Creative Character Design for Products
A course by Rob FlowersIllustrator
A course by Rob Flowers, Illustrator
Develop a cohesive set of characters to apply to any kind of object using Adobe Illustrator
London-based illustrator and character designer Rob Flowers channels his love of unusual toys, vintage action figures, and psychedelic colors into award-winning illustrations. Are you ready to embark on a colorful character design adventure where there is never a dull pixel or drop of ink?
In this course, work with Rob to develop a set of character designs that communicate ideas and emotions to be used on products ranging from stickers to t-shirts to prints.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 12 downloads
What Will We Do on this Course?
1 minute, 56 seconds
Principles of Character Design
11 minutes, 5 seconds
Let’s Keep It Brief and Identifying Theme
3 minutes, 14 seconds
Researching Themes
4 minutes, 11 seconds
Colour Considerations
6 minutes, 19 seconds
Sketching Ideas 1
5 minutes, 30 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know Rob, some of his work and influences, and how he became a freelance illustrator.
Get started with your project by setting up mood boards and analyzing the elements that make an impactful character design. Do they share common traits and design elements? What gives them different personalities?
Once you have laid the groundwork for the project, it’s time to start developing your ideas—first as rough sketches and then taking them into the computer to edit, colorize, and prepare for printing.
Finish the course with a step-by-step guide for exporting designs and prepping files, taking into account the format in which your character will appear, whether it’s on a t-shirt, a poster, or anything else you can imagine.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
A series of production-ready character designs that can be applied to t-shirts, digital stickers, and prints.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone with an interest in character design who is looking to take their designs to the next level.
Requirements and materials
You’ll need a good working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator or similar, an interest in character design, and some basic drawing skills.
As for materials, you’ll need pencils, paper, and a computer with Adobe Illustrator on it.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Muy inspirador y buenos personajes
- 3 months ago
Świetny, niezwykły i fascynujący kurs:) Polecam!
- 2 years ago
Very playful style of illustration. I enjoyed it.
- 2 years ago
Un curso muy divertido e inspirador, lo recomiendo totalmente!
- 3 years ago
Excelente. Me encante
Throughout his career, his illustrations have been published in The New York Times, Time Out, Hollywood Reporter, and Creative Review; in advertising campaigns for Converse, Maynard Bassetts, ASOS, Heely’s, Red Bull, and Pull&Bear; and through collaborations with brands like Nike, Mambo, and Wolf & Badger. He has also designed and directed music videos for Kaiser Chiefs and Tinie Tempah.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Introduction
- Influences
- What Will We Do on this Course?
- U2
Looking at and Understanding Character Design
- Principles of Character Design
- Let’s Keep It Brief and Identifying Theme
- Researching Themes
- Colour Considerations
- U3
Making Our Ideas Come to Life
- Sketching Ideas 1
- Sketching Ideas 2
- First Round Developments
- Turning Digital 1
- Turning Digital 2
- Final Tweaks
- U4
Prepping for Production
- Prep for Tee
- Prep for Messaging
- Repeated Pattern for Fabric
- FP
Final project
- Creative Character Design for Products
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate illustrators looking to expand their skills in character design for commercial products and freelance work.
You will need basic drawing materials and access to Adobe Illustrator on your computer to complete the course projects and digital illustration tasks.
You’ll learn how to research, sketch, digitize, and format character designs for products like t-shirts, stickers, fabric, and branding, as well as manage client projects and develop a cohesive illustration style.
The course covers the workflow from initial sketches to final digital files, teaching you to adapt, format, and export character designs for various merchandise including t-shirts, stickers, and repeat pattern fabric.
No advanced drawing skills are required, but you should be comfortable with basic sketching and digital illustration tools.
Yes, the course includes lessons on client management, project workflow, and building a distinctive portfolio, all tailored for freelance illustrators.
The workflow includes researching themes, creating mood boards, sketching ideas, digitizing in Illustrator, selecting color palettes, and formatting designs for various product applications.