Organic
Shapes found in nature. Irregular, asymmetrical, alternating curves, spirals. Leaves, flowers, shells. Organic shapes inspire happiness, originality, curiosity, serenity.
Curved
Lines that are bowed, arched, or sway back and forth like a river. Inspires happiness.
Circles
Circles or spheres, like bubbles. Circles are a very happy shape, often seen in children's media and toys. Circles are also perceived as strong; having no sides that easily buckle, and often look like strong muscles. Circles will draw focus to what is at their center.
Symmetrical
Identical geometry along an axis, usually along a characters vertical axis. Symmetry is considered an attractive quality that conveys trust. Avoid flat symmetry, like standing perfectly striaght up or looking squarely at the viewer, this is called twinning and can become uncanny.
Squares
Squares with right angles inspire strength, stability and security, often associated with buildings and bricks.
Right Angles
Closely linked to squares, right angles also convey strength and trust. These can take the shape of chevrons, often associated with military. They can convey both strength and motion.
Straight Lines
Straight lines are strong. Be careful to avoid parallel straight lines, they will feel uncanny as its rare for us to see them in the 3 dimensional world through the lenses of our eyes.
Vertical Lines
Vertical lines are strong as they reach for the sky. They can be viewed as happy and excited (raised arms in joy), or angry and threatening (raised arms to strike a foe).
Horizontal Lines
Horizontal lines are quick to trust, as they often lead us from A to B. They can be viewed as weak also, easily broken under weight.
Diagonal Lines (Down Right)
Be weary of diagonal lines, especially down and to the right. This is called the Sinister Diagonal in Dynamic Symmetry. As we follow the line from left to right, it conveys fear and despair. Dynamic Symmetry is fantastic for relaying story through image.
Diagonal Lines (Up Right)
While diagonals are not trust worthy and can inspire fear, a diagonal that rises from left to right also gives us hope. This is called the Baroque Diagonal in Dynamic Symmetry. Dynamic Symmetry is fantastic for relaying story through image.
Arrows
Arrows convey motion and agility. They can also inspire intelligence as they are often acting with purpose.
Triangles
Triangles can be fast, or angry. A triangle with a horizontal line on the bottom inspires stability and lawfulness. A triangle with a point facing down conveys chaos and instability.
Sharp
Acute angles can be seen as angry and threatening, often associated with sharp weapons, claws or teeth.
Jagged
A jagged edge is angry, associated with teeth. A varying edge can also convey chaos. Avoid using identical shapes, this is a form of twinning and may look uncanny.
Upward Triangles
Upward facing triangles can inspire stability.
Downward Triangles
Downward triangles convey agility, being light on feet, with the cost of appearing instable.
Geometric
Using equalateral shapes with more than 4 sides (pentagons, hexagons, octogons...) can convey honesty.
Sun Wheel / Ring Cross
Using the ring cross or sun wheel shape implies strength.
Spiral
The spiral is found in nature and is linked to attractive feminine qualities.
Downward Star
The downward five pointed star is culturally linked to evil and the occult.
Holes
Holes and negative space in a character design cause us fear and mistrust. This can be linked to Trypophobia, fear or disgust of closely packed holes.
Drooping
Shapes that are sagging under the weight of gravity can make us feel sad. It can be easy to add drooping shapes with loose clothing.
Randomness
Mismatched shapes, strange locations or linking elements, can create a sense of chaos.
Asymmetry
Adding asymmetry can make a character chaotic and inspire fear.
Occupy Space
Put up an arm to lean on something at the elbow, knees far apart, put a leg or two up on something, stretch out. Occupying space is a sign of confidence by leaving yourself open. This can inspire happiness, trust, anger, and strength.
Withdrawn
Pull in arms, elbows, knees, hands, and head towards the center of the body. Retract towards the fetal position. This can convey sadness, mistrust, fear, and weakness.
In Motion
Lean the body and put the center of gravity outside the feet. Raise a knee and an arm, stand on toes. A character in motion conveys excitement, happiness, anger, chaos, and agility.
Immobile
Feet flat on the ground. Straighten legs if standing. Seated, hands firmly on something solid like a table or a rock. Making a character appear immobile can inspire sadness, mistrust, vigilance, fear, lawfulness, and sluggishness.
Wide Stance
Feet and knees far apart, forming an upward triangle. Arms out to the side for stability. This can mean someone is angry, trusting, happy, and attractive.
Narrow Stance
Feet and knees together, elbows close to the body. This can convey fear, mistrust, and weakness.
Right Side Forward
Around the globe most folks are right handed, making the right side of the body more valuable. It can also be a source of power for attacks. Putting the right side forward can mean someone is happy, trusting, attractive, strong, or angry.
Left Side Forward
For right handed people, their left side is less valuable, often used to shield the rest of the body. Someone with left side forward can be sad, mistrusting, weak, and afraid.
Head Down
Putting the head and chin down towards the body can be defensive. It can convey sadness, mistrust, weakness, and fear.
Head Up
Raising the head and chin away from the body often means someone is confident. This can make someone appear attractive, strong, and happy.
Head Level
A level head can mean someone is angry and objective focused.
Lean Foward
Lean the character forward towards the viewer. Try putting a foot up on something, and lean on the raised knee with an elbow. This can mean someone is happy, angry, and strong.
Lean Back
A character leaning backward away from the viewer can be mistrusting, afraid, and weak.
Back Straight
Sit or stand straight up, pull the shoulders back for emphasis and level the head. This can mean someone is happy, young, and strong.
Back Hunched
Curl the spine forward. This can convey sadness, weakness, old age, mistrust, and sluggishness.
Back Arched
Arch the back with stomach out and shoulders extremely pulled back.
Arms Open
Hands and elbows out to the sides. This can make a character attractive, naive, strong, angry, trusting, and happy.
Arms Straight
Straighten the elbows to extend the arms. This can mean someone is happy.
Arms Bent
Bend the arms at the elbow. This can inspire sadness, fear, and old age.
Arms At Rest
Put the arms down at the sides of the body, or relaxing arms on an object. This can suggest someone is sluggish.
Arms Crossed
Hug yourself! Wrap arms around the torso or folded on the chest. This can mean someone is afraid, sad, mistrusting, or vigilant.
Extreme Pelvic Tilt
Tilting the pelvis will draw attention to hips and can make a character attractive.
Pelvic Horizontal
Making the pelvic bone horizontal can make a character a bit boring or uncanny. We tend to favor one side when standing and tilt the pelvis naturally.
Legs Straight
Extending the legs straight can mean a character is happy, strong, and lawful.
Legs Bent
Bend the legs at the knee or hip. This can suggest someone is sluggish, weak, afraid, sad, and old.
Knees Together
Putting the knees together makes a character feel withdrawn. It can mean they are sad, afraid, weak, and mistrusting.
Feet Flat
Put the toes and heels flat on the ground. This may imply a character is sluggish, lawful, and defensive.
Feet On Toes
Stand on the balls of the feet, or even up on tip-toes. This makes a character look agile, chaotic, and on the offensive.
Feet On Heels
Feet with toes up, standing on heels. This can make a character appear relaxed.
Feet Forward
Turn the feet to face straight forward towards the viewer, making the character appear agile.
Hands Open
Uncurl and stretch out the fingers, even splay them apart. This can make a character happy, trusting, good, magical, and attractive.
Hands Clenched
Curl the fingers to make a fist or clutch something. This makes a character appear sad, angry, and physically inclined.
Hands Fidgeting
Twiddle thumbs, put a small object in the hand, handled with fingertips. Often associated with being afraid, making a character unattractive.
Hands Steepled
Put fingertips together with palms apart. This looks like a character is deep in thought, appearing smart. Famous leaders can be seen doing this often.
Two Hands Holding Something
Give the character something large enough to hold with both hands. It can make them appear mistrusting and afraid.
Palms Up
Open the hands with palms up and in view. This can make someone appear happy, good, lawful, strong, and trusting.
Palms Down
Place the palms facing down or on a surface like a table. Doing this may make a character look afraid, mistrusting, evil, chaotic, and weak.
Fingers Interlocked
Weave and interlock the fingers together. This makes someone appear afraid and unattractive.
Muscles Relaxed
Relax the muscles, making them smooth and elongated. Don't show veins, muscle fibers or tendons at joints, it makes a character happy.
Muscles Tight
Tense the muscles; make them bulge, bending joints and showing veins, muscle fiber, or tendons. It makes a character appear stressed, afraid, angry, strong, and physically inclined.
Narrow Face
Face shape should be narrow, gaunt, or long. It can inspire fear.
Wide Face
Face should be wider than normal, it makes the character appear angry.
Looking to the Side
Have the characters eyes look off to side, and turn the head in that direction. This makes them appear mistrusting, afraid, and chaotic.
Asymmetric Expression
Raise an eyebrow, cheek, or corner of the mouth on one side. Squinting one eye or winking works too. This can make someone appear chaotic.
Wrinkled Forehead
Putting horizontal wrinkles in the forehead makes someone appear old and mistrusting.
Round Forehead
Someone with a rounded forehead may mean they're creative, artistic, emotional and illogical.
Eyebrows In and Up
Pull the eyebrows together in the center and up towards the forehead, often causing wrinkles. It makes a character appear sad.
Eyebrows Together
Bringing the eyebrows together in the center makes someone convey fear and mistrust.
Eyebrows In and Down
Move the eyebrows closer together and down, giving your character an angry appearance.
Raised Eyebrows
Raise the eyebrows up the forehead, arching them. This can make a character happy or angry.
Thick Eyebrows
Giving a character thick, dark eyebrows can make them appear strong, young and attractive.
Thin Eyebrows
Styling eyebrows as thin or lighter colored makes a character older, weaker, and less attractive.
Large Eyes
Make the eyes larger than normal, this may even mean changing the surrounding bone structure to accomodate them. It can make your character appear happy, trusting and young.
Damp Eyes
Add some extra shine to the eyes, or even drops of water at the corners. Damp eyes make a character sad or afraid.
Eyes Wide
Open the eyelids a lot, making the shape of the eye more circular. It makes your character seem good, oblivious, and young.
Eyes Narrow
Move the eyelids closer together, making them narrow horizontally. Narrow eyes look smarter and vigilant as though carefully thinking or examining. It could also make a character evil, like they have a nefarious scheme.
Dark Eyes
Deep set eyes with heavy surrounding shadows. Dark eyes make a character smart, but mistrusting.
Eyes Down
Move the iris down and show more of the upper lid, tilt the head down as well. Looking down can be a sign of being sad, mistrusting or afraid.
Eyes Up
Move the iris up, showing more of the underside of the eye and opening the eyes wider vertically. Tilt the head up as well. It can make a character look happy and oblivious, as if day dreaming.
Eyes Forward
Position the eyes to look directly at the viewer. This can convey trust and lawfulness, or anger.
Eyes Closed
Close the eyelids completely, adding some crows feet wrinkles at the outer corners reinforces this, makes your character look afraid.
Lower Eyelid Tense
Drawing the lower eyelid tense, very horizontal, can make a character happy or afraid.
Upper Eyelid Raised
Raising and arching the upper eyelid more can also make a character appear afraid.
Crows Feet
Adding some wrinkles extending from the outer corners of the eyes can make a character older and happy.
Long Nose
Give your character a longer than average nose. It makes them look smarter, older and more magical.
Flared Nostrils
Open the nostrils wide and circular. It makes a character appear angry.
Cheeks Raised
Raise the cheeks up toward the eyes, and a little bit out. It makes your character happy.
Large Cheeks
Giving your character large cheeks makes them appear young, sad or angry.
Laugh Line
Add vertical lines near the nose and arching around the mouth. It can make a character appear older, and have had a lot of smiles and laughs in their life.
Lips Pinched
Make the lips a bit smaller than normal, with more defined wrinkles. It makes them appear sad.
Frown
Pull the corners of the mouth down, making an arch shape. It makes a character appear sad and angry.
Lower Lip Pout
Make the lower lip bigger and jutting out beyond the upper lip. This makes a character look sad.
Dry Mouth
Making the lips wrinkled, cracked, and lighter color can make your character appear older or afraid.
Mouth Flattened
Narrow the lips horizontally. It can make the face look angry.
Lower Lip Tense
Tensing the lower lip, showing more wrinkles, makes them look angry.
Lips Tense
Tensing the lips makes a character appear afraid.
Teeth Exposed
Exposing the teeth for humans usually means they're happy, in the animal kingdom it can be a sign of aggression. Bonus tip: keep your mouth closed, hiding your teeth, around unfamiliar animals.
Clenched Teeth Bared
Exposing the teeth and clenching them together, even grinding them, is a sign of anger.
Jaw Retracted
Retract the lower jaw back towards the neck. It makes the character appear sad or afraid.
Chin Wrinkled
Add some wrinkles to the chin. This can make your character appear mistrusting.
Jutting Chin
Extend the chin out away from the neck, usually creating a slope back to the mouth. It can make a character look angry.
Saturated
Saturated colors are bold, striking, attention getting. They inspire happiness, anger, strength and youth.
Desaturated
Desaturating colors, pushing them towards simple grey values, make characters appear sad, mistrusting, afraid, and old.
Red
Red inspires anger, strength, fear, offense, physical, youth, and agility.
Orange
Orange can make folks happy, sluggish, cheap, young, angry, or naive.
Yellow
Yellow could be the happiest of colors. It can also give the appearance of being oblivious, chaotic, strong, and intelligent.
Green
Green is most associated with nature. Using it inspires trust, sadness, weariness, defensiveness, and attraction.
Cyan
The color of Cyan reminds of us of the sky. It makes us appear young and magical.
Blue
Blue makes us think of the ocean. It inspires sadness, trust, fear, good, lawfulness, strength, intelligence, defensiveness, masculinity, old age, and attraction.
Purple
Purple can make a character appear happy, magical, mistrusting, chaotic, intelligent and attractive.
Pink
Pink appears young, feminine, naive, weak, good, angry, oblivious and happy.
Black
Black is worn often for its slimming effect by hiding edges and extremities. It can also make a character appear sad, afraid, evil, chaotic, strong, intelligent, attractive, and extravagant.
White
White is often associated with purity, trust, good, lawfulness, and naive.
Grey
In the vastness of values between Black and White is Grey. It can make a character appear sad, trusting, vigilant, intelligent, and old.
Silver
Silver colored metallics appear mistrusting, chaotic, and agile.
Gold
Metallic gold is often extravagant and intelligent.
Brown
Brown is often found in nature along side Green. For characters it makes them appear lawful, sad, vigilant, defensive, strong, old and cheap.
What is this?
Use this tool to generate inspiration for your next character design! Or even a design that is not A character, but HAS character.
Who is this for?
Character artists, story writers, 3D artists, game designers, comic artists, even UI artists or landscape painters.
Why is this?
I created this tool as an easy way for character designers to come up with base ideas that can invoke strong emotions. The tool is meant for inspiration to generate ideas, not hard rules for character design. By all means feel free to use or not use the suggestions as you see fit.
The tool combines my years in user experience design and researched sources of design, user experience, art history and theory. Please see the notes below citing articles and books used for reference.
The tool is not intentionally culturally tuned, various cultures may interpret these design attributes differently. In fact there are cultures that are directly opposed in the meaning of some colors, shapes or poses. Please use your own discretion to filter the generated suggestions for cultures you're trying to appeal to.
Please contact me here to send feedback on the Character Anvil. I'd love to hear ideas on how to expand and improve this tool to be the most useful for designers.
Why is this important?
Using some of the suggestions here will create easy to understand visual narratives by embracing human reaction to visual stimulus. Making characters easily identifiable can make viewers feel good about themselves and their deductive reasoning. For video games it can help players climb your game's skill curve faster. For films or static artwork it can help the viewer buy-in to the believability of the piece.
Shape Language
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers have a lot of research at their disposal about how people react to shape.
Body Language
Combining Pose and Shape you'll establish a silhouette for your character. From your initial Pose and Shape ideas, fill a copy of your character concept completely solid black (except where it has holes, leave those blank) on a white background. Hide your first sketches and think about how this silhouette looks as though your character were on a hill with a strong backlight behind them. What the first thing that comes to mind? This is a bit like a Rorschach test and plays a big part of the first impression your character will make on the viewer. If your reaction to the shape you created is aligned with your character idea and personality, you're well on your way to a great character.
Facial Expressions
A character's expression can change dramatically during the course of storytelling, in this design process we're focusing more on the shape of the face and their go-to, default or resting expression. The shape of a character's face can reveal their personality even if their currently expressed emotion is different.
Color Theory
84.7% of consumers cite color as their main reason for buying a particular product. Color can go a long way towards getting a viewer to buy into the experience you're creating. It can give people a quick and easy way to understand if characters are good or bad, fast or slow, happy or sad, and so on.
Additional Reading