12 Principles of Animation - Appeal and Character Design

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Definition of Appeal in Character Design

Appealing here means charm. A charming character is not necessarily beautiful or handsome. An example is Olaf in Frozen: we are appealed by his warm personality and loyalty.

Use Shapes in Character Design

Psychological theories show that shapes give human different feelings. Some examples,

  • Circle: peaceful, harmonious, eternal
  • Square: reliable, stable, courage
  • Triangle: energetic, mobile, sporty

You can apply shapes in character design to emphasize the personality of a character.

Image source: tarkstuff.blogspot.com

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The transformation in character design should be inspirational. We should avoid encouraging stereotypes against genders or any race.

Transformation in Character Design

The purpose of transforming a character is to exaggerate notable features. Let's use Olaf as an example again. His body proportion is similar to a baby, with larger heads and a smaller body. The transformation echoes to Olaf's naive and cheerful personality.

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The transformation in character design should be inspirational. We should avoid encouraging stereotypes against genders or any race.

Contrast in Character Design

We can create a contrast between the looks and the personality of a character. For example, Akira Toriyama creates a contrast between age and physical strength in his character Master Roshi in Dragon Ball. The contrast is not only fun, but also makes the character memorable.

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