How To Draw An Original Character

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Y'all might want to create an original character (OC) for a story, novel, comic book, or other creative projection. Coming up with a character who's unique and existent tin can be a big challenge, but there are some techniques for helping you lot through the process. A great fashion to create complex, well-adult characters is to make a grapheme sheet. Additionally, you can flesh out your character as y'all write them in scenes. When drawing your character, exercise several exercise sketches to piece of work out the details, and then create your final cartoon.

1. 1

   Write your character's personal and biographical details at the top. This includes their name, historic period, birth identify, where they live, and their bones personal details, such as their species and sexual activity or gender if they take i. List equally many details that you can call up of right now. It's okay if y'all don't know everything still.^[1]

   • You could write, "Alice, 25, born at home, lives in a modest rural town called Wisty, human witch, female, has magic."
   • If y'all're non sure about a item, leave a bare infinite for information technology so that you can come dorsum later. Sometimes it takes time to really understand a character.

   Tip: You can create your own character sheet or employ a template, which you tin can find online.

2. two

   Explain the graphic symbol's role in the story. Every character should take a function in the story you're telling.^[2] Consider what your OC is going to contribute to the story, then assign them a basic role. It's okay if you become back and change this later, but information technology's good to have an idea.^[3]

   • For instance, your character might be the hero, the villain, the femme fatale, the wise elderberry, the romancer, or the helper. Every bit an instance, a female person character who uses her looks to hide the fact that she's a dangerous thief might be a femme fatale.
   • It's okay if your character has more than than 1 part. For instance, a male character who falls in love while rescuing a metropolis might be both a hero and a romancer.

   Tip: Put your ain spin on traditional character archetypes, such as the chosen one, the hero, the anti-hero, the villain, the mentor, the caregiver, the orphan, the seductress, the lover, the innocent, or the loner. Pick an archetype that works for your character, but add together unique traits that make your grapheme original.

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3. 3

   Describe your character's physical advent in a list or paragraph. Ask yourself how your character will wait. Then, draw their basic concrete features, how they typically apparel, and how they move and stand. Be as detailed as you want to be at this phase. You can always add together more details later.^[four]

   • You might write, "Alice is short, curvy, and has pale peel. Her hair is black and curly, and her eyes are grey with yellow sparkles. She usually wears blackness, royal blue, or dark majestic clothes, typically dresses. Her hands are scarred from potions accidents, and she has a scar on her chest from a spell that went incorrect. She's proud of her witch heritage, and then she ever stands up directly and walks with her mentum slightly lifted."

4. 4

   Explain your graphic symbol'south background and history. Describe your grapheme's past and how it'southward brought them to this point in the story.^[v] Discuss what they've washed equally well every bit things that accept happened to them. Include the major details that shaped them equally a graphic symbol.^[6]

   • For case, "Alice has e'er lived in a pocket-sized town and feels like she's the most talented witch in her family. Her parents dwelling schooled her and taught her the erstwhile means of her family unit, so she'south not familiar with mod society. She's always tried actually hard to learn new spells, to the point that she annoyed her family unit members. Her parents accept always supported her and congenital up her self-esteem, just it's made her have also much conviction in her abilities. Now, her parents accept disappeared and she needs to discover them, but her overconfidence is causing her to make mistakes."

5. 5

   List your grapheme's personal traits, talents, and accomplishments. Think of 5-10 traits that are really important to your character. Include the talents they might possess, similar singing, running fast, or casting spells. Then, consider what types of achievements they might make, likewise equally what would make them proud.^[seven]

   • Decide their overall attitude. For case, are they an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist?
   • Alice's personal traits might include that she's hardworking, adamant, quick thinking, creative, friendly, and loyal. Her talents might include making potions, casting spells, and singing. For achievements, you might include that she brewed her first potion at age v, she won a magical pie baking contest, and she'south the rightful possessor of her family'southward spell book.

   Tip: Give your grapheme a quirk that shows your audience something about their personality. For instance, Alice might accept a habit of flicking her wrist when she talks because she's and then used to doing spells.

6. 6

   Explain your character's flaws and so they seem more than real. It's tempting to make your graphic symbol perfect, but this makes them seem fake. Anybody has flaws, so consider what your graphic symbol'southward flaws might be.^[8] This can include bad personality traits, physical imperfections, or mistakes that they've fabricated. Draw these flaws in your character sheet.^[nine]

   • Alice's personality flaws might include being overconfident, being naive, and acting without thinking. Her physical imperfections might include her scars, the fact that she runs slowly, and the fact that she's physically weak. Her mistake might exist that she'southward trusted the wrong person to help her.

7. 7

   Requite your character a fearfulness that might become an obstruction. Everyone is afraid of something, so fear helps make your character more than real. Additionally, it gives yous something to threaten them with in a story.^[ten] Identify what might scare your character the most and include it on their character sheet.^[11]

   • For instance, Alice might be agape of losing her parents forever. Additionally, she may exist afraid to leave her domicile town, even though she must if she wants to notice her parents.

8. 8

   Determine your character's motivation or what they want. Every graphic symbol needs to have a motivation, which is typically tied to what they want. This is what drives the story forrard. Recollect near what your character would logically desire most, then explain this in your character sheet.^[12]

   • If you already know the plot of your story, use this to figure out your grapheme's motivation. What is the cadre conflict in your plot? What is your character missing? This is likely their motivation.
   • In Alice's story, her motivation might be to get her parent'south back. Additionally, she probably wants to bear witness herself as a talented witch.

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1. one

   Ask your character questions to create grapheme development. Brand a listing of questions you could inquire your character, or look for a list online. And then, go through the listing and answer each question as your character. Base the answers on your grapheme's background, their personality, and what they want.^[thirteen]

   • Questions might include, "What's your favorite nutrient?" "Do you accept a pet?" "What is your human relationship similar with your family?" "Where do you see yourself in v years?" "What is your primeval memory?" "What is your dream job?" "Who is your almost trusted confidant?" and "What's in your bedroom?"
   • As an example, Alice might say that her favorite food is homemade kettle corn because she likes the salty-sweet taste. She might also say that she has a blackness cat and an orange cat that act equally her familiars.

2. ii

   Create a unique voice that reflects your grapheme's persona. Give your grapheme an accent or speech blueprint that shows their background or personality. Additionally, use words and sentence structures that reverberate your character's level of education and identify in lodge. This volition help your audition acquire more most your graphic symbol through their speech communication.^[14]

   • As an instance, Alice might include old fashioned words in her speech and may occasionally rhyme due to her experience making spells. She might say things like, "The wood has darkened a wee fleck early on, but that's no reason for you to get surly."

3. 3

   Bear witness your graphic symbol in everyday situations to portray their personality. Yous tin learn a lot from a person by watching how they go about their life. This includes activities like cooking, eating, cleaning, driving a motorcar, or talking to a receptionist. Explore how your character acts in these moments to help their character development.^[fifteen]

   • For example, Alice might clean her house and melt her breakfast using a spell. Then, y'all might have her struggle to purchase items at a store considering she can't utilise her magic there. This shows that she overly relies on her magic.
   • Equally another example, you lot might evidence Alice trying to cheque out a magic book from the library. She might blush and grumble when she talks to the clerk and have trouble making heart contact. This shows that she's shy.

4. 4

   Make your grapheme take a stance on an important issue. Real people have opinions, then your graphic symbol should, also. Consider which bug in your story will be most important to your graphic symbol. Then, make up one's mind what your character's stance on that issue would be. Utilise this opinion to help with character development.^[xvi]

   • For instance, Alice might believe that witches should live separately from non-magical humans. This might make it hard for her to work with humans. Additionally, information technology might create conflict between her and other witches.

5. 5

   Develop your grapheme's relationship with other characters in the story. ^[17] Prove your grapheme interacting with their family, friends, or an antagonist. Make certain that each character is distinctive and so that you see the similarities and differences between them. This helps you better understand what your OC is almost and who they really are.^[eighteen]

   • Every bit an example, let's say Alice has a best friend named Trixy. You might have a scene where Alice and Trixy come across an injured witch in the woods. Alice might terminate and help the witch, offering him her last bit of water and nutrient. Trixy might curl her eyes and tell Alice that she's wasting her time past helping. And then, Trixy might go to get assistance but return actually late considering she took a break to practise something fun. This shows that Alice is kind and helpful, while Trixy might exist unreliable.

6. vi

   Take something away from your character to build tension. To make your story interesting, y'all take to give your character problems and deny them what they want. Create obstacles and losses for your grapheme that keeps them striving to get what they want. This helps them develop every bit a grapheme and keeps your audience rooting for the character.^[19]

   • For example, Alice might almost notice her parents but them they get moved again. Similarly, she might realize that her best friend Trixy is secretly helping the person who took her parents.

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1. 1

   Create your character sail or a basic concept first. Make certain you lot have a bones overview of your character before you start to draw them. Ideally, complete a character sheet so you know exactly who they are. If you don't want to be this detailed, make up one's mind their office in the story and their bones physical traits.^[twenty]

   • A basic concept for Alice might be, "Brusque dark-haired witch in a black dress who's the hero of the story."
   • For Trixy, y'all might write, "Tall, red-headed witch in jeans and yellow t-shirt who'south secretly a villain."

2. 2

   Choose a distinctive posture for your character. How your character stands says a lot most their personality. Call up near how your character would concord their torso based on their personality and goals. And then, motion-picture show what their silhouette would look like. Use this to create an outline of your character.^[21]

   • For example, Alice might be standing alpine with her hand on her hip and her nose pointed in the air.
   • Trixy, on the other paw, might be looking downwardly and off to the side. Her hands might pressed together in forepart of her body to show that she'due south hiding something.

3. 3

   Brand several sketches of your character to find the wait you want. Quickly sketch out the basic look y'all're going for with this character. Do a couple of sketches so you tin attempt different details and angles. Then, review your sketches to help you lot decide how you want to draw the character.^[22]

   • Sketching also helps you warm upwards and so it's easier to draw.
   • Don't worry nigh making mistakes. These sketches should be loose and don't need to be finished.

   Tip: Sketch your character from dissimilar angles to create a more than complete look.^[23]

4. 4

   Add clothing and accessories that reverberate your character's personality. What your character wears should show something about them as a character. This includes the blazon of clothing they wear, the colors they selection, and the accessories they cull. Think about how your grapheme would clothes, then create an outfit that works for them.^[24]

   • For instance, Alice might clothing flowing dresses because she thinks it better reflects her witch heritage. Similarly, she might stick to dark colors because it makes her experience witchy. For accessories, she might wear an old locket that has her grandmother'south picture in it.
   • Trixy might wear modern clothes because she doesn't follow the old means. Additionally, she might cull bright colors because it makes people think she's happy, even though she'southward non. For accessories, she might carry a purse that's fabricated from a pet play a trick on that she once had.

5. v

   Draw your character based on your sketches. Now that you've decided on the posture and basic concrete features, create a cartoon of your character. Do this on newspaper or your figurer, depending on what'due south comfortable for you. Make this drawing as detailed as you'd like.^[25]

   • You lot might exist able to use a drawing app to help you lot create your grapheme.
   • If you lot're using the drawing as inspiration simply don't program to show it to people, don't worry if it'due south non perfect. Just do your best.
   • If you're creating a comic book or something similar, practice drawing your character over and over. This will help you get skillful at it, so don't requite up!

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Sample Character Descriptions

Add New Question

• Question

  Tin can I create an OC that is basically me to get my feelings off my chest without revealing it's how I feel?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  Yep, you can develop an autobiographical OC that's based on you. To hibernate that the graphic symbol is based on you, alter a few details about them so that people don't realize you're expressing your ain feelings.

• Question

  Should my OC exist similar me? I accept a lot of illnesses, such as mental and cognitive bug. Should they have them, every bit well?

  

  This answer was written past one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  This is upwardly to you. Your character doesn't have to accept be like you lot and share your traits. All the same, it'southward perfectly okay to create a character who'south only like you. It even might be a great fashion to assistance your audience relate to you and what you lot're going through.

• Question

  I keep trying to make OCs, but I'm never really happy or satisfied with it. How tin can I make a OC I'm satisfied with?

  

  This reply was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Reply

  You might just need to keep practicing. Over fourth dimension, your OCs volition get more interesting, and you'll eventually create one that you similar. Go on working on it until you lot reach your goal! It's normal to struggle in the beginning.

• Question

  I tried to make a sad story for my OC just it was weird and complicated. How tin I brand it amend?

  

  This answer was written past i of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Respond

  It'south normal for your first draft of a story to be rough. Fortunately, you lot tin can revise it to make information technology better. Read over your story and ask someone else to give you feedback. And so, rewrite the parts of the story that aren't working and so you can make it amend. You might have to practice this several times, but don't give up. Every writer goes through this procedure.

• Question

  Is information technology ok to make a suicidal emo Invader Zim oc?

  

  This respond was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  It depends on if you're copying someone else's work. It's best to create an OC that's in a unique earth that you created. Plus, this can be way more than fun! Information technology's okay if your character explores dark themes, but make sure you're doing it in a safety fashion.

• Question

  How practise I make an accost for where they live without taking a real 1?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  First, recall of a unique number that can be their street number. Typically, this is a ii-4 digit number, only it's okay to be artistic. For instance, you lot might brand the number 452. Side by side, recollect of a street name that'southward unlike from the streets you know. Equally an example, you might pick the name Hawthorne Street. Adjacent, pick a city or create a made up city, similar Wisty. If it's in a country or land, include that as well. Your final address might be something like 452 Hawthorne Street, Wisty, TX.

• Question

  Does the graphic symbol take to exist in a fandom?

  

  No, it tin be in your own original story. If you do brand a completely original character, do your all-time to avoid copying any characters from a fandom.

• Question

  Tin can I take inspiration from other existing characters?

  

  This is a question I hear a lot and it really depends on what fandoms you lot're taking inspiration from. I'd say that the boundaries are to the point where iconic design choices shouldn't be abused and the personality cannot match exactly.

• Question

  Can your OC accept same details as a catechism character (eastward.g. an OC who is the girl of Athena just like Annabeth from Percy Jackson)?

  

  Yes, as long as yous make certain they aren't an exact copy. If the graphic symbol and your OC are as well like, you did not create an OC.

• Question

  If the OC is the kid of 2 canon characters, does that make him an OC?

  

  Cloudcrunch

  Community Answer

  Technically, yes. When designing the character, try to incorporate some of the characteristics of the parents to brand the graphic symbol seem more than realistic.

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• Don't make your character good at everything because this isn't realistic. They should have both talents and flaws.

• Read and spotter characters who inspire you lot to get inspiration for your ain OC.

• Pretend you are your character for a bit. Understanding what your character is going through actually helps y'all add on.

• You'll probably notice some similarities betwixt existing characters and your OC. As long equally you aren't copying someone else's work, this should be okay.

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• Don't copy someone else's work or base your character on an existing graphic symbol. This might borrow on the creator'southward copyrights.

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