Thread 7760956

The majority of character design courses and books are terrible.
They teach shallow art theories like shape design, silhouette, straight vs curves, big medium small, etc but this basic stuff is not enough to create iconic characters that most people love.
It doesn't help that the majority of examples created for the classes are boring, derivative, uninspired, generic Fakemons.
I'm not saying tha picrel is good character design, imho it's terrible, DeviantArt OC superhero tier, but it's iconic atp and only boomers, ok maybe weebs too, don't recognize the character.
>TLDR
>Don't waste your time with video courses and books about character design

>>7760956 (OP)
https://underpaintacademy.com/product/character-prop-concept-art-with-ian-su/

This is my last hope

>>7760956 (OP)
>They teach shallow art theories like shape design, silhouette, straight vs curves, big medium small, etc but this basic stuff is not enough to create iconic characters that most people love.

There's a "Chemical X" to character design theory that most artists don't get, myself included. You can ignore all the "rules" and make an iconic character like Sonichu... Or follow all of them and create forgettable NPCs in a RPG. It doesn't matter if you change the shape, silhouette, and whatever else BS of Goku, or Superman, they're iconic beyond character design rules.

>>7761057
that chemical X is longevity. the longer something is with you, the more it sticks. if i were to show you a character you didn't know created in the past 5 years you'd either call it overdesigned or generic

>>7761057
>Superman

I don't think Superman is Iconic because of his character design, It's more that he was there first. Someone like spiderman or wolverine is iconic for character design it oozes 'cool' first glance. If you want to go for iconic cute design Hello Kitty, such a simplistic, effective character design, stripped down to the bare bones.

>>7761063
That’s obviously wrong. Video games, movies, comics come up with new designs all the time. Some are good. Some are bad.

>>7761057
>"Chemical X" to character design theory
It's the combination of color theory, clothes, skin, fur, scale.

>>7761072
we arent talking about just good or bad, we're talking about iconic

>>7761063
>that chemical X is longevity. the longer something is with you, the more it sticks. if i were to show you a character you didn't know created in the past 5 years you'd either call it overdesigned or generic
So what you're saying is that in an alternative planet Earth we have Oswald as Disney mascot?

>>7761071
>I don't think Superman is Iconic because of his character design
Back when he came out there's dozens of copycats including Shazam so his design is iconic even if it's lame, or not cool like you said.

>>7760956 (OP)
But everybody knows that the strong guy should be shaped like a triangle and twice the size of everyone else

>>7761057
>>7761071
The thing about making something "iconic" is that while the designs are fantastic there is often more to it than just that. Hello Kitty wasn't a standalone vector that got huge, it was an inescapable mascot and was plastered on all kinds of merchandise for girls to find. If you didn't know or care for Hello Kitty you'd meet someone who did.
Sonichu got big because chris-chan was a lolcow people loved to poke fun at but the design was still pretty memorable due to things like bright color, balanced details, and unique silhouette.
At the end of the day, you gotta have good taste and great marking to make something iconic, and outside of that it's out of your hands whether people will like it enough.

what's with that stupid mouth japs are drawing lately? I hope it doesnt become the norm

>>7760956 (OP)
What character is that? Womanwoman?

>>7761139
>The thing about making something "iconic" is that while the designs are fantastic there is often more to it than just that.
This.
In the 1920s and 1930s there's plenty of cartoons that were designed almost the same so character design rules are just a bonus, longevity like this anon >>7761063 here said ain't it either because back then they all were new IPs the truth is that you need something else to stand out. Mickey would never took off without his iconic Steamboat Willie cartoon, its success was due to its synchronized sound and music, other cartoons couldn't do it. Iconic Character design's nothing to do with why Snow White's a smash hit that changed cinema history forever while Mr. Bug's a massive flop that destroyed Fleischer studios.
Those furry bugs are way better designed than SW ugly Dwarfs and the rotoscoped princess.

Makima is one of the most iconic characters in recent memory and she's just some bitch in slacks and a dress shirt. Just make something that's fun to look at.

>>7760956 (OP)
My philosophy is usually you shouldnt think too hard about it. For whatever story or project your making, draw what you feel is necessary to get the idea across. Aiming for "iconic" is dumb anyway.
Like I admire Mamoru Hosoda and his works, but as far as character design though its literally just regular people. Most dont even have any anime flair like spiky hair or huge tits, its just regular looking folk, but you know throw in a key detail here or a hairstyle that depicts a personality trait there, and(movie quality may vary) the designs work for the story hes trying to tell.
Like I remember this dumbass video this artist made where they try to """"fix""""" some fans character design https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d6QYFuWXk0 but like objectively there is nothing wrong with the original design the guy made, but this artist decides "Oh hes a book guy, book should be big cause he is book guy" and that is such a fucking hack idea that you hear from character design courses but no sometimes a regular looking guy can fucking work.

>>7760956 (OP)
Iconic designs are not iconic because of the design, but because of the things sorrounding it.
Do you think anyone would give a SHIT about Mario and Sonic in a vaccum? Of course not, look at all those OCs nobody gives a shit about, even their creators. They are iconic because of everything.
Want to make your OC iconic? Make a story for it, a good one, if possible.

>>7761231
>Makima is one of the most iconic characters in recent memory and she's just some bitch in slacks and a dress shirt
I used to think that clothes made a character iconic, but you're right about Makima. It's a combination of her personality, red hair, dump truck ass and eyes that make her look iconic.

>>7761363
>I used to think that clothes made a character iconic
I was about to post picrel.

>>7761367
God Tatsumaki is so small I want to pound her so fucking BAD AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

>>7761363
>clothes made a character iconic
They do, that's why fanart is different art styles still work.

>>7761235
You do get that image was CLEARLY made to poke fun at the people who posted the cognitive resolution meme all the time?

>>7761265
Do you think anyone would give a SHIT about Mario and Sonic in a vaccum? Of course not
??? There's dozens of Mario and Sonic mascot copycats that got lost to time because their games or video game consoles flopped.
By your logic of survivorship bias, we would all believe that only Mickey used rubberhose art style or only Disney studios did animation in the 1920s, but the truth is that their competitors just failed.
>Want to make your OC iconic? Make a story for it, a good one, if possible.
Neither are necessary, specially a "good story" lol

>>7761444
>There's dozens of Mario and Sonic mascot copycats that got lost to time because their games or video game consoles flopped.
Yes, thats the point, Mario and Sonic won because they had EXTERNAL THINGS OUTSIDE OF ***JUST*** THEIR DESIGN. Surely, SURELY, youre not this dense, right, anon?

>>7761265
This. It's all just brand recognition. Nothing to do with the design itself.

>>7761447
>Mario and Sonic won because they had EXTERNAL THINGS OUTSIDE OF ***JUST*** THEIR DESIGN
So you're telling me with a straight face that their designs don't matter and only things outside of design led to their victory over the competition?
>youre not this dense, right, anon?
I don't agree with you at all. Just replace Sonic and Mario with any of the other mascots in that pic or my picrel and tell yourself that Nintendo and Sega would be nearly as popular without laughing like an idiot, if you actually believe that then you're a dense mofo projecting.
>>7761448
>It's all just brand recognition. Nothing to do with the design
Do you agree with this dumb anon?
I just can't with you guys lmao.

>>7761453
The design is complementary to the character/product. Without character it's just a meaningless design. So I agree with what the other anon said about making a story. Or more clearly, giving them character

if the character is cosplayable it doesnt matter in the end

>>7761371
Too bad Tatsumaki-chan isn't an actual loli...

>>7761371
get inside onii chan

>>7761478
Shes so small compared to me that she might as well be.

>>7761453
If your logic was correct the Bubsy would be an iconic gaming mascot, thats how stupid you sound.
>inb4 he is
Ironic shiposting is still shitposting.

Anons talking about good IP / Story being the secret sauce that turns great character designs into iconic ones are dead wrong.

Look at a phenomenal character designer like Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. You could argue his work for Evangelion only became iconic because the rest of the property has excellent story, animation, etc.

But he's also designed iconic characters like Nadia that are stuck in dogshit properties that no one cares about. Those characters became iconic DESPITE the rest of their IP being bad. In fact the only reason people still tend to check out something like Nadia is because the characters look so enticing.

There's plenty of other examples but that's a very obvious and straightforward one. Iconic character designs are simply destined to become iconic if they're great. The IP they're in really has no bearing on anything. There's a metric shit ton of anime with amazing character design and awful story that basically manages to survive and even thrive simply because the character designs are excellent.

>>7760960
not that great

bump