Tillman - Creative Character Design

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tillman, Bryan.
Creative character design / Bryan Tillman.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-240-81495-7 (pbk.)
1. Characters and characteristics in art. 2. Cartoon characters. 3. Video game characters.
4. Graphic arts--Technique. 5. Animation (Cinematography) 6. Computer animation. I. Title.

NC825.C43T55 2011
741.51dc22

2011009770

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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11 12 13 14 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America

I would like to dedicate this book to my wife for always being my rock, to my children for being the motivation to do everything I do, and to my parents for being true teachers. Thank you all. I love you all very much.

The art in this book was provided by the members of Kaiser Studio Productions. http://www.kaiserstudio.net.

Kaiser Studio Productions consists of:

Bryan Kaiser Tillman
Crystal Tillman
Elvin Hernandez
Alex Buffalo
Enrique Rivera
Jerald Lewis
Kenneth Hill II
Kevin Martin
Danny Araya
Jonathan Stuart

Also guest illustrations by:

Chris Lie
www.caravanstudio.com

Sam Ellis
http://manofmisle.blogspot.com

CHARACTER BIO:

Name:
Bryan Kaiser Tillman

Age:
30, as of this writing

Height:
6 feet, 2 inches or 6 feet, 8 inches (including Afro)

Weight:
220 pounds

Build:
Fit, mesomorph

Nationality:
German-American

Birthplace:
Ft. Hood, Texas

Alignment:
Lawful good (with a touch of chaos)

Weapons:
His Afro, a pencil, an ink pen, and anything ninja

Favorite Saying:
You FAIL!

BIOGRAPHY

How can I write this without making it sound like Bryan paid me to write it? He didnt, really; he just asked. My answer? Absolutely!

Bryan lives his life with passion. He deeply loves his wife, really loves his kids, and sure as hell loves his craft. In the time that I have known him, I have watched Bryan put all of himself into everything he does. Outside of being a great husband and father and fulflling the requirements of his day job, Bryan has attended every major convention I know of; designed, developed, and released an excellent fantasy card RPG; and managed to get his own convention up and running in the Washington, D.C., area. He is like some kind of mad comics superhero.

The passion that Bryan has for his craft, Sequential Art, is second to none. It is that passion that is the origin of this book you hold in your hands. You see for years we have been squabbling amongst ourselves about the hollow materials that have been hitting the shelves or being released in theatres, but Bryan has been telling the masses. Why? Because he is passionate about it, so passionate that he wants you to learn how to do it right. (Okay, so I know that is improper grammar, but I think you get the point.)

This book is the pathway to success in the media and entertainment industries. When you look at the stories you like today, the movies you love, and the games you like to play, for the most part, the reasons you like them are unfolded here. Take this book. Read it. Listen to it. Apply it with the passion that Bryan has, and someday, when you are at the top of the mountain, remember the passion that Bryan Kaiser Tillman had, the passion that helped you build your foundation to success.

Alexander Buffalo

What are archetypes?

Why are they important?

Which archetypes are used the most?

Why is story important for character design?

How can the story affect the design?

Does the design service the story?

Is it still possible to be original?

What is the difference between original and originality?

How important is it to have originality?

What are the shapes telling us?

What is form follows function?

What makes a good silhouette?

Why are references important?

How can you use references and not feel like you are copying?

Getting to know your audience?

Why is color important?

What does the devil is in the details mean?

What is the WOW factor?

Why is it important?

How will it affect my character design?

What tools and techniques are helpful in character design?

What is a model sheet?

How do other artists do it?

You are probably thinking to yourself:

Well, I hate to have to tell you, but you are just going to have to read the whole book to find out. Sorry. One thing I have learned in my years as a teacher is that the quick answer wont teach you anything in the long run. It is like cramming for a test. You know everything you need to know for the test, but then you forget everything the very next day. So Im not going to do you that disservice, but what I will do if you are in such a hurry is give you a brief overview of what this book is all about. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this fast-paced high-octane summary of creative character design. Are you all strapped in and have your helmet on? Great! Here we go.