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Variety in Facial Features
With any character design there are a number of different variables. We talked about budget and complexity of the character, the appeal and target audience, the use of stereotypes and a couple of others. The one thing we haven’t brought up is ‘Style’. There are lots of different styles out there in the world today. Many of them are dictated by the above variables. Style has to do with the way the drawing looks and the way all the lines work together to create that final image. Watch Fantasia 2000 and you’ll see a range of styles. From Hershfeld’s drawing style, to computer animation, 1940’s classical Disney Mickey Mouse, 1990’s Donald Duck, and the rest. Each segment has it’s own distinctive “look” to it. That is what style is all about.
Variety is another name for style. In this lesson we will explore the use of variety when it comes to the facial features of a number of different characters. I want you to have fun with this assignment and don’t feel limited in any way. Feel free to explore any design style you want. Try something new that you’ve never done before. Do some research and draw from examples of already established design styles. By this I don’t mean, copy the designs from a drawing you’ve seen, rather look for the use of line within the drawing and capture the essence of how the lines work together to create a specific “look” for the character. Then pass that “look” onto your particular characters.
A good way to do this is to choose a design style that you like... let’s say just as an example that you really like the design style used in Disney’s Hercules. Watch the video and pay particular attention to the style used. Maybe go to the library and look up any books by Ronald Searle (the artist the design style was based upon). Next, pretend that you are working on the production and it’s your job to design a new God for the film. How would you make him or her look so they could fit into the film and look like they belonged?
This is what I want you to do with this assignment. |
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