Design of Characters for Video Games and Apps
A course by Nicolas CastroIllustrator and character designer
A course by Nicolas Castro, Illustrator and character designer
Learn to create characters and show them in a style guide
Every great story, animated or not, has a protagonist and an antagonist: Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, Simba and Scar, Batman and the Joker ... The list is endless. Nicolás Castro -silustrator and character designer- has extensive experience creating under these guidelines, having worked on the creation of worlds and characters for video game studios and brands such as Disney, Cartoon Network and Lego.
In this course you will learn your method to design characters from scratch, organizing them in a professional quality guide, which can be used to start your career in the world of animation, video games and mobile platforms.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 23 downloads
Materials
3 minutes, 9 seconds
Analyzing memorable characters
6 minutes, 26 seconds
Protagonists and antagonists
8 minutes, 22 seconds
Stealing like artists
12 minutes, 20 seconds
Volumes and shapes I
13 minutes, 30 seconds
Volumes and shapes II
9 minutes, 25 seconds
What's included in this course?
You will begin by getting to know Nicolás, his beginnings and his journey within illustration and videogame studies. Afterwards, he will share some of his greatest influences when designing.
You will make an analysis of semiotics and communication of memorable characters from animation and videogames, to then define the characteristics of the two characters that occupy the main roles within a story: the protagonist and the antagonist.
You will create the style guide for your story. You will start by translating your characters into geometric shapes, to define a clear formula to draw them. You will learn the technique to pose the different views and angles of your characters, to then define their strengths, limitations and a color palette.
To finish, you will finish shaping your style guide, organizing all your work and giving the final touches. Nicolás will give you advice and recommendations to build your portfolio and teach it to companies and potential clients.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
You will design two characters - a protagonist and an antagonist - that will lay the foundations to build a whole world and a history from them.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
To illustrators, animators, designers and anyone who is looking to start their professional search in the market of video games and applications.
Requirements and materials
It is recommended to have basic drawing and intermediate knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
With regard to materials, you will need a sketchbook, drawing materials and a computer or tablet with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator or any other image editing software.
Reviews
- 8 months ago
Muy buena explicación del paso a paso para crear personajes! Entendí mejor las variaciones y criterios para crear imaginarios propios:)
- 11 months ago
Recomiendo mucho este curso, fue muy divertido y a mi en lo personal, me ayudara muchísimo todo lo aprendido! <3
- 2 years ago
exelente instructor, pero creo que el curso esta demasiado pre producido y no te permite ver el proceso completo en cuanto al desarrollo de los personajes.
- 2 years ago
Muito bom.
- 2 years ago
Super agradecida con este curso, justo lo que me imaginaba y más.
Among its clients are Disney, Cartoon Network and Lego, as well as developers in Russia, Australia and Singapore. He currently works as Game Artist in the company Etermax, studio responsible for the development of the renowned games Asses and Apalabrados.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- Materials
- U2
Incubating a character
- Analyzing memorable characters
- Protagonists and antagonists
- Stealing like artists
- U3
Let's get to work
- Volumes and shapes I
- Volumes and shapes II
- Character twist
- Actions and annotations
- Color palette
- U4
How to introduce our characters
- Presentation of the style guide
- Tips and recommendations for building your portfolio
- FP
Final project
- Character design for video games and applications
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
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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
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FAQs
You’ll learn how to create characters using basic geometric shapes, apply semiotics and color psychology, develop style guides, and build professional portfolios for video games, books, and digital illustration.
This is an intermediate-level course. It’s recommended that you have basic drawing skills and familiarity with programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Procreate.
You’ll need a sketchbook, graphite and blue pencils, fine liners, alcohol markers, watercolors, and a computer or tablet with access to programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Procreate.
Semiotics helps visually communicate personality traits and emotions through symbols, colors, and shapes, making characters more memorable and meaningful to the audience.
Yes, you’ll learn techniques to develop distinct protagonists and antagonists with clear roles and consistent narratives in interactive stories.
Yes, the course covers basic animation principles so your characters can be functional and expressive in interactive environments and video games.
A style guide is a document that defines a character’s look, color palette, proportions, and expressions, ensuring visual consistency and making teamwork easier.