I knew that having a strong character design would be important for a children’s app, as this would allow them to engage with the content more because a character would make the experience more relatable. To start, I went through the content script and listed the characters I would need.
Next, I started sketching general styles and exploring what my characters could look like. I wanted to establish a unique style which was distinct but also variable to be able to give individual characters their own visual personality. I also wanted to consider the functionality of the character design within a digital product, I needed something that was simple to create but also complex enough to be engaging.
<aside> 💭 This process was useful as it allowed me to explore a lot of options quickly. I can see how my style research has influenced my thoughts towards character design. I think I now have a general style which will work well in directing my character designs.
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After finding a style, I started sketching each character in this style.
<aside> 💭 I was really pleased with my character designs and felt they worked well as a complete set. I’m glad I was able to find a style which was unique but also simple and engaging.
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After sketching out my characters, I moved into Figma and began digitally recreating them. To do this, I started by tracing over the original sketches but improved the structure by using a grid. When I started to colour the characters, I initially tried just using block colours, however, I thought this looked too flat and boring, so wanted to find a way to add a bit more life to the characters. To do this, I created a unique pattern for each character, which I felt really brought them to life. I also used weird angles each time I applied the patterns, which worked well at giving the characters a funky vibe which I thought would be great to make a more engaging experience.
