Creating a distinctive, memorable, and great design for original characters can be a challenge. They not only need to work for your project, but leave a large enough impact for the audience to care (and want to follow their story more). But it’s one of the many things we as webcomic creators have to do in order to deliver the full package of our story and its journey!

Aspects we should consider with the design process:

Aesthetic: Keep an eye on what makes your main character recognisable, but how they fit in their world. Thinking of the comic in its entirety helps us make designs that sit, fit, and work! In contrast, jarring differences in design can break immersion (when the intention isn’t there to do so) so keep in mind the overall aesthetic that you’re going for.

Silhouette: Shapes, curves, lines, and a memorable shadow all tie in what makes a good silhouette. This is about creating something unique and dynamic enough to stand out to your readers (in a way that suits your work).

Balance: Designing lots of features and personal touches to a character’s look can be fun and distinguish them from other characters, but it’s also good to keep your designs easy to digest and have solid legibility. Does your character need as many aspects as you have thrown at them? Would your character benefit from having more/less on their design? Keep this balance in mind, and don’t go overboard!

Inspiration: Where do we start from to make it all happen? Consuming your favourite media in the genres you enjoy, the aesthetic you’re trying to push, or even just at random can help fuel where to start. Remember to workshop it, have a couple designs in the lineup, mash them up, and take your time!