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[ShinnyMetal]

I have been away from art for quite some time. I've dabbled in it from time to time when it came up but after finishing Kill la Kill I decided to do something with it again. I've had this idea for awhile of a game using common 3D action games like Metal Gear Rising and Devil May Cry in a 2D medium (which is something I personally haven't seen done to the extent of those games). It would be heavily anime based, mostly in a gurren lagann/KlK style of art and animation.

However, I feel like my character design abilities have turned rather lackluster and uninspired and I just wonder if 1) it is that bad. and 2) Where I could go from here to improve that.





thank you, guys!

[PixelFerret]

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I quite like  both the idea and design and it's nice to know alot of other people like KlK

[ink.inc]

thing to note: if the mechanism on her arm is meant to retract the sword, why is it on the top of her arm? if the sword comes back to her, wouldn't it be almost impossible to grab? now, if the mechanism was on the bottom of her arm, the sword would retract right back into her hands, making the whole process a lot easier on her!

another thing: why have does she only have leg armor, and mere cloth on the rest of her body? those things are real heavy irl, might want to reconsider their existence.

anyway when designing a character its important to consider the world they live in, their position/social standing within it, and to think very carefully on what they are and do. current design reminds me of some combinaiton of ky kiske and meryl stryfe, so i'm guessing they're some sort of soldier for a royal/holy/governmental agency of some sort? if so, maybe try to look up references for 1500-1800s european army wear. but whatever you do, don't limit your inspirations to anime, it really shows.

[ShinnyMetal]

thing to note: if the mechanism on her arm is meant to retract the sword, why is it on the top of her arm? if the sword comes back to her, wouldn't it be almost impossible to grab? now, if the mechanism was on the bottom of her arm, the sword would retract right back into her hands, making the whole process a lot easier on her!

another thing: why have does she only have leg armor, and mere cloth on the rest of her body? those things are real heavy irl, might want to reconsider their existence.

anyway when designing a character its important to consider the world they live in, their position/social standing within it, and to think very carefully on what they are and do. current design reminds me of some combinaiton of ky kiske and meryl stryfe, so i'm guessing they're some sort of soldier for a royal/holy/governmental agency of some sort? if so, maybe try to look up references for 1500-1800s european army wear. but whatever you do, don't limit your inspirations to anime, it really shows.

All good points, though to be fair I am going to a heavy anime look.

I'm not sold on the legs at all. I want her to have some sort of "transformation" getting more armor during boss fights (for show rather than being practical) So I was trying to tie in armor somewhere. Also I'm imagining a boosting ability for dodging so I needed that to be implemented somewhere. I really kind of dislike the legs I just haven't come up with something better :\

[ink.inc]

an anime style is fine; but anime heavily influenced by other anime is derivative and boring; try to bring something new into the gene pool

[JWK5]

What is the leg armor (and other specific elements of the costume) meant to accomplish? It looks like the character is emphasizing mobility over strength so rather than the bulky leg armor you've got there maybe try something more like this. Segmenting and straps tend to help push the idea of flexibility and mobility, solid chunks of plating give off a more heavy "tank-like" feel.

Take a look at military uniforms from around the world, you'll find some good ideas for adding more embellishments to round out the design with.

You have no real structure to her hair which is why in each pic its form is changing dramatically. Rather than the cliche "wild anime hair" give her an actual hair style.

Other than that, some old notes I had put together previously:

[HöllenKobold]

http://lackadaisycats.tumblr.com/post/67909264429/notes-on-character-design
just linking general tip

[wccrawford]

Wow, very nice info here.  I can't wait to have time to sit down and really soak it in!

[ShinnyMetal]

Wow, very nice info here.  I can't wait to have time to sit down and really soak it in!

Agreed!

[mankoon]

May this thread continue. And may my comment officially make me follow this thread. ShinnyMetal you should totally post new drawings as the character develops. Then I can go get popcorn.

[Jad]

idea: add some kind of wheel:y cog:y winch:y thing to the sword too, so the design itself suggests it's pulled around. Or make the place where the sword connects to the string more pronounced.

somehow pronounce the 'throw sword'yness more, make it less 'regular sword with string'

[ShinnyMetal]

Sorry for the delay. I've been consumed by dark souls 2 pretty heavily

[dapperswine]

an anime style is fine; but anime heavily influenced by other anime is derivative and boring; try to bring something new into the gene pool

I concur with John. It's several layers of samey-ness to be heavily influenced by other animes, which themselves don't always stray far from very overused designs and formulas.

Obviously there's an enormous wealth of technical information above useful for creating characters, but one other thing to try is to perhaps incorporate some non-anime styles you enjoy into the character. Leave the comfort zone, in other words.