Digital Character Design: Draw Protagonists with Personality

Begin by getting to know Joel Santana. He takes you through his unconventional creative journey to becoming a character designer before sharing some of the artists who have most influenced his work. Then take a look at what you can expect from the course.

Understand the different elements involved in creating expressive characters and learn to define the main idea behind a character’s pose, also known as the Line of Action. Gather inspirational images as references for your illustrations before diving into shapes and the impact they have on the characters you create.

Time to start sketching! Begin by looking at how to draw characters that tell stories. Then Joel discusses using weight and balance to capture a viewer’s attention. Explore how to exaggerate facial expressions and gestures as a form of communication before deciding on and sketching your final pose with Joel’s own sketches as a guide.

Finalize your drawing by tidying up lines, structure, and details through digital inking. Then add color, bearing in mind the impact it has on who your character is, where they’re from, and more. Establish your character’s features by drawing different expressions and poses that help to build on their personalities. To wrap up the course, Joel shares his creative advice for a career as an illustrator.