ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSELESSON 25
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE
LESSON 25 – HOW TO MASTER APPEAL IN CHARACTER DESIGN (OR, WHY SOME CHARACTERS LOOK ICONIC AND OTHERS LOOK LIKE A FORGOTTEN FLASH GAME SPRITE)
(Or: How to Stop Designing Characters That Look Like They Were Made in MS Paint at 3 AM.)
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE WE MAKE SURE YOUR CHARACTERS DON’T LOOK LIKE BACKGROUND NPCS.
🚨 FACT: If your character doesn’t have appeal, it doesn’t matter how well you animate them—nobody will care.
✅ Great character design = Instantly recognizable, fun to watch, and timeless.
❌ Bad character design = Bland, forgettable, and looks like a rejected cereal mascot.
But don’t worry—most people suck at character design when they start.
🎭 Today, we’re cracking the code to making characters LOOK as good as they MOVE.
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🔥 WHAT EVEN IS “APPEAL” IN CHARACTER DESIGN?
🚨 APPEAL = CHARACTERS PEOPLE WANT TO LOOK AT.
It doesn’t mean “pretty” or “cute”—it means interesting.
• Shrek? Appealing.
• Bugs Bunny? Appealing.
• That one weird humanoid cat mascot from an indie mobile game? Not appealing.
🔥 GOOD APPEAL = Characters that look expressive, unique, and fun to watch.
💀 BAD APPEAL = Characters that look stiff, generic, or like bootleg Disney rejects.
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🔥 WHY YOUR CHARACTER DESIGN SUCKS (AND HOW TO FIX IT)
🚨 1. YOUR CHARACTER HAS NO STRONG SHAPE DESIGN.
• Great characters are built from strong, clear shapes.
• If your character has no clear shape language, they feel generic and forgettable.
• Every iconic cartoon character can be instantly recognized by their silhouette.
🛠️ THE FIX:
✅ Use big, simple shapes to define your character’s form.
✅ Test the silhouette. If you black out your character, are they still recognizable?
✅ Avoid boring, symmetrical designs—they lack personality.
🔥 EXAMPLE:
• SpongeBob = A literal square. Simple and instantly recognizable.
• Batman = Strong, pointed silhouette. Cape adds personality.
• That character you designed last night that looks like a shapeless blob? Not memorable.
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🚨 2. YOUR CHARACTER HAS NO VISUAL HIERARCHY.
• All good character designs have a focal point.
• If everything on your character is fighting for attention, they look cluttered.
• Big, medium, and small details create visual interest.
🛠️ THE FIX:
✅ Make one part of the character stand out the most. (Eyes, silhouette, clothing, etc.)
✅ Use varied sizes in design elements to create contrast.
✅ Reduce unnecessary details—simplicity is stronger than over-designing.
🔥 EXAMPLE:
• Mickey Mouse = Big round head, big ears, simple body. Instantly readable.
• Iron Man = Complex, but still has strong shape language with a clear focal point (arc reactor).
• That character you added 50 belts to because it looked “cool”? Yeah, that’s gotta go.
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🚨 3. YOUR CHARACTER HAS NO CLEAR PERSONALITY.
• Great character design = You know what they’re about just by looking at them.
• If your character looks like they could be in ANY show/game, they lack identity.
• Facial expressions, body language, and costume choices all contribute to personality.
🛠️ THE FIX:
✅ Ask yourself: Who is this character? What’s their vibe?
✅ Design around personality, not just aesthetics.
✅ Use expressive features and posture to sell the character’s energy.
🔥 EXAMPLE:
• Goofy = Tall, wobbly, silly posture. Instantly looks like a clumsy goofball.
• Gaston = Broad-shouldered, perfect hair, arrogant stance. You KNOW he’s a jerk.
• That character you made with a blank expression, stiff pose, and random hoodie? Rework it.
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🚨 4. YOUR CHARACTER’S COLORS ARE A HOT MESS.
• Color affects how people FEEL about your character.
• If your character’s color palette is chaotic, it’s distracting.
• Great designs use limited, intentional colors.
🛠️ THE FIX:
✅ Use a limited color palette (3–5 main colors).
✅ Make sure colors contrast enough to be readable.
✅ Test your character in grayscale. If they disappear, they need more contrast.
🔥 EXAMPLE:
• Mario = Simple red, blue, and yellow accents. Timeless.
• Homer Simpson = Yellow skin, white shirt, blue pants. Easy to read.
• That character you made with rainbow-colored everything? Yeah, no. Tone it down.
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🚨 5. YOUR CHARACTER IS TOO GENERIC.
• If your character looks like every other OC out there, nobody will remember them.
• Good character design leans into exaggeration and unique traits.
🛠️ THE FIX:
✅ Push the unique elements. (Big head? Tiny hands? Weird hat? Make it stronger.)
✅ Study real people and exaggerate.
✅ Avoid making “safe” designs that blend in.
🔥 EXAMPLE:
• Homer Simpson = Simple but exaggerated. Iconic.
• Sonic = Cartoon hedgehog with wild proportions. Memorable.
• That edgy OC you made with a leather jacket and red eyes? Seen it before.
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🔥 COMMON MISTAKES (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)
🚨 FAIL #1: “MY CHARACTER LOOKS TOO BASIC.”
🛠️ FIX: Push the shape language and exaggeration.
🚨 FAIL #2: “MY CHARACTER HAS TOO MANY RANDOM DETAILS.”
🛠️ FIX: Simplify. Less is more.
🚨 FAIL #3: “MY CHARACTER’S COLORS CLASH.”
🛠️ FIX: Use a limited color palette and test contrast.
🚨 FAIL #4: “MY CHARACTER DOESN’T FEEL UNIQUE.”
🛠️ FIX: Study real personalities and push exaggeration.
🚨 FAIL #5: “CAN I BREAK THESE RULES?”
🛠️ FIX: YES—BUT ONLY IF YOU KNOW WHY. Iconic designs bend the rules with purpose.
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🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: BAD CHARACTER DESIGN KILLS GOOD ANIMATION.
🎬 If your character looks forgettable, nobody will care how well you animate them.
🚀 APPEAL is what makes characters memorable, timeless, and iconic.
💀 Fix your designs BEFORE you waste hours animating them.
🔥 NEXT LESSON: HOW TO MAKE BACKGROUNDS THAT DON’T SUCK (OR, WHY YOUR SCENES LOOK LIKE LAZY CLIP ART).
💬 COMMENT BELOW: What’s the worst character design choice you’ve ever made? (Yes, we’re all guilty.)
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🔥 Animation Anarchy starts NOW. 🔥
