All images from Inspired 3D Short Film Production by Jeremy Cantor and Pepe Valencia, series edited by Kyle Clark and Michael Ford. Reprinted with permission.

Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this multi-part series.

A character designer has a number of visual devices at his disposal, which can be used to effectively indicate or imply a character's physical attributes, personality traits, biographical information and goals with descriptive clarity or interpretive subtlety. They are as follows:

• Basic design elements
• Biological and anatomical specifics
• Color
• Posture and facial expressions
• Style, grooming and condition
• Clothing and accessories
• Exaggeration

[Figure 42] Simply varying eyebrow and mouth shapes can create a wide variety of facial expressions.

[Figure 43] The simple placement of a pair of vertical or horizontal lines can drastically change the overall proportions and attitude of otherwise identical characters.

[Figure 44] These very different characters are based on the same basic shape turned upside down.

Basic Design Elements
If you work out the design of your character with pencil and paper, consider the connotative values of different types of lines and shapes. Horizontals tend to imply tranquility. Vertical lines tend to imply rigidity or balance. Curved lines imply gentleness, while hard angles imply danger or stubbornness. And jagged, erratic lines imply energy, confusion or imbalance. A cuddly and sympathetic little bear cub will work well with mostly curved shapes, but his angry, battle-worn, man-eating grandfather might be a bit more angular. Try balancing straights against curves for interesting variety. A few simple lines in a circle can not only indicate a face, but also demonstrate a surprisingly large range of emotions depending on their lengths and angles (see Figure 42). Appropriately-placed lines can also indicate proportions and attitude (see Figure 43).

Basic overall shapes can also have connotative qualities. A V-shaped head might belong to a character with an abnormally large brain, while an A-shaped head looks more Neanderthal (see Figure 44). Similarly, someone with a V-shaped body might not necessarily be stronger than someone with a body shaped like an A, but he can most certainly outrun him (see Figure 45).

Try drawing your characters in silhouette to better analyze the appeal and visual connotations of their overall shapes (see Figure 46).

Symmetry is often considered a necessary component of beauty, but introducing variety in elements such as individual eye sizes can make for some rather interesting character designs (see Figure 47). Introducing extreme contrasts is another basic design strategy that can lead to appealing results, especially when applied to cartoon characters. Think about angular chins with rounded cheeks, huge eyes and a small mouth or legs so thin they couldn't possibly support the weight of your character's enormous head (see Figure 48).

Remember that even subtle variations in basic lines, angles and shapes can result in drastic changes in mood and personality.