!! I’ve worked too hard and too long for them to go unnoticed!!

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I love this comment, this is pretty how I feel on the whole thing. I do like character redesign content, videos like what Lavendertowne does. But I wish I grew up seeing a more realistic view of how character design is done for actual projects. I did not know there's a difference between designing for a quick one off KZbin video and designing for an actual project. Not at all a professional, but I think that's what I want this channel to show case. The more analytical messy side of designing characters. Personally, I think you should make the videos, all of that stuff sounds really interesting to me! I think whether or not it's boring depends on the editing style. No long pauses, no mumbling, maybe some music. I think people love passion, lore, complicated stories and diversity. Just depends on the execution. Not always seamless, I'm just now finding an editing style I like. But with your attitude, I think you can figure it out and cut down on the idea of perfection in what's usually a lengthy complicated process.

[@smelly4498]

Great work! The characters look more like an unlikely duo now instead of two doodles on the same paper. Another way to explore your main characters is through side characters. Drawing up concepts for different individuals in the universe that aren't main characters can give you more freedom to experiment without it feeling like you're messing too much with your established ones. Not only does it help iron out aesthetics across the story, but it can also give you ideas for what your main characters are lacking design-wise. Whenever I get stuck in my story I always try to focus on the big picture, which helps me remember what I want the story to be. I gotta say you are TOUGH. If my OCs randomly got tons of traction and countless people were giving me their opinions (constructive or not) I would freeze up. The fact that through all of it you're still able to improve and explain yourself clearly is very admirable. maybe I'm just sensitive lol excited to see what comes next :)

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I'm a little sensitive too but I don't mind because they're just not done. It's kind of like being in the middle of cooking something and people start walking up, tasting it, and telling you it's gross. Like yeah, it's not done lol. Now if the story was completely finished and people still didn't like it and caught flaws I didn't..then I'd freeze up. But I will follow your advice on designing some of the side characters too. I 100% get what your saying on that and I think that will really help further the design process. Thank you!

[@rat7791]

It is genuinely so cool to hear your reflections on your story. I think its diffcult to finally be able to reach the moment of "this needs to be torn down and rebuilt for its own good" but it really shows a persons development as a creator when they take that iniciative. I also really like your proactive identitying and solving of design problems while kinda getting looser with concept art. I ADORE the changing of "the other one" to a prey animal. I think it instantly adds more pizaz to the pairing especially when theyre side by side, seriously great decision. They look so much better together, especially with the contrasting bodytypes. I have no notes! Its like im hearing my own thought processes while designing being spoken back at me. In my humble opinion, youre doing everything you need to make these guys as good as they can be. Keep it up!

[@periols591]

I’ve been keeping up with your redesigns and each time your characters designs get prettier and prettier! I really enjoy the amount of thought and effort you put into these designs, and all the lessons you’ve learned from your experiences have taught me to improve a lot alongside this series/project so thank you for making these! ❤

[@witchyfirbolg]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR PROCESS !!! I've been doing loooots of character redesign myself. I have lots of furry characters, which funnily enough, even as a furry artist I feel kind of limited on shapes and stuff to communicate the species and personality all in one. It's just so much to tackle. It's nice to see other's processes with it !!! Also, as someone who has branched out into humanoid-furry designs as well, can I just say that I love that you did the ram fella's ears on the side of the head !!!!! I don't see that enough! I think about ear placement on humans and where they would connect, and try my best to design them from there. Same goes with predatory species! Just a personal preference of mine, but it looks much much better when you really break down a character's "structure" under the hair. Helps it translate better when you add the hair on as well! I hope that makes sense lol. Last thing I promise. Please don't over stretch yourself, just work at whatever pace you need to. I got creative burnout for a long time because of it and it sucked (2+ years 😭)

[@Girl_Delinquent]

No, that makes sense! I need to understand skull structure better in general but I'll definitely for this character. I'm glad you enjoyed my process and the ear placement. I'm actually thinking about making them bigger so they don't blend into his hair so much.

[@cherry_bl0ssom_gacha]

Maybe you should give one of them a buncha freckles or moles? That’s usually a cool concept that I rly like for characters ^^

[@wanasfa]

you've mentioned this in the video so i know you know this but never consider designs as 'final' unless the story you've created is being released its the most freeing thing to be able to change anything you dont like about your characters or story anytime, even if you've had the same ideas for years!! i really appreciate that you took the time to redo some story elements, despite your attachments with it 🫡 you live and you learn

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Yes! I wish i had this kind of attitude in the first character design advice video. Thinking of designs as "final" when they're not released or published in anything seriously limits your creativity and make you feel stuck or locked into that version. I may make a video just about this specifically, its not the best mindset to have and I lowkey contributed to it.

[@LostMoonArt]

Love seeing vids like this, which brings more reality to the complete chaos of worldbuilding, especially when done alone without a team to help. I've been designing the same world for 4 years and it is basically unrecognizable from the starting point, Character design for me was the part I changed the most times and will probably change again as I work on my project more. Just from the last video to this one your designs have already made massive improvements and I can't wait to see what other changes you make

[@coltonjohnson9739]

You don’t owe the world art, and any art you put out there, regardless of its finished quality, makes the world a little brighter and more beautiful. Your art is great, don’t be too hard on yourself!

[@cada1para1]

For the birds, I think, for some species of the bird should have more scrappy clothes and for the fish they should have flow clothes

[@Finnngrxy]

I sososoo loved the characters and their subtle changes, I can relate to the issues you mentioned and how your characters have evolved over time. I love your designs so much!

[@danyramos8139]

I've binged the process of your characters and honestly it gives me so much hope of how you're thinking, revising, and redesigning.

[@xxLJEGTxx]

YES! NEW VIDEO! ❤ really love these character designsss!

[@LalaAlmonte]

Sometimes I look at food packaging or things like cars and animatronics to give me color and character design ideas(I mainly draw robots and,well people with amputated limbs,humans with futuristic outfits).Both of them sometimes help me find out the mood,build on what I want the character to look like,the cars also helps me build a base idea on how I want a character to function.I also look for animatronics,Eldridge monsters,other characters ofc,when I want to create a new system for a character that doesn’t really exist,personality,shape language,and my least favorite but one which goes best when I manage to do it right guns.Research is still a problem I do have but I mainly go for things I’m really interested in so I can get that out of the way,and since it’s fast and efficient since you would pay lots of attention on the info you’re learning,for things or concepts I’m less interested in that I have to learn about(it depends if the info is that necessary for the story or if it’s just a small detail that can be sacrificed for times and sanity sake)I just break it into smaller segments.It might take longer but I would rather not go insane or getting tired to do anything even if that meant separating work into different days to prioritize myself.

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I meant to say that's really cool that your brain works like that. I look at art and that's it for inspiration and rarely draw inspo from real life in that way. So that's neat.

[@wanasfa]

this is just an insight that you can choose to incorporate or not, but i think that its especially apparent when they're next to eachother that other than the noses/lips, the characters have similar faces due to the placements of the features being pretty much the same (i struggle with this too) maybe give the prey character eyes that are wider apart to reflect even more of the prey characteristics like in nature, while maybe the reptile guy could have larger eyes and a longer face? you dont even have to consider these points, i see alot of potential for this story so i would like to give an outsider perspective 👍

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Ah, now that you've pointed it out. I see it. I think I'll try to use your idea of making the prey character's eyes far apart. But I do like that the reptile guy's eyes are small and I go back and forth on his face length all the time. Now that I'm thinking about it, a long face would be fitting as long as it's not too thin. That would be too regal. But thank you for the critique! I'll try to apply them in the design and just in general !

[@wanasfa]

@@Girl_Delinquent no problem, glad it helped!!

[@Xx_CherryPie_xX]

I love seeing how u learn and grow as an artist with each of these episodes! Its very inspiring!

[@BewilderedCitrus]

I really appreciate this video, and a lot of what you said resonates with me. I especially relate to the struggle of working to flesh out characters and story ideas, wanting to create eye-catching yet cohesive designs, and trying desperately to make a good story for said characters, only to scrap a lot of stuff and rework most of it from the ground up later. I don't see enough creators talk about this part of process because it's "not what gets clicks", but seeing you talk about this makes me feel less alone in this experience. It solidifies to me that others have been in those same shoes, and it's comforting to reaffirm that reworking concepts and ideas isn't "wasting my old work", it's just part of the process in creating a good story and characters. Thank you so much for making this video, it truly means a lot (And big thanks to Chaos in a Box Creations) ✌😎

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Thank you, I really didn't think this video would be this helpful or such a positive affirmation for people 💖 i appreciate your kind words on each video. means alot. But it means more that this video helped your perspective on your works in progress

[@cloudy.mov_919]

I will never understand why characters design have to be "good" for the sake of other people sure it makes them more interesting but the audience aren't the ones making the characters so don't be pressured by good character design because at the end of the day as long as you like it no one's opinion really matters

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I think this advice works if someone's just doing character design for fun. But I plan on using these characters for a story with an audience and so they kind of have to be visually appealing. Not to everyone on the planet. But to a target audience. But I do agree partly! I feel pressure not because of others but because of my own expectations and standards 👍

[@cloudy.mov_919]

​@@Girl_Delinquent any design can be visually appealing wether your doing it as a hobby or not professionals should have fun to design characters as well not just hobbyists

[@Girl_Delinquent]

@@cloudy.mov_919 yeah I agree. I think I could've worded it better. A hobbyist design can still be visually appealing but when designing for a finished product, i feel like you can't just not care what people think and only care about your own opinion on it. In my opinion, that's how you get designs that you love but designs that make absolutely no sense to anyone else even if they know the character's whole backstory.

[@cloudy.mov_919]

​@@Girl_Delinquent it doesn't have to make sense all the time but i get where you're coming from

[@coolaydunno]

This is a learning process for all of us! Please continue with this series!! ✨✨✨

[@SprinkleGirl]

Just as I'm reworking my story! How do you always post at the perfect time 😦😦😦

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Sorcery? I don't know. I know I don't post a lot but people keep saying it's right on time lol

[@magi7318]

the ram horns fit so well

[@Sheabebe]

Great video once again! My opinion is that you shouldn’t cut the fish race. It would be so fun to se a clownfish, shark, or even a pufferfish person! But it’s whatever you’re capable of. Also, im in the same pronoun situation as you! You’re not alone. The decisions you’ve made for both the redesigns are simply fantastic, especially the mammal character(glasses😮). I think taking a sort of culture approach would be unique and interesting, and I love the use of green in them both. Anyway, new intro is good too! Looking forward to your next video!

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Thanks! I probably won't cut the fish race. I actually have some new ideas on how they can further the story. I'm just trying to be open to anything that can make the story better even if it means cutting a concept I'm used to. Also it's nice to see someone else understand the pronoun thing. Even my own sister doesn't get it when I explain it to her lol. Thank you for the support

[@Sheabebe]

@@Girl_Delinquent 😊

[@sunnyanimationheh]

Honestly, your videos helped me with my characters more than any other professional videos. I hope you continue these types of videos, and i would love to see more of your ocs. Im really interested in project CD and i really want a whole video on it like i want to hear the whole frikin story like EVERYTHING.

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I WANT to tell the story so bad especially now that it's getting better. But I don't want to spoil anything 🥲

[@sunnyanimationheh]

​@@Girl_Delinquentwhoops I'm really late to this... Anyways! I understand how you feel 😭 it's getting better and you've kept this story for months or maybe years (my oldest story is 7 years I made it when I was around 6 or 7, had to redo it 2 cause it was cringe 😞) but like you don't want to spoil it so it'll be a surprise when it actually finishes

[@nazathelivingcorpse]

watching these videos has made me develop some weird feelings for the aquatic guy so congratulations

[@Girl_Delinquent]

"Weird feelings" lol that's so vague I love it

[@sleepy.timaeus.arts.]

i feel like the eyebrow piercing would be fine if it’s something the character would actually want for themselves. IRL, not everyone is worrying about if a piercing will make their face look cluttered. if you can mix a little bit of reality in with character design guides, then i think that’s a good building block for a character. but that’s just how i see things when it comes down to guidelines for certain creatives endeavors. i do really like the change you made to the mouth though. i can definitely see MYSELF getting frustrated drawing the jagged lines before, bc ive done stuff like that to characters before and it made me not wanna draw them as much 😭 anyway, thanks for sharing your thought process and all :) good luck as you continue to tweak things 🫶🏽

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Thank you! Sometimes it's hard to balance what's visually appealing with what the character would actually wear or want. But also the piercing felt too modern and they've changed a bit as a character. I don't think they'd want it anymore lol

[@HybridBeastsAI]

Interesting lesson, thanks.

[@Snips769]

I did have one idea when I saw your 1st videos of them is maybe make lucins hair long like super long to the point where it reaches the floor!! Because I remember you saying he love his hair and he would never cut it, and I think it would make a sick silhouette !! Just an idea Im also new to character designing :D

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Thank you, I like this idea more so for the empress character in the story because long hair communicates status and wealth in their society. And "Lucin" (not sure when i want to disclose the new names lol) is still a humble inventor/mechanic type character so hair that long would be a practical problem and contradict his humble trait. I appreciate the suggestion tho, it's still a cool concept!

[@Beez_Stuff]

Thanks you Chaos In The Box Creations !! :D Great video, also this REALLY came out at just the right time because I needed this for my own project as well!! ALSO the redesigns are so good!! Very tasty art. Thanks GD, keep up the great work!

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Thank you! There's not a lot of direct advice in this one but I hope it's still helpful. Also love when people pretend like art is edible or has flavor in their compliments so thank you for that too lol

[@orbismworldbuilding8428]

This will help me so much, thank you!

[@Girl_Delinquent]

@@orbismworldbuilding8428 you're welcome 👽

[@LaboratoryRatKing]

What about a gold nose ring to go with the round gold glasses on the ram guy? :D

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Ooh, I do love that idea but his ram horns have changed to deer antlers due to a huge change in the world building that was for the best. I could see it for a different character tho

[@go_tooshy]

GRACIAS CAOS!!!

[@lucid_3938]

If you make me hyperfixate on this universe i swear to god 😢

[@phenioxflameanimations2380]

1. Your art is amazing. 2. I thought Lucin's mouth could hyper extend (I know I'm not using the right word). 3. Seeing how your characters came to be is so amazing.

[@Girl_Delinquent]

1. Thank you 💗 2. I'm not sure if i explained it correctly before. Their mouth works the same way Mileena's mouth works ( from Mortal kombat.) Specifically MK X. 3. Thank you again, showing at old art was a just a tad embarrassing but seeing the improvement is neat.

[@phenioxflameanimations2380]

@@Girl_Delinquent Do you have a name for this story? Also, Can I make an oc from said story?

[@Girl_Delinquent]

@@phenioxflameanimations2380 yes of course! I'd love to see any OCs for this story. That'd be really cool 💖. I do have a name for it actually. Project CD is a temporary name. The letters "CD" are the title's initials but it took me forever to come up with the name. I'm paranoid someone will take it if I reveal it. There's like a .00001% chance of that ever happening but I don't want to risk it 💀

[@phenioxflameanimations2380]

@@Girl_Delinquent Thank you!!!

[@9ightdreamer]

​​@@Girl_Delinquent *gets whacked by relatibility in the background*

[@Enbiienvy]

Yooo just wanted to drop a comment after coming across your channel and watching your character design videos in succession (of the crocodilian pretty boy and his partner, I'm sorry I'm bad at names and already forgot) but just wanted to say that I feel like you're too hard on yourself and your designs!!! As much as I want to respect your own opinion and decisions and feelings about how you ended up designing the characters I honestly thought all of the iterations especially of the reptillian guy were so good!!! (altho i am biased to hot gay masculine characters overall....) I also love how you edit your videos and your content!!! It's super engaging and enjoyable, and as an amateur/just beginning youtube/content creator I feel totally inspired by what you're making and how you present it!!!! (I am an artist as well, but since I work mostly traditionally and in horrible lighting... and in bed mostly 😅🤣 I find it near impossible to get good videos of my process- and that's if I even can remember to film.......) ANYWAYS all that to say I hope this can boost your spirits even just a little, cuz I think you deserve to have way more confidence in yourself and your art!!! 💞

[@Girl_Delinquent]

I meant to reply to this sweet comment sooner but I got caught up. But thanks so much for all the kind words, it really does make a difference knowing people enjoy the characters and the content. I do overdo it sometimes with how hard I am on my art and my process. But sometimes it's because I KNOW that I can do better and I have that faith in myself, you know? I also just like ripping my work apart, writing or art wise. I don't connect it to my self-worth as a person like I used to. But after working on the project off camera since this video, I've finally shown myself the designs I really wanted to see/knew I could eventually do with these characters. I still want to stay humble. If I don't, I go off the deep end and suddenly I think everything I make is a masterpiece. But I'm definitely proud of myself for sticking to the vision despite what I felt were awkward designs. It paid off and I'm excited to share in the next video. (Project CD is coming back, my newest project is moving to a seperate channel). And thanks for the praise on the editing especially!! Sometimes I doubt if it's entertaining enough. And I love that I inspire you 🥲. I still struggle with consistency too. But keep going and find a schedule/system that works and you'll at least be better than me at it 🙃

[@9ightdreamer]

Oof, felt that! Ive defenietly been through that myself with my own story *multiple* times - and it still occacionally happens. Although _luckily_ it happens far less as Ive fillled in some of (not all of) the gaps or have a better picture of my stories as my supernatural universe's worldbuilding expands alongside its pre-establishments of whats currently known and such!

[@HyakuyaFutaba]

Personally I REALLY miss the shaved/shorter side of his hair cut it gave him a really unqiue look and I think it portrayed a lot about the character! Also, I'm not really understanding the races/his specifically? I saw there was also an amphibian/fish race alongside his reptile race, but for me his design gives off more amphibian than reptile since his species swims a lot. He does look like a shark, but sharks are fish. He's really smooth with no visible scales like even water snakes and other water-living reptiles still have (there are some that don't but most are specially breed snakes). I do really enjoy the face markings though and I think they remind me of snakes!

[@Girl_Delinquent]

@@HyakuyaFutaba his old hair was cool but the lore and his backstory has changed so much and it was no longer fitting. And he's based on crocodiles hence all the swimming. I know a greenish skin tone would probably better communicate this but the blue skin is an important plot point. Every one else in his race has more crocodile like skin tones though. Thank you for the feedback 💕 Their design still needs work but some of this can just be explained with worldbuilding or backstory

[@wafftic]

Hi ! I watched your 3 videos about your gator character and how you wanted to redesign him and I feel like you go at it in a way that will just make you hate him. I see you explaining every bit of design by shapes , and other "art rules" , and I kind of feel like it's blocking your from going anywhere else ? Villain can have round features , such as shy people can be pointy. The only thing that matter is if you love it or not ! You may have seen plenty of charadesigning videos about does and don'ts and are trying to transcript what you learned in your art but do you like it ? You seems to put everything about this project through a lense of professionalism and to please your viewer by justifying every bit of design that may or may not go against design but are the design good to your eye ? Do you love it ? Are you eager to draw them and do you feel some kind of dread when you have to ? It makes me think of the phase I had where all my characters had to be perfect in terms of logic , flawless in their writing , and as realistic as it could be and all it achieved to try to be professional tm was to make me disgusted of the project I was working on. You made 3 video on how the current design of your character isn't good for you , and everytime you talk about the comment but I want to say : Who cares if someone thinks this is ugly or illogical ? If it made you happy , that's what matter , don't put realism and professionalism before fun if you want to keep loving your projects ! Also , plenty of professional design don't even respect the "praticability" thing and just straight up would never work IRL but still work greatly in the media they are in (for example ghetis or draiden from pokemon or the changeling from mlp (with legs full of holes ) ! All three design where good , even if they don't show "gator" or else , it's a made up species , you can make it however you want ! Don't limit to shape rules that varies depending on people , don't try to justify every thing in the design by something logical , sometime the only justification you need is " I like it that way" Obviously if you want it to be 100% logical , it's your choice and we are no one to tell you otherwise , but make sure you still like your project and that you are still doing it for you , and not for the others ! Art is about fun , and if it's a project you do for you , then it only needs to please YOU ! And as a good friend of mine would say , if you take away the fun from your creating process , it become work and no one like to work especially for free. Keep doing what you like , and your art is great !

[@lucid_3938]

I feel like the jaw design could easily be misread if it doesn't follow where their jawbone is. Ofc this is completely up to you but the straight lines on patterns etc reads as man made or robotic. I don't know how much of the lore is kept the same but if you're going for these creatures being less shitty humans basically that were atleast at one point connected to nature or evolution it might help if it follows their jaw more accurately. It could also potentially make people think he has a very square face even though his side profile might not communicate that. Either way this is just the ramblings of a mediocre teenage artist so if i was you I'd just ignore me 😭

[@Girl_Delinquent]

No you're right, I realized recently I don't really understand how his jaw works and I kind of wing it every time I draw them. I've been working on a fictional skull to understand how the face works and whats underneath. I'd like to draw it in a few more angles with different expressions to see how it works. In the video after the next, (Research in Character design) ill reveal and talk about it 👍

[@Girl_Delinquent]

Also the critique is noted. Crocodiles jaw breaks dont go straight up. Its curved. I'll try to apply this in a repeatable way