This is one of the categories for the LCISD Digital Media Fair.

You will need to draw an original (not copying something that already exists) character, with varying poses that could be used in animations, video game design, or stand on its own.

First, you need to decide on a character - it can be human or animal, extraterrestrial, or even a combination of them.

Principles of Cartoon Character Design

While these principles are specifically for Cartoon characters, they also apply to drawing more life-like characters as well.

We'll watch  this video, as a class - it's long. But they give a great explanation and examples of each principle. You also get to watch him develop a character and see his process.

1. Tell a Story:  Your character should be drawn well enough that it gives the viewer and idea of what the story is.
2. Shapes & Lines:  By using shapes and lines to draw your character, it helps define it's movement and allows for exaggerated features.
3. Silhouettes:  A silhouette is simply a shadow of your character. Your character should be drawn well enough that it can be identified simply by looking at it's shadow/silhouette.
4. Proportions and exaggerations: Typically cartoons shouldn't have the same proportions as humans. Use contrast to help emphasize a difference such as a bulky top half of body vs little stubby legs.
5. Expression: They say the eyes are the window to the soul. People look at the face and eyes first, so your detail of their facial expressions is important.
6. Posture and Stance: This is body language and is also a form of expression. Their stance says a lot about the character.
7. Scale:  This refers to the size of the character in relation to other characters and surroundings. Remember that things get bigger as they are closer, and smaller the farther away they get.
8. Color:  Sets the mood and tone of the character and is crucial to character design
9. Shading: This defines form and depth. Without shading your character is flat and 2D.
10. Texture: This is another layer that gives detail to expression.

Character

Start with a full letter size page in Illustrator so that you have room to draw your character. Be detailed and use the 10 principles of Character Design to help! You should think of the story that your character tells and pick a pose that is suitable. However, you need to show the character's face. Make sure you zoom way in so that you can show good details of the face.

Poses could include

• walk/run/crawl cycle
• front on
• from the left / right

Don't forget to put the name of your character on your artboard. Be creative with the design of this as well - don't just type the name.

Your character should be saved as #_lastname_character Illustration.ai.  You will need to export as a PNG to put on your Canvas ePortfolio Illustrator page.

Background/Setting

The focus is on the character, but you still need to incorporate your character into a setting that helps tell its story.

It should be complimentary to the story that your character is telling.

Turning it in

Remember that the newest posts go at the top of the page.

1. Put the Title of the Challenge
2. Answer the following questions
   1. What is the inspiration of your character, how did you come up with it?
   2. Explain the pose of your character and why you chose it.
   3. What is the name of the character?
3. Embed the image below the questions.